The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-10
PILGRIMS IN THRoNGs.
Visit This Year the Shrine of St.
 Anne Near Quebec.

Brooklyn Eagle.
 Never were there so many pilgrimages to the shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupre' just outside the city limits of Quepec, in the same space of time aSIJSuring the summer of 1902; never was the cult Of the great thaumaturgus Of Canada so Ter vent and sincere; never were so many miraculous cures reported rom the Be thesda springs on the banks of the St. Lawrence, and never have so many un- fortunate sufferers made the long Jouc. ney from their homes to seek ren T among the relics of the Virgin Mary mother, only to retdrn home with their aspirations ungratihed and their bodily ills uncured.
 Not all who go from far and near to kneel in the sanctuary of the saint arc influenced to undertake the journey by the sole desire Cor miracYous rehh from badly pain and sufferinSr Al Many go there every day who are not 4ame' nor halt, nor blind, for sometimes as many as 10000 people visit the shrine in a sin gle day, and already the number Of pii- Erims who have knelt at the shrine du = ing the present season is in excess or 26O, ,0O0, against 100000 to the same date last year.
 of Canada and the United States. Some of them embrace whole congregations; and even whole pdrishes, accompanleu by theit priests and often by bishops. Man. pilgrims go in small private par
 
 number of indj j3idual pilgrims. Some go to seek the favor of the saint in their own behalf. while others take with them their sick friends and relatives, or go alone to crave their cure. some seek spiritual favors only, but these are HI the great minority.
 The temporal blessings sought of Ste. Anne are of infinite variety In lact there appear to be those who think that her power is unlimited In Canada she Is held In special reverence. Some Of the inscriptions in her honor upon the outer walls of her magnificent bascila at St: Anne de Beaupre speak eloQuently Oh French Canadian faith in her supernatu- .'Bonne Ste. Anne" Good St. Anne). Refuge of Sinners" "Consoler of the Afflicted" "Protectress of Sailors" Pat roness of Canada, v "Grandmother or the Divine Savior" etc.
 The entire village of Ste. Anne de Beaupre, and pretty large one 1t Is, too, is more or less connected with the cult of the saint. But for this there would probably be no village there at all, for there Is certainly no other reason for one in that neighborhood. An enormous wharf has been built out into the St. Lawrence to accommodate all the steam boats bringing pilgrims there rall- way has been built from Quebec, twenty one miles distant, with double line or rails, arranged for both electric and steam railway trains, to convey there the pilgrims who prefer to traVel Dy lano.
 The church, or rather basilica, con taining the shrine of the saint and the sacred relics. is magnificent stone structure, costing over a quarter of a million dollars. Around 1t are grouped nearly a score of beautiful chapels. A short distance away IS the Scala Sancta. of which something must be said latet. The presbytery, or residence of the priests who serve the shrine. Is a very large and handsome structure, for many clergy are required here to hear confessions. sing the numerous masses and benedic- tions which daily ascend from the great temple and surrounding chapels, present the relics of the saint for veneration Of the faithful and preach sermons in sev- eral langua xes There Is convent near by, and many large. though cheap. ho- ,tels for the accommodation of pilgrims, These buildings, together with a few stores, a factory for the turning out Of sacred statuary and the humble homes Of those employed about the hotels, the church, the railway, or who in some otn- CT more or less direct manner make their living out of the pilgrims, fill up the en- tire village, which is thus as completely dependent for existence upon the super natural powers attributed to Ste. Anne as Coney Island Is upon the pleasure seeking pilgrimages from Gotham. N>