Mirador Jesuit Villa Retreat House management and staff are grateful to our Most Rev. Raphael Cruz, bishop of the Diocese of Baguio for presiding the 5th day Novena Mass for Our Lady of Lourdes.
Established in 1913, the Lourdes Grotto is one of the most beloved Marian pilgrimage sites in Northern Luzon. Many devotees climb around 252 steps leading to the statue of our Lady as a form of sacrifice and thanksgiving. This holy site becomes especially vibrant during February 11 (Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes) and during Holy Week.
The Diocese of Baguio was established in 1975 (separated from the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia). Its Cathedral overlooking Session Road is under the patronage of Our Lady of the Atonement. The Diocese shepherds parishes, schools, seminaries, and mission areas among the Cordillera peoples.
While the Lourdes grotto is not a parish church, it functions as a devotional shrine under the Diocese of Baguio. It complements the Cathedral’s Marian identity:
Baguio Cathedral – Mary as Mother of Reconciliation (Atonement).
Lourdes Grotto – Mary as Mother of Healing and Hope.
Together, they shape Baguio’s Marian spirituality: repentance, healing, gratitude, and pilgrimage.
Photo credits: Noli Gabilo
