Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre

The Story

The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre stands on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, about thirty kilometers east of Quebec City. Dedicated to St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus, it is the oldest pilgrimage site in North America, welcoming the faithful since 1658. According to the traditional account, when the first chapel was being built in 1658, a laborer named Louis Guimont, crippled with rheumatism, placed three stones in the foundation and was reportedly healed. From those beginnings, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre became renowned as a place of grace: generations of pilgrims — including sailors rescued from the river's storms, and the First Nations peoples who took St. Anne as a beloved patroness — have attributed cures and favors to her intercession, and columns of crutches and canes left in the basilica bear quiet testimony to their gratitude. The Redemptorists have served the shrine since 1878. After earlier churches were outgrown or destroyed by fire, the present twin-spired basilica was begun in 1923 and completed in 1946. Among its treasures is the Great Relic of St. Anne, venerated by pilgrims, along with luminous mosaics and stained glass recounting her life. Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre is one of Canada's national shrines and draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year. The annual novena leading to the feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim on July 26 is the high point of the pilgrimage season, with candlelight processions and Masses filling the sanctuary grounds.

Church Recognition

The shrine was raised to the rank of minor basilica in the nineteenth century under Pope Leo XIII and is recognized as one of Canada's national shrines, served by the Redemptorists since 1878.

Catholic Teaching

Devotion to St. Anne reflects the communion of saints and the Church's confidence in their intercession (CCC 946–962, 2683); reported healings at the shrine are received as God's grace sought through the prayers of the mother of the Virgin Mary.

Plan Your Visit

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Practical

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Pilgrims visit the basilica, venerate the Great Relic of St. Anne, and pray along the hillside Way of the Cross and the Scala Santa chapel. The pilgrimage season peaks with the novena and feast of St. Anne on July 26, and the shrine welcomes visitors throughout the year.

Go Deeper

The official website of the Sanctuaire de Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre (https://sanctuairesainteanne.org) offers the shrine's history, novena schedule, and visitor information. See also the Catechism on the intercession of the saints (CCC 946–962).