Crown of the Madonna of Lourdes

The Crown has 18 branches of gold, adorned madonna-di-lourdes” title=”Link to Madonna di Lourdes”>with 59 precious stones, including sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. At the center is a large sapphire, surrounded by 22 small diamonds. The dimensions of the Crown are impressive: it weighs about three kilograms and is 24 centimeters in height and 19 centimeters in diameter. It is perched atop the head of a statue of the Madonna, which stands in the Grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, the site of the Marian apparitions.

The origins and history of the Crown of the Madonna of Lourdes are shrouded in mystery. It is said that it was commissioned by a wealthy businessman from Paris, Albert Laprade, who was suffering from a terminal illness and wanted to leave a lasting legacy of his faith. He approached a jeweler and goldsmith, Gaston Laffitte, with a detailed plan of the Crown, which was to be a magnificent tribute to the Virgin Mary, with all the quality and refinement of French craftsmanship.

Laffitte worked on the Crown for over a year, using his extensive skills and creativity to bring Laprade’s vision to life. The result was a masterpiece of art and engineering: a Crown that combined the elegance of French jewelry-making with the devotion and symbolism of Catholic iconography. The Crown was completed in 1901, just in time for the coronation of the statue of the Madonna in the Grotto of Massabielle, which was to take place on the feast of the Assumption, August 15.

However, tragedy struck on the night of August 7, 1901, just a week before the coronation. The Crown was stolen from the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, where it was kept under lock and key. The theft caused shock and indignation among the thousands of pilgrims who had gathered for the celebrations. The authorities launched a massive search for the Crown, and the media covered the story extensively. However, despite the efforts of the police and the public, the Crown remained missing.

On August 15, the coronation ceremony took place, but with a sense of sadness and disappointment. The statue of the Madonna was ed with a temporary wreath, made of wildflowers and leaves, instead of the magnificent Crown that had been intended. The Crown of the Madonna of Lourdes seemed to have vanished without a trace.

It was only two years later that a breakthrough occurred. A man named Dominique-Claude Peyramale, the former parish priest of Lourdes, received a mysterious letter that seemed to offer a clue to the whereabouts of the Crown. The letter was from a woman who claimed to know the identity of the thieves and the location of the Crown. She gave instructions for the Crown to be returned to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, and for her to be granted a pardon in exchange.

Peyramale was skeptical, but he decided to investigate. He followed the instructions in the letter and traced the woman to a small village in the Pyrenees. There, he found the Crown hidden in a trunk, still intact and in perfect condition. The woman was arrested and eventually revealed the identity of the thieves, who were members of a local criminal gang. They had stolen the Crown in the hope of selling it on the black market, but had been unable to find a buyer.

The Crown was returned to Lourdes in triumph, and a new coronation ceremony was held in 1905, with all the pomp and ceremony that had been intended. The Crown has remained in the Grotto of Massabielle ever since, and has become a symbol of the enduring faith and devotion of the Christian faithful.

Today, the Crown of the Madonna of Lourdes is an object of immense admiration and veneration. It is a reminder of the power of faith, the importance of art, and the enduring legacy of human creativity and spirituality. As such, it serves as an inspiration to countless visitors and believers from all over the world, who come to Lourdes to seek hope, healing, and the blessings of the Virgin Mary.