#laghet

Princess Grace and her son Prince Albert in Lourdes Sanctuary in July 1979.

Princess Grace was indeed very committed to humanitarian causes, in the name of an ardent Christian faith which was expressed in particular during personal pilgrimages to the Marian shrine of Laghet, in the diocese of Nice, or more officially in Lourdes (our photo: during the Eucharistic procession, in the company of Prince Albert, in July 1979). “We have few photos of Princess Grace in prayer because she wanted to blend in with the pilgrims, immerse herself in intimacy with the Virgin in the heart of the Trinity, without ostentation, humbly, far from the curious,” recalls the Canon César Penzo, chaplain of the Palace, who had the privilege of accompanying him to the grotto of Lourdes.

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Today very old and faithful to the memory of the princess, Father Penzo testifies to the attachment of Grace of Monaco to the sanctuary of Laghet, where she went "in secret", "seeking not to be noticed in order to be able to live his faith freely, like any Christian, concerned only with remaining under the gaze of God.” There, in silence and discretion, the princess entrusted to the intercession of the Mother of God all the people in her care, particularly within the framework of the World Association of Friends of Childhood, founded by her in 1963. She also prayed for her own children, Caroline, Albert and Stéphanie.

“We have no photos of her at the sanctuary, but we know well that she came there privately, especially since Prince Albert did his retreat in preparation for the profession of faith in Laghet and the princely family is very spiritually attached to this holy place,” confides Father Jean-Marie Tschann, former rector of the sanctuary located only a dozen kilometres from Monaco. He remembers the inauguration of the new sanctuary organ, in the presence of Prince Albert II. Father Tschann also points out that Princess Charlène, wife of Prince Albert, having given birth to twins, a year and a half after her pilgrimage to Lourdes in May 2012, went to Laghet to light two candles, in thanksgiving.

“The origins of the Laghet sanctuary are also historically linked to Monaco due to two miracles that occurred in 1652, attributed to the intercession of the Virgin, whose statue enthroned in a small chapel which was subsequently restored and transformed into a church around 1656,” says the former rector, referring to the case of a person cured of leprosy and that of another freed after being captured by Barbary pirates. Monegasques have continued to frequent Laghet since then, in particular during the diocesan pilgrimage organized each year with which the soul of Princess Grace is certainly associated.

Pilgrims also flock from Piedmont, led by members of the royal family of Savoy, from the regent Christine of France, sister of Louis XIII, with her young son Charles-Emmanuel II, in the 17th century, to Prince Victor-Emmanuel, current pretender to the throne of Italy, and his son Emmanuel-Philibert, also devotees of Our Lady of Laghet, like Princess Grace.