The main celebrations under the theme of Pilgrims of Hope are in Rome, but let us examine two significant sites in France that offer pilgrimages giving thanks and explicitly devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Separated by distance, one a simple town, the other a grand Basilica in the heart of Paris, these are not merely places to visit, but they allow us to appreciate the historical significance of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Firstly, there is <a>Paray-le-Monial, </a>a small town in Burgundy, where, in 1675, as a young nun, Marguerite-Marie Alacoque saw Christ appear to her while she was praying.
For the 350<sup>th </sup>anniversary of Jesus’ apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the Paray-le-Monial sanctuary has been organising meetings, retreats, and celebrations, which began in December 2023, the anniversary date of the first apparition and which ran until the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
At the start of the jubilee, pilgrims were invited to pass through the jubilee door and enter the chapel of the apparitions, an opportunity for them to welcome and humbly express their love for Jesus.
It was here, in this discreet little chapel, the <em>Chapel of the Visitation</em> (pictured), that Marquerite witnessed three apparitions between the end of December 1673 and June 1675. In her autobiography, written in obedience to her superiors, she claims that Christ asked for a feast in honour of His Sacred Heart to be observed throughout the whole Church.
She revealed that on June 16, 1675, Jesus specifically asked that "the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi be set apart for a special feast to honour my heart by receiving Communion on that day and making reparation to my heart by a solemn act, to make amends for the indignities that it has received during the time it has been exposed on the altars".
The manuscript, kept as a treasured relic at the Visitation in Paray-le-Monial, comprises 64 compact pages of beautiful writing and was certified as accurate by Sister Anne de La Garde, signed in 1715.
The Shrine, in the chapel of the hallowed ground features a wax statue, which houses many of her bones, and above the Shrine, we note the significant dates in her life.
Marguerite-Marie was born in 1647 and died on October 17, 1690. She was beatified in 1864 and canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920.
Fr Étienne Kern, the rector of the sanctuary, stated that since the beginning of the jubilee, a large number of people from various spiritual backgrounds have had personal experiences of transformation and encounters with the Lord at Paray-le-Monial.
Similar to the site of the apparitions, the radiant Basilica of Montmartre in Paris also has an unwavering attachment to the Sacred Heart. It is celebrating the 140th anniversary of the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (1885-2025)
To mark the occasion, at Mass on June 15, the rector, Fr Stéphane Esclef, conferred an apostolic blessing from Pope Leo XIV at the Basilica, where celebrations will continue until December 28, 2025.
The Shrine is also launching a special novena of prayer from July 24 to August 1, nine days of worship during which the faithful will keep watch over the Blessed Sacrament exposed at the Shrine.
Construction started at the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur on June 16, 1875. Today, it is a stunning historic French monument featuring one of the most extensive mosaics in the world, measuring 475 m², created in 1922, and depicting five women. Since 1885, it has also been a Sanctuary of Eucharistic Adoration and Divine Mercy.
What you might not know is that the relatively modern Sacré-Cœur is not a parish but a pilgrimage site built on a sacred hill where the martyrdom of Saint Denis is said to have taken place.
Pilgrims across France and beyond come here to pray silently at the Shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart, not only during the day but even when the doors close in the evening. Prayer for Eucharistic Adoration is continuous; it is the mission of the Basilica.
Fr Stéphane Esclef tells visitors:<strong> </strong>“This building, emblematic of our country, is, above all, a sanctuary dedicated to the goodness and tenderness of the Heart of Christ. It is a heart open to all. Accompanied by the Benedictines of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, chaplains serving the sanctuary, lay people who work in this place, as well as volunteers, the activities we offer will allow you to experience this encounter and a heart-to-heart connection with Him. Indeed, the Heart of the Lord is a furnace of charity, of mercy for each of us. Whether you are alone or in a group, whether you wish to spend time or experience a pilgrimage."
These two pivotal sites, Paray-le-Monial, the humble place of origin of the Sacred Heart apparitions, and the majestic Sacré-Cœur, show how the past can ignite, strengthen our faith, and guide us onto our spiritual path. <strong></strong>
The Sacred Heart of Jesus is not a fragment of the past; it’s a living reality, offering us a genuine invitation to connect to the divine.
