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Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré  photo from public domain

Top 10 Facts about Basilica of St. Anne De Beaupre

The  basilica  is set along the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, 30 kilometers  east of Quebec City. The Basilica of St. Anne De Beaupre is  one of the five national shrines of Canada. It has been credited by the Catholic Church with many miracles of curing the sick and disabled.

It is an important Catholic sanctuary, which receives about a half-million pilgrims each year. Since 1933 they have included members of the Anna Fusco Pilgrimage from Connecticut, United States of America. The peak period of pilgrimage is around July 26, the feast of Saint Anne, the patron saint of sailors.

The basilica in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré was  a shrine to honor Saint Anne.  Settler Étienne de Lessard donated two frontal acres from the west end of his property to the Catholic Church, so that a chapel could be built in 1658 .

This chapel eventually became the site of the modern-day basilica. The chapel was built to provide a place of worship for the new settlers in the area  and to house a miraculous statue of St. Anne. The first reported miracle at the site happened during the shrine’s construction.

The following are the top 10 facts about  the Basilica in Sainte -Anne-De – Beaupre.

1.It is the oldest pilgrimage site in North America

The Shrine has been welcoming people from all walks of life for over 350 years. This renowned pilgrimage site is dedicated to Saint Anne, the grandmother of Jesus. Discover its extraordinary history through numerous artistic masterpieces at the Basilica.

2.There are  two miraculous statue found in Basilica in saintee Anne De Beaupre

St Anne du Beaupre photo by public domain 

 The Basilica in Saintee Anne De Beaupre is famous for miracles that are performed. Though the holy sanctuary experienced  a tough  struck by a great misfortune. A fire broke out in the morning, around 9:00 a.m., in the monastery of the Reverend Redemptorists who are in charge of the Shrine of Saint Anne.

The fire spread quickly from the Juniorate to the presbytery and the sacristy. As soon as the Fathers discovered the fire and realized its seriousness, they asked for help from Quebec City. Mayor Samson immediately sent a detachment of the fire department on a special train.

The presbytery and the sacristy were completely destroyed, and the fire was already beginning to spread inside the Basilica. At noon the towers of the Basilica collapsed as well as the walls of the church and the monastery. It was a total loss.  A  few valuable historical souvenirs were managed to be saved.

Despite the great distress, a miracle occurred. The good St. Anne showed her dear grandchildren that she was still watching over them. The  beautiful golden statue, which was on the façade and was made of wood, miraculously survived the flames. 

While the second statue is inside the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, in the north transept. It is made of polychrome wood, sculpted in 1927 by Jules de Vischer, Brussels, Belgium. It is based on the model of a first miraculous statue produced in 1881 by the workshop Mathias Zens, whose successor was Jules de Vischer. This statue is said to be miraculous because many pilgrims have obtained favors, such as healings or conversions. It seems that the sanctuary records about forty miracles each year.

3.The Shrine has in its possession three notable relics

Relic of St Anne ,photo by judge floro

The  first relic   has a portion of the bone of Saint Anne’s finger. It  was obtained by the Carcassonne Chapter, and was brought to the Shrine on March 12, 1670 by Bishop François de Laval.

The first  major relic arrived at the Shrine on July 26, 1892, as a gift from Pope Leo XIII. It is a 4-inch portion of the bone of Saint Anne’s forearm. It was obtained from the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, in Rome, and was brought to Saint Anne de Beaupré by Bishop Joseph-Calixte Canac-Marquis (1821-1904).

 Another major of relic  of Saint Anne arrived in 1960 . It was also from her forearm was brought to the Shrine from The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, this time,  It was  a gift from Blessed Pope John XXIII.

4.Atelier Paré Museum of Wood Sculpture

This was inspired by sculptor Alphonse Paré. The unique museum is home to a collection of both contemporary and traditional pieces of wood sculpture.  It include of   both decorative and functional pieces. In addition to exhibits and a Sculpture Garden.

visitors also  get to have the opportunity to watch master craftspeople at work. Museum visitors can ask questions of the artists and hear about the creative and technical processes, as well as touch and examine the works in progress.

5.The  Cyclorama of Jerusalem

It was painted in 1882 in Munich and on display in Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré.  Since 1895,

1080px-Chapelle_Scala_Santa photo by Guerinf 

 It is the Chapel of the Holy Steps. It  was built in 1871. The steps replicate the stairs that Christ climbed when he was taken before Pontius Pilate and are located at the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine

7.Chutes Montmorency

Montmorency Falls photo by Wilfredor

It is ten kilometers north of Québec City. The Montmorency River plunges over an 84-meter-high escarpment which is 30 meters higher than Niagara Falls. It has trails, stairways, and viewing platforms, which allow tourists to admire the falls from multiple vantage points. Also a cable car  runs to the top of the falls offering excellent views of the surrounding landscape.

Visitors can also cross the Montmorency River to île d’Orléans by using  the  pedestrian suspension bridge. Maison Montmorency which was also known as “Kent House . It was a great favorite of the Duke of Kent in 1790s . Currently it contains a restaurant and interpretive center.

8.The Cap Tourment National Wildlife Refuge

It is a bout ten kilometers east of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, at Cap Tourment. This is  a wildlife reserve  that has been established on the northern shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary. During  spring and autumn, thousands of  thousands of migrating snow geese stop to take a break from their long northward or southward journey which result to  a magnificent sight.

Also other migratory birds can be seen. And they include the pileated woodpecker, indigo bunting, scarlet tanager, and more year-round residents include the barred owl, blue jay, and black-capped chickadee, as well as mammals like white-tailed deer, red foxes, and black bear.

The refuge is also home to several at-risk species, most notably the peregrine falcon. The refuge has a total of 20 kilometers of hiking trails, an educational interpretive center, and organized activities led by naturalists.

9.Canyon Sainte-Anne

Pedestrian bridge at Ste Anne Grand Canyon photo by Jiaqian

The canyon saintee-Anne is  seven kilometers north of Ste-Anne de Beaupré.  The Sainte-Anne River has carved a romantically wild gorge through the foothills of the Laurentians on its way down to the St. Lawrence Estuary. Sainte-Anne Falls is  locally known as Chute Sainte-Anne. It  is  one of the reasons the canyon is popular with tourists.

Also known as the “Grand Canyon of Québec,” Canyon Sainte-Anne offers plenty of things to do. Visitors can admire the falls from the numerous hiking trails  and those  for who are not afraid of heights can get a better look from the three suspension bridges that span the gap.

For true thrill-seekers can experience the rush of a zipline across the gorge, or rappel down the sides of the canyon. There is also a two-person seated zipline that crosses the canyon, allowing you to share the experience with a friend or loved one.

10.Basilica in saintee Anne De Beaupre can accommodate 9000 worshipers

The Basilica was completed  to be constructed in1963 in the 12th century. It has the Romanesque gothic style. The saintee- Anne- de- Beaupré can accommodate 9000 worshippers. It is the headquarters of the French Redemptorist