The Hospitality of Our Lady of Lourdes (HNDL), which manages the Marian sanctuary located in the south of France, has established a working group so that pilgrims can choose between performing the “water gesture”, predominant for four years, and the complete bath that was traditional until then in swimming pools.
The “water gesture” was established shortly before the start of the pandemic due to a review of the circuit that supplies water to the pools and fountains of the Sanctuary, where water has a very important spiritual significance. Since its origins, pilgrims immersed themselves in individual pools helped by the sanctuary’s volunteers.
In recent years, practically only the “water gesture” has been allowed, which is characterized by replacing complete immersion with a triple gesture, drinking water from the spring: one to wash the face, another for the hands and a third to drink it