Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Postcard

The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is a basilica set along the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec. The basilica is known for performing many miracles. The front entrance wall is said to be covered in crutches. The basilica in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré was initially a shrine to honour Saint Anne. It was built for two reasons: to provide a place of worship for the new settlers in the area and to house a marvelous statue of St. Anne.

Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Postcard

Because of the popularity of the shrine, the Catholic Church had to enlarge the building several times to accommodate all the pilgrims. In 1876, the first basilica opened for worship. The dimensions of the basilica, including the side chapels, were 158 × 77 m. The first basilica was destroyed in a fire on March 29, 1922. The present-day basilica was built on the site of the prior church in 1926.

SOURCE:
Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre Wikipedia Entry