<img src="https://map.nd.edu/images/placemarks/3011-grotto-of-our-lady-of-lourdes.jpg" alt="Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes" /><p>A one-seventh replica of the famed cave near Lourdes, France, where the Virgin Mary appeared to 14-year-old Saint Bernadette on 18 occasions in 1858. Boulders from surrounding farms, most weighing two tons or more, were used in its construction. The Rosary is prayed every day at 6:45 p.m., every day of the year, rain or shine. Each year, approximately 250,000 candles are burned. When it was realized that the candle jars couldn't be reused because of the wax residue, <a href="https://magazine.nd.edu/stories/a-practical-petition/">the University partnered with Quality Compound Manufacturing</a>, which buys scrap wax for industrial use. This company now saves the residue from the Grotto's candle glasses, which can now be reused by our candle supplier. This effort diverts nearly a quarter of a million candles from the landfill annually. </p><ul class="links"> <li><a href="http://tour.nd.edu/locations/grotto">Virtual Tour</a></li> </ul>