La Salette Devotion
-
September 13, 2025"In this place, Mary, the loving Mother appeared manifesting her pain for the moral evil caused by humanity. Her tears help us to understand the seriousness of sin and the rejection of God,and at the same time it is a manifestation of the passionate fidelity that her Son has for each person, even though His redemptive love is marked by the wounds of treason and abandonment by men." - Pope St. John Paul II on the apparition of Mary at La Salette.
Our Lady of La Salette is known as the weeping Madonna as she was weeping while she spoke to the children conveying a message of reconciliation. She warned about prevailing sins such as blasphemy and Sunday desecration which caused the arms of her Son so heavy. Several elements have become important symbols ofLa Salette devotion:- The weeping Madonna: The image of Mary weeping while holding her face in her hands is a powerful image of a mother's sorrow over her wayward children. It signifies her deep love and concern for humanity and her role as an intercessor.
- The La Salette crucifix: The crucifix Mary wore had a small hammer and a pair of pincers attached to the crossbeam. The hammer symbolizes the sins of humanity that "nail" Christ to the cross, while the pincers represent the tools of reconciliation that can remove the nails through repentance and prayer.
- Mountain setting: The apparition's location,high in the French Alps, evokes a sense of both awe and humility, emphasizing that God's grace can be found even in the most remote and humble places.
The Basilica built at the apparition site remains a popular pilgrimage destination for those in search of renewed relationship with God and willingly embracing a reconciled life and reconciling way of life.