The Redemptorist community of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré joyfully celebrated the Holy Eucharist on Sunday, July 5, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the consecration of the Basilica and Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, originally dedicated on July 4, 1976. The celebration brought together pilgrims and faithful in thanksgiving for five decades of grace bestowed through one of North America’s oldest and most beloved pilgrimage sites.

A special highlight of the anniversary Mass was the solemn procession with the Basilica’s tintinnabulum—the ornate ceremonial bell bestowed by the Holy Father upon churches elevated to the dignity of a minor basilica. Carried during liturgical processions together with the ombrellino (papal umbrella), the tintinnabulum signifies the Basilica’s special communion with the Pope and the universal Church.

The liturgy also featured the solemn incensing of the Basilica’s twelve consecration crosses and their accompanying candles. Symbolising the Twelve Apostles, these crosses mark the twelve places where the walls of the church were anointed with Sacred Chrism during the Rite of Dedication in 1976. The consecration candles, first lit during that historic celebration, continue to surround the interior of the Basilica as enduring reminders that this sacred house has been permanently dedicated to the worship of God.

The anniversary recalled the remarkable history of the present Basilica. Its consecration on July 4, 1976, marked the liturgical completion of a reconstruction project spanning more than five decades after the devastating fire that destroyed the previous basilica in 1922. Although the new church first welcomed pilgrims in 1934 and its iconic twin spires were completed in 1962, the interior decoration—including its magnificent vault mosaics—was only finished in 1976, allowing for the Basilica’s solemn dedication.

That historic celebration was presided over by Cardinal Maurice Roy, Archbishop of Québec, who consecrated the High Altar while twelve bishops from across Québec consecrated the side altars in the ambulatory. Following the traditional Pontifical Rite of Dedication of a Basilica, the liturgy included the sprinkling of holy water, the anointing of the Basilica’s walls with Sacred Chrism, and the lighting of the consecration candles that remain visible today. The year 1976 also held special significance as it marked the centenary of Pope Pius IX’s proclamation of Saint Anne as the civil and ecclesiastical patroness of the Province of Québec on May 7, 1876.

Reflecting on this golden jubilee, the Archbishop of Québec, Cardinal Gérard Cyprien Lacroix invited the faithful to give thanks for the Basilica as a house of prayer, mercy, and pilgrimage that has welcomed generations of believers from Québec, Canada, and around the world. He also emphasised that the consecration of a church is far more than the dedication of a building. Through its anointing and the consecration of its altar, a church becomes a visible sign of the living Church, where God’s people gather around the Word, the Eucharist, and works of charity. At a time marked by war, injustice, poverty, and uncertainty, he encouraged pilgrims to look to Christ as the source of hope and, following the example of Saint Anne, to pass on the faith with renewed confidence to future generations.

The Redemptorists have served as custodians of the Shrine since 1878, faithfully welcoming pilgrims who seek the intercession of Good Saint Anne. That mission continues to flourish today. Just one week before the anniversary celebration, on June 27 and 28, the Shrine welcomed more than 2,000 participants for the annual First Nations Mass and Pilgrimage. Rooted in a tradition dating back to the 17th century, Indigenous communities from across Québec, Labrador, and beyond continue to gather at Sainte-Annede-Beaupré to honour Saint Anne, the grandmother of Jesus. Presided over this year by Bishop Christian Riesbeck of the Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick, the pilgrimage offered a powerful witness to the Shrine’s enduring role as a place of faith, healing, reconciliation, and hope.

As the Basilica marks fifty years since its solemn consecration, the anniversary is more than a remembrance of a historic event. It is a celebration of a living sanctuary where countless pilgrims have encountered God’s grace across generations. Giving thanks for the past while looking to the future with confidence, we renew our commitment to proclaim the Gospel and to accompany all who come to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré in search of hope, healing, and the loving intercession of Good Saint Anne.