Canada: Pope Francis blesses Pilgrims and waters of Lake St. Anne

Canada: As part of his Apostolic visit to Canada, Pope Francis visited the St. Anne Lake. Pope blessed the lake and the pilgrims gathered there.

Hundreds gathered before the pilgrimage site at Lac Ste. Ann. After traveling the pilgrim’s path to the edge of the lake, Francis sprinkled blessed water at the site before a rapt audience.

Pope said in his homily that Jesus chose the context of the Sea of Galilee to announce the revolutionary message ‘Turn the other cheek, love your enemies, live as brothers and sisters so as to be children of God, the Father who makes his sun shine on both good and bad and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous’ (Matthew 5:38-48).

This lake too should become “the site of an unprecedented proclamation of fraternity; not a revolution bringing death and injury in its wake, but a revolution of love,” Pope said.

A crowd of about 10,000 people gathered at the Shrine of Ste. Anne where Pope celebrated liturgy of the Word.

St. Anne Lake, Known as Wakamne, “Lake of God,” by the Nakota Sioux and “Lake of the Spirit” by the Cree people, is a major Catholic pilgrimage centre and a place of spiritual significance and healing for the nation’s indigenous people.

This lake is named after St. Anne the grandmother of Jesus and mother of Mary. It is believed that the water here heals wounds. It is a sacred spot for the Catholics as well as all indigenous people.