Six million pilgrims a year visit the small town of Lourdes in the southwest of France. In spite of only 16.000 inhabitants Lourdes has got more hotels that any other French city except for Paris.

Virgin Mary appeared to a young woman several times in 1858 in a small grotto close to the town, and ever since the pilgrims have been coming in growing numbers.
They come to pray and they come for the water from the spring in the grotto. The water seems to have miraculous effect and the Vatican has recognized 67 miracles taking place in Lourdes since 1858.
The water from the spring has been lead into taps besides the grotto, and pilgrims fill little Madonna-shaped souvenir bottles with water. Some of them even fill 10 liter bottles, which they carry away in huge bags.

Religious ceremonies are taking place in different places and in different languages all during the day. But pilgrims do not need a ceremony to pray. From early morning you see them paying at the grotto.
Praying intensely and emotionally they seem to forget the world around them.