Pilgrims in Lourdes

The grotto in Lourdes, France, has been one of Europe's most important pilgrimage sites since a series of Marian apparitions in 1858. This wood engraving from the 19th century shows three pilgrims on the path near the grotto. While two men on the left and right of the picture seem to be absorbed in prayer, a third pilgrim in the middle is being heard in confession by a priest. This is also taken up in the caption: "By the roadside near the Grotto – Hearing a pilgrim's confession".

Lourdes, Haute Pyrénées, France: pilgrims praying and confessing by the roadside, wood engraving, 7.6 x 13.8 cm, year unknown, artist unknown; source: Wellcome Collection, https://wellcomecollection.org/works/tg29s4vz, public domain, https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0.