From August 31 to September 6, 2024, under the guidance of Fr. Ludovic Nobel, Superior General of the Society of Bethlehem Missionaries (SMB) and leader of the Pèlerinages Bibliques Romands (PBR), a group of Swiss pilgrims embarked on a journey of faith and discovery through France.
Organized by the PBR, in collaboration with Ad Gentes, this pilgrimage offered participants the opportunity to explore or rediscover the spiritual richness of the French holy sites.
Combining the PBR’s 50 years of expertise with the SMB’s missionary spirituality, this 7-day journey took the pilgrims through 2000 kilometers, visiting four cathedrals, five monasteries, and an emotional stop at the D-Day landing beaches.
At the heart of this journey: France, a land of saints and martyrs, culminating in Lisieux, the city of Saint Thérèse, the Patroness of Missions.
Paray-le-Monial: “Behold this Heart that has so loved men”
On Saturday, August 31, the pilgrims departed from Fribourg at 7 a.m. to reach Paray-le-Monial, an emblematic site of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Along the way, others joined the group in Lausanne and Geneva. Upon arrival in Paray-le-Monial, the pilgrims visited the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, nicknamed “Miniature Cluny,” as well as the adjacent cloister.
It was in this deeply spiritual place that Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque, a nun of the Visitation Order, received several apparitions of Christ between 1673 and 1675. Born in Vérosvres into a pious family, Marguerite Marie demonstrated a deep desire to dedicate herself to God from an early age. After facing trials, including paralysis and the loss of her father, she entered the Paray-le-Monial monastery in 1671 at the age of 24.
During one of her apparitions in June 1675, Jesus showed Marguerite Marie His heart, burning with love, and said to her: “Behold this Heart that has so loved men”. He also entrusted her with the mission of spreading devotion to His Sacred Heart.
Despite challenges and criticism from her community, Marguerite Marie persevered with the support of Fr. Claude La Colombière, her spiritual guide. Through her obedience, humility, and determination, she successfully promoted the devotion to the Sacred Heart, which quickly spread throughout the Catholic Church.
The connection between Paray-le-Monial and the Society of Bethlehem Missionaries is particularly strong, as Fr. Pierre-Marie Barral, founder of the SMB, was a missionary of the Sacred Heart. Born in Savoy, Pierre-Marie Barral joined the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and served as a missionary in Peru and the United States. However, his ambition to open an apostolic school to train missionaries in Europe led him to establish an independent institution in Switzerland. The formation of young, poor boys became a central mission of the SMB, combining faith and social engagement.
Fr. Barral remained faithful to the devotion to the Sacred Heart throughout his life, a central aspect of the SMB’s spirituality, spreading the unconditional love of Jesus inspired by the visions of Saint Marguerite Marie.
The pilgrims took time to pray in the Basilica, meditating on the universal message of love and mercy of the Sacred Heart, which continues to resonate deeply within the Church and the SMB.
Nevers: In the Footsteps of Saint Bernadette Soubirous
After visiting Paray-le-Monial, the pilgrims traveled to Nevers, following the Loire Canal and arriving at the Saint-Gildard Convent by the evening. This place is intimately connected to Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the visionary of Lourdes, who spent the last thirteen years of her life here after joining the Sisters of Charity of Nevers.
Saint Bernadette, born in 1844 in Lourdes, was a humble and sickly girl when the Virgin Mary appeared to her eighteen times in 1858 at the grotto of Massabielle. These apparitions transformed not only Bernadette’s life but also the lives of millions of faithful around the world. Bernadette’s simplicity and humility left a lasting impression, though she never sought recognition or glory. After the apparitions, she chose to withdraw from public life, dedicating herself to a life of prayer and service at the convent.
In 1866, Bernadette entered the Saint-Gildard Convent, where she undertook modest tasks while battling fragile health, including tuberculosis. She spent much of her time in prayer and meditation, far from the attention caused by the events at Lourdes. She never sought to impose herself or capitalize on her visions, remaining humble and committed to her call from God.
The pilgrims visited Bernadette’s incorrupt body, displayed in a glass reliquary since her beatification. This moment of reflection allowed the pilgrims to meditate on the example of simplicity, humility, and unshakeable faith that Saint Bernadette set for the world.
Saint-Gildard Convent remains a pilgrimage site where the faithful from around the world come to pray and seek inspiration from Bernadette’s quiet life of devotion and holiness.
Cathedral of Bourges: A Gothic Masterpiece
On Sunday, after celebrating Mass at the Sainte Bernadette Sanctuary, the pilgrims traveled to Bourges to discover one of France’s most impressive cathedrals: the Cathedral of Saint-Étienne, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Construction of the cathedral began in the late 12th century and was completed by the mid-13th century. It is often considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, rivaling the most famous religious buildings of the time. The absence of a transept, giving the structure a striking verticality, is one of the unique features of the Bourges Cathedral, which enhances the purity of its architectural lines and the grandeur of its nave.
The pilgrims were captivated by the richness of the stained glass windows, especially those from the 13th century, whose brilliant beauty tells biblical stories and scenes from the lives of the saints. These stained glass windows are not just works of art, but educational tools designed to teach the faithful the sacred narratives and Christian values at a time when few could read.
The monumental dimensions of the cathedral, with its massive towers and sculpted portals, also impressed the group. The great portal, in particular, is adorned with magnificent sculptures representing the Last Judgment, a powerful vision of divine justice and a call to conversion.
Tours: In the Footsteps of Saint Gatien and Saint Martin
On Monday, the pilgrims headed to Tours, a city deeply associated with Saint Martin, one of the most revered saints in Christian history and known as the apostle of Gaul. Saint Martin, born in the 4th century, is famous for his great charity and his life of service and compassion. The legend of Saint Martin sharing his cloak with a freezing beggar became a symbol of Christian charity.
The first stop in Tours was the Basilica of Saint Martin, built on the saint’s tomb. Although the original basilica was destroyed during the French Revolution, the current 19th-century neo-Byzantine basilica still attracts pilgrims from around the world. The basilica houses the relics of Saint Martin, who served as bishop of Tours.
The group then visited the Cathedral of Saint-Gatien, constructed between the 13th and 16th centuries. The cathedral impressed the pilgrims with its elegant architecture and stained glass windows, which cast a mystical light inside the building. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Gatien, the first bishop of Tours, symbolizing the continuity of faith in this region since the early days of Christianity.
The pilgrims also had the chance to explore the Place Plumereau, the heart of old Tours, a lively historic area surrounded by medieval timber-framed houses.
Lisieux: In the Footsteps of Saint Thérèse, Patroness of the Missions
The highlight of the pilgrimage was the visit to Lisieux, in Normandy, a city intimately linked to Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, also known as Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Declared a Doctor of the Church and Patroness of the Missions, she is one of the most beloved figures of modern Catholicism, renowned for her “little way” of trust and unconditional love for God.
Saint Thérèse, born in 1873 in Alençon, entered the Carmelite convent of Lisieux at the age of 15 after feeling a profound call to dedicate her life to God. She lived a life marked by prayer, sacrifice, and ardent devotion to Christ.
Although she never left her convent, Saint Thérèse harbored a deep love for missions and missionaries, offering her prayers for the conversion of souls.
Through her writings, particularly her autobiography “The Story of a Soul”, her simple and accessible spirituality, centered on love, touched millions of believers worldwide.
The day in Lisieux began with a guided tour of the Basilica of Saint Thérèse, a sanctuary built in 1929 in her honor, recognizing her global spiritual influence. The basilica, with its monumental style and superb mosaics, is one of the largest religious buildings of the 20th century in France.
The pilgrims then celebrated Mass at the Carmelite convent, where Thérèse lived the final years of her life. In this place of prayer and silence, she deepened her intimate relationship with God despite illness and suffering. Thérèse passed away at the age of 24 after a long struggle with tuberculosis, uttering: “My God, I love You”. The Carmel of Lisieux now houses her relics, a place of pilgrimage and reflection for thousands of visitors each year.
The group also visited Les Buissonnets, the family home where Thérèse spent her childhood with her parents, Louis and Zélie Martin, who were canonized in 2015. This peaceful house allowed the pilgrims to better understand the spiritual environment in which the future saint grew up. It was here that she first felt her call to religious life.
Lisieux, a center of global pilgrimage, became a major spiritual stop for the Swiss pilgrims, offering a powerful example of faith, love, and missionary devotion.
Caen and the D-Day Museum
On Wednesday morning, the pilgrims began their day in Caen, a city rich in medieval history and marked by World War II. Their first stop was the discovery of two iconic Romanesque architectural sites: the Abbaye aux Hommes and the Abbaye aux Dames. Founded in the 11th century by William the Conqueror and his wife Matilda of Flanders, these abbeys are majestic testimonies to Normandy’s past.
The Abbaye aux Hommes, also known as Saint-Étienne de Caen, was founded by William as penance for his marriage to Matilda, which had initially been forbidden by the Church. This abbey, where William the Conqueror is buried, is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture. The pilgrims were struck by the grandeur of the building, its high vaults, and its clean lines, symbolizing a style that combines strength and spiritual elevation. They also visited the Abbaye aux Dames, dedicated to the Holy Trinity and founded by Matilda of Flanders. This equally remarkable abbey houses Matilda’s tomb and reflects the influence of these two historical figures on the region.
After a morning rich in architectural discoveries, the afternoon took an emotional turn as the pilgrims journeyed to the D-Day landing beaches, a place of remembrance from World War II. The group visited the D-Day Museum in Arromanches, where they relived, through exhibitions and films, D-Day, the decisive day of June 6, 1944, which marked the beginning of the liberation of France and occupied Europe.
The visit continued with a moment of prayer and reflection at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, which overlooks Omaha Beach, one of the bloodiest battles of the D-Day landings. This cemetery, with its thousands of perfectly aligned white crosses, honors the 9,387 American soldiers who died during the operation.
The contrast between the serene beauty of the site and the horrors of the past left a lasting impression on all participants.
Chartres: The Cathedral of a Thousand Stained Glass Windows
On Thursday, the pilgrimage reached its final stop with a visit to one of the greatest gems of Gothic architecture: the Cathedral of Chartres. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this cathedral is world-renowned for its unparalleled stained glass windows, making it a unique spiritual and artistic location.
The construction of the current cathedral began in the 12th century after a fire destroyed much of the previous building. Its rapid and harmonious reconstruction made it a masterpiece of Gothic style, considered a model for religious buildings of the time.
The stained glass windows of Chartres, dating primarily from the 12th and 13th centuries, are among the best-preserved in Europe. They illustrate biblical scenes, episodes from the lives of the saints, and complex theological themes such as creation, redemption, and the lives of the apostles. For the pilgrims, these sacred images, passed down through the centuries by divine light filtering through the glass, represented a tangible link between the faith of the past and today.
This seven-day pilgrimage through France offered the Swiss pilgrims a deeply spiritual experience, encountering great figures of Christian faith and masterpieces of sacred art. Each stop, whether marked by the millennial history of Gothic cathedrals or the emotional memory of 20th-century events, strengthened the connection between faith, prayer, and beauty.
We invite you to relive the highlights of this pilgrimage by visiting the photo gallery, where you can discover the places visited and the atmosphere that infused this journey.
For those interested in future pilgrimages, feel free to check the announcements for upcoming trips on this site. Whether to France, the Holy Land, or other destinations, each pilgrimage is a unique opportunity to grow in faith, alongside fellow believers, under spiritual guidance.
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