Why pilgrims come
What makes this Catholic place significant
Founded by Louis XIII in 1629, this Paris basilica is a major Marian shrine associated with prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Its walls carry more than 37,000 ex-votos. In 1836, the discouraged pastor Fr. Charles-Eléonore Dufriche Desgenettes believed he heard an interior command to consecrate the parish to the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of Mary; the prayer association that followed transformed the nearly empty parish into an international place of conversion and thanksgiving. St. Thérèse of Lisieux visited with her father Louis and sister Céline on November 4, 1887 to give thanks for the healing she attributed to Our Lady's intercession after a novena of Masses requested here.
Enter this basilica as a place of gratitude and conversion. Pray before Our Lady, read the walls of ex-votos as the testimony of generations, entrust intentions to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and visit the chapel recalling St. Thérèse and her parents.
The sacred connection
People and objects remembered here
These relationships are part of the destination record, with feast days and catalog qualifications shown where available.
devotee who requested the 1883 novena and later accompanied Thérèse to the basilica
Feast: July 12visited in thanksgiving on November 4, 1887; the basilica preserves a chapel, altar, and stained glass commemorating her visit
Feast: October 1devotee whose letters reflect the Martin family's trust in Our Lady of Victories
Feast: July 12What to notice
Look closely at the place and its story
More than 37,000 ex-votos
Read a visual archive of thanksgiving for healings, conversions, vocations, births, and protection covering the basilica's walls and chapels.
The 1836 Marian renewal
Pray where Fr. Desgenettes consecrated his struggling parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and began an association that drew pilgrims from around the world.
St. Thérèse and the Martin family
Visit the chapel and stained glass recalling Thérèse's 1887 pilgrimage of thanksgiving with her father Louis and sister Céline.
A royal Marian foundation
The church was founded by Louis XIII in 1629 and dedicated under the title Our Lady of Victories.
Feasts, anniversaries & celebrations
How to read this page
Sources, tradition, and what is verified
The destination record was last checked on 9/13/2026.
This page records the site’s tradition as “Catholic.” That wording describes the nature of the claim and keeps devotional tradition distinct from independently verified history.
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