The Lourdes Grotto of Bergom

The cave was founded in 1874, at a time when such Marian caves were very popular. After Bernadette Soubirous saw Mary appear in a cave at Lourdes in 1858, this place became an official place of pilgrimage in 1862. The Lourdes grotto, with a room for candles at the bottom and a niche with a statue of Mary at the top, was recreated numerous times in miniature in Flanders. This cave is still a popular resting place for hikers and cyclists in 2012.
The cave is said to have been built on the site where a man was murdered in 1871. The construction in Bergom was built from masonry stone chunks and is covered with earth at the rear. The stones are said to come from the marlstones of the calvary at the church of Westerlo. The cave is protected by a beautiful iron fence, with bars decorated with flowers. In the cave we see a copper indulgence sign with bilingual inscription showing that one can obtain indulgences by praying for this cave. In the sculpture niche is a large plaster statue of Mary, painted white and blue. Iron letters form the inscription 'I am the Immaculate Conception'. In 1914 the people of Bergom and Blauberg would come in here at the threat of the coming war.

Jan Rymenams