On January 18, during his apostolic journey to Chile, the Holy Father Pope Francis visited the small Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Iquique where the Oblates serve. On that day, the Holy Father celebrated a Eucharist with the people of northern Chile who gathered at the Lobito Campus in Iquique. There he crowned the statue of the Our Lady of Carmen of “La Tirana”, the Patroness of the locality. After the celebration, he visited the Shrine where he had a moment of prayer and the blessing of some sick people. Then the Pope had his lunch together with the entourage that accompanied him and the Oblates in Saint Eugene de Mazenod retreat house, where he rested before his departure for Peru.
The entrance to the Shrine
Pope Francis with Fr. Sergio SERRANO (Vicar General of Province Argentina Chile and the Administrator of the Shrine)
Pope Francis with Fr. Sergio SERRANO (Vicar General of the Province of Argentina Chile and the Administrator of the Shrine)
The statue of the Our Lady of Carmen of “La Tirana”
During the Holy Eucharist
Eugene do Mazenod Retreat House
The Holy Father crowning the statue
THe Pope blessing the crowd
