Welcome to the Encyclopedia of French Cultural Heritage in North America! As you browse the site, you will learn about the heritage of French-speaking North America, as well as about its history and diversity. Get to know the people who preserve and cherish it, discover the places where it finds expression and become familiar with the trends that have shaped and influenced its evolution throughout history.

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Our Lady of the Cape Shrine, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, August 1958

By Couvrette, Sébastien

The pilgrimage to Our Lady of the Cape Shrine, Quebec

The largest North American pilgrimage site dedicated to the Virgin Mary is located at Cap-de-la-Madeleine in the Trois-Rivières region in Quebec. While the site itself has had religious significance since the French regime, the Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap (Our Lady of the Cape Shrine) was consecrated in 1888, after two extraordinary events attributed to the Virgin Mary. The site, visited by many pilgrims every year, received its most illustrious visitor in 1984: Pope John Paul II. Despite the decline of religious practice in Quebec, the Shrine remains a unique meeting place for visito...

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The English version of the Encyclopedia of French Cultural Heritage in North America is online since December 15th, 2009. It features an ever growing number of articles, documents and resources on the heritage of French-speaking North America.

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Encylcopedia of French Cultural
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