One of Aruba’s premier religious landmarks, the Lourdes Grotto is a unique shrine built into a stone wall, featuring a statue of the Virgin Mary. Every year on the feast of Lady of Lourdes, a procession arrives at the grotto and a mass is said here in an event that attracts worshippers from all over the island. Join the local devotees for the annual feast or stop by the shrine at another time to take pictures and to spend a few moments absorbing the peaceful atmosphere.
The shrine is named after the famous French pilgrimage destination. It was created in the late 1950s by a local priest and it is still an extremely important religious landmark for Aruba, where Catholicism is the dominant religion.
The shrine consists of a cave carved into the rock containing a statue of the Virgin Mary inside. This statue weighs around 1,543 pounds (700 kilograms). Because of its off-the-beaten path location, the shrine has an atmosphere that is extremely quiet and tranquil, so allow yourself a moment or two for some reflection. Note the candles left around the monument. Many devout local worshippers come here to say a prayer and light a candle, a common Catholic tradition.
Look carefully inside the cave and you may notice a few bats flapping around the ceiling’s edge. Mountain goats can also occasionally be seen roaming around the grounds nearby.
One of the best times of the year to visit the shrine is on February 11 on the feast of Lady of Lourdes. Join locals in the procession, which departs from St. Theresita Church in San Nicolas, and walk with the pilgrims to the shrine. At the grotto, a mass will be performed in honour of the Virgin Mary. It’s also worth seeing the grotto at Christmas time, when it is lit up attractively.
Lourdes Grotto is located in Seroe Preto (Black Hill) near San Nicolas and it is free to enter. It is best reached by car. Look out for a sign on the side of the road marking the entrance or ask locals for directions.
