Overview
Sanctuary Our Lady of Laus
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Laus, situated in the Southern Alps, is a Catholic spiritual place of importance. It has its origins in the Virgin Mary’s appearances to a shepherdess, Benoite Rencurel, between 1664 and 1718.
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Opened to all, the Sanctuary receives persons desiring to take time for prayer and resourcing themselves. Sessions, pilgrimages, and large gatherings are organised here regularly. Spiritual activities are ensured by the priests from the Diocese of Gap and of Embrun, the Benedictine Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre and by a team of lay persons.
More than 170 000 French and foreign visitors come to the Laus each year: young and old, alone, with the family or in groups. The Sanctuary Our Lady of Laus has hostel accommodation for several hundreds of persons. Surrounded by nature at an altitude of 900 meters, the hamlet of Our Lady of Laus is accessible in vehicle throughout the year.
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about the sanctuaryThe Oil of Our Lady of Laus
Presentation of the oil of the lamp of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Laus. In the basilica, near the altar of the Chapel of Bon-Rencontre where Mary appeared to Benoîte, a lamp, supplied with oil, burns continuously indicating the real presence of Jesus in the tabernacle.
“The good Mother told Benoite Rencurel, at the beginning of devotion, the person who takes the oil of the Chapel and applies it on oneself, and has recourse to Her intercession, and has faith, that person will be healed.” (Pierre Gaillard, Vicar General of the Diocese of Gap, a contemporary of Benoîte)
Mary requests us to place an act of faith and trust in God with the help of this ordinary oil which has burned in front of the Eucharistic presence of Jesus. Through this gesture of prayer, we express our requests to the Lord, via the Virgin Mary.
The anointing helps us to open our heart to the action of the Holy Spirit for receiving, in response to our prayer, the visible or hidden graces of spiritual or physical healing that the Lord wishes to grant us in His love.
The Sanctuary receives numerous testimonies from persons affirming that they have been relieved of their pains, sometimes healed of their physical, moral, spiritual miseries after having used the oil from the lamp of the Sanctuary.
To receive the oil of Our Lady of Laus
In order to receive a vial of the oil of Our Lady of Laus, you have simply to fill out the form. Click link – HERE. Given that the Sanctuary receives very many requests, the average time for sending the oil is about three weeks.
You are invited to make a free offering. As an indication, the sending of a vial of oil represents a cost of 6 €.
Why come to Our Lady of Laus?
To find Beauty
The Virgin Mary has chosen the Laus for its beauty, its peace, its mildness, and its simplicity. These qualities, in fact, foster reconciliation and are a first step towards inner peace. A maternal refuge, the Laus is a propitious environment offered to those who wish to spend time in this place and be receptive to the graces of conversion and of comforting.
To receive a downpour of graces
Since 1665, the Sanctuary has been receiving numerous testimonies of graces received. As Mary promised, “the oil of the Laus” if applied with faith is a source of many physical and spiritual healings.
Graces of reconciliation are experienced in the sacrament of forgiveness. Certain of the visitors receive the “fragrances”, these good odours as signs of appeal and of encouragement.
To hear and live the message of reconciliation today
The mission of Benoîte and the 54 years of apparitions constitute the “message of the Laus”, which is a call to be reconciled in our entire being with God, with others, and with oneself, but also with the body, with time, with the heavenly world.
In our modern world, where we are torn by doubts and questions of all sorts, this message of appeasement, of inner unification and conversion to Christ is proving to be highly topical.
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Benoîte Rencurel (1647-1718) is venerable since 3 April 2009
In fact, after the reopening of the process for her beatification by Blessed Pope John Paul II on 31 July 1981, Pope Benedict XVI decreed her heroic theological and moral virtues.
The recognition of a miracle will permit her being declared Blessed and being proposed as a model for all the faithful. It is in this sense that this prayer requesting for her beatification is proposed.
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Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Video
The Oil of Our Lady of Laus
Presentation of the oil of the lamp of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Laus. In the basilica, near the altar of the Chapel of Bon-Rencontre where Mary appeared to Benoîte, a lamp, supplied with oil, burns continuously indicating the real presence of Jesus in the tabernacle.
“The good Mother told Benoîte, at the beginning of devotion, the person who takes the oil of the Chapel and applies it on oneself, and has recourse to Her intercession, and has faith, that person will be healed.” (Pierre Gaillard, Vicar General of the Diocese of Gap, a contemporary of Benoîte)
Mary requests us to place an act of faith and trust in God with the help of this ordinary oil which has burned in front of the Eucharistic presence of Jesus. Through this gesture of prayer, we express our requests to the Lord, via the Virgin Mary. The anointing helps us to open our heart to the action of the Holy Spirit for receiving, in response to our prayer, the visible or hidden graces of spiritual or physical healing that the Lord wishes to grant us in His love.
The Sanctuary receives numerous testimonies from persons affirming that they have been relieved of their pains, sometimes healed of their physical, moral, spiritual miseries after having used the oil from the lamp of the Sanctuary.
To receive the oil of Our Lady of Laus
In order to receive a vial of the oil of Our Lady of Laus, you have simply to fill out the form. Click link – HERE. Given that the Sanctuary receives very many requests, the average time for sending the oil is about three weeks.
You are invited to make a free offering. As an indication, the sending of a vial of oil represents a cost of 6 €.
Why come to Our Lady of Laus?
To find Beauty
The Virgin Mary has chosen the Laus for its beauty, its peace, its mildness, and its simplicity. These qualities, in fact, foster reconciliation and are a first step towards inner peace. A maternal refuge, the Laus is a propitious environment offered to those who wish to spend time in this place and be receptive to the graces of conversion and of comforting.
To receive a downpour of graces
Since 1665, the Sanctuary has been receiving numerous testimonies of graces received. As Mary promised, “the oil of the Laus” if applied with faith is a source of many physical and spiritual healings.
Graces of reconciliation are experienced in the sacrament of forgiveness. Certain of the visitors receive the “fragrances”, these good odours as signs of appeal and of encouragement.
To hear and live the message of reconciliation today
The mission of Benoîte and the 54 years of apparitions constitute the “message of the Laus”, which is a call to be reconciled in our entire being with God, with others, and with oneself, but also with the body, with time, with the heavenly world. In our modern world, where we are torn by doubts and questions of all sorts, this message of appeasement, of inner unification and conversion to Christ is proving to be highly topical.
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Access to the sanctuary by road
Arriving from the North of France
Expressway to Grenoble then R.N. 85 (Route Napoléon) by the “col Bayard” (name of the narrow road), or R.N. (State highway) 75 by the “col de Lus la Croix Haute” (name of the high mountain pass).
Arriving from Italy
Expressway to Oulx then col de Montgenèvre and R.N. 94 (State Highway 94) by Briançon.
Arriving from the Mediterranean coast
Expressway A-51 to La Saulce then D 924 (direction Briançon).
From Languedoc-Roussillon, the southwest and the Rhone Valley
Expressway to Bollène then D 994 by Nyons, or Expressway to Valence then D 993 by Die and the “col de Cabre” and D 994 to Gap.
Access to the sanctuary by train
Paris-Gap-Briançon
By the night train.
Marseille-Gap-Briançon
Three times a day.
T.G.V. (High Speed Train) to Grenoble and Valence
From these stations, there are regular train services to Gap. In winter additional trains are put in operation from some big towns (Le Havre, Mulhouse, Lille, Nantes, Metz, Quimper and Brussels) to Gap.
On request the Sanctuary provides a shuttle service for collecting persons at Gap from the SNCF railway Station (SNCF French National Railway Company) or the Bus Station (11€ for the journey).
Access to the sanctuary by car (coach)
Regular to and from service for Marseille Marseille, Grenoble, Nice, Barcelonnette and Briançon.
Information: bus station of Gap (SCAL).
Tél. : 04 92 51 06 05
The timings: www.05voyageurs.com
On request the Sanctuary provides a shuttle service for collecting persons at the Bus Station (11 € for the journey).
Access to the sanctuary by air
The nearest air ports
Lyon-Saint Exupéry: 195 km (of which 100 km on the Expressway)
Marseille-Provence: 180 km (of which 160 km on the Expressway)
Grenoble-Saint-Geoirs: 140 km
Nice: 327 km (of which 304 km on the Expressway via Aix en Provence)
Turin: 200 km (of which 70 km on the Expressway)
Genève : 247 km (of which 125 km on the Expressway)
Aerodrome of Ga-Tallard is 10 km away
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
- Monday to Saturday: 7:30 and 11:15
- Sunday: Mass at 7.00 am and 10:30 am (also at 18h in July and August)
At the Basilica
- Morning Prayer: 8:10
- Vespers: From Monday to Saturday at 18:30
- Vespers: Sunday at 16:00
- Vigils: every Saturday and holiday eve at 20:30
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Benoite Rencurel – Messanger of reconciliation (1647-1718)
1647: Benoîte Rencurel was born in Saint-Etienne-d’Avançon of a family of modest means. Contemporary of Louis XIV, she lived at a time that was troubled by political, social and religious tensions.
After the death of her father in 1654, she was constrained to work as a shepherdess. Before beginning to go all over the mountains with her flocks, she asked her mother for a rosary. Not knowing how to read or write, she prayed all day long, becoming in this way a true contemplative. Simple and full of life, she was close to the people of her village and did not hesitate to give her food to the children who were poorer than herself.
1664: the beginning of a long relationship
May 1664: after hearing a homily by her parish priest, Benoîte felt a strong desire to meet the Mother of Mercy. Soon after, Saint Maurice appeared to her and told her that her wish will be fulfilled. The next day, and during a period of four months, a “beautiful Lady” appeared daily to her in the Vallon des Fours, near Saint-Etienne. In order to prepare her for her future mission, she provided her an intensive education which transformed her behaviour and her spiritual life.
On 29 August, the beautiful Lady revealed her identity: “I am Lady Mary, the Mother of my very dear Son.’’ At the end of September, after an absence of one month, Mary manifested herself again, but on the other side of the valley, in Pindreau: “Go to the Laus, there, you will find a chapel which exhales good odours and there you will speak very often to me.”
A valley chosen as refuge for all
The next day Benoîte went to the neighbouring hamlet of the Laus and found the chapel of Bon-Rencontre through the fragrant odours. Inside, standing on the altar, Mary revealed to Benoîte her plan. “I have asked my Son for this place for the conversion of sinners and He granted it to Me.”
She confided to Benoîte the mission of building a church and a house for the priests so that they receive and confess pilgrims. The church was built over the chapel of Bon-Rencontre between 1666 and 1669. The day it was blessed, Benoîte became a member of the Tertiary Order of Saint Dominic, hence the title of “Sister Benoîte” which was conferred on her.
Benoîte, witnesse of mercy during 54 years of apparitions
From the spring of 1665, pilgrims flocked to the Laus. In 18 months their number increased to about 130 000. Benoîte fulfilled her pastoral work by receiving them, by praying and doing penance. Having received the gift of reading into the consciences, she enlightened their steps to conversion and sent them to priests who marvelled at the quality of the confessions.
There were numerous healings and conversions. In 1672, entirely dedicated to her mission, Benoîte came to reside full time in the Laus. During 54 years, Mary continued to appear to her to support her in her apostolate and in her continuing education.
Benoîte, mystic of compassion
In addition to Marian apparitions, Benoîte also saw angels, several saints, and had mystical experiences like the vision of Paradise. Between 1669 and 1684, she was graced 5 times with the vision of Christ crucified on the Cross of Avançon. United to him in this way, every Friday for several years, she lived a “mystical crucifixion”.
She went through other trials such as spiritual and physical attacks from the Devil or of being put aside for 20 years by some priests who had Jansenist tendencies. Worn out by these struggles and by her dedication, she died “joyfully” on 28 December 1718, surrounded by the priests of the Sanctuary.