Saint Anne of Auray: Apparitions, Messages, Pilgrimage, Sanctuary, Prayers

Between 1623 and 1625, near the small town of Auray in Morbihan, Saint Anne, the grandmother of God, appeared to a peasant named Yvon Nicolazic. This took place in a small hamlet of 50 inhabitants—significantly—called Keranna. Yvon was a devout and gracious farmer whose advice was welcome, for he was wise. He spent much time in prayer for others, never missed Mass, and made substantial gifts to the Church. He nurtured a particular devotion to Saint Anne, whom he called “his patron saint.”

History of the apparitions at Sainte-Anne-d’Auray

One evening in August 1623, while Yvon was in his room thinking of Saint Anne, he saw a bright light appear, from which a torch held by a hand gradually emerged. He began to pray, and the light disappeared a few moments later.

It so happened that Yvon owned a field called Bocenno, in which there stood, in ruins, an old chapel once dedicated to Saint Anne. Yvon liked to go to those ruins to pray.

Six weeks after the light appeared in his room, Yvon was alone praying in his field at the end of the day. He had not realized that night had fallen and began to head home in the dark when suddenly a great light appeared. The light moved and opened the way for him to return home. This happened several times and was witnessed by some: Yvon’s brother-in-law caught sight of him being guided by a light; and some neighbors noticed the presence of an intense light when they looked toward Bocenno.

One evening the following summer, while Yvon and his brother-in-law were taking the oxen to the fountain, the animals were seized with fright and refused to move forward. Astonished, Yvon and his brother-in-law saw a beautiful lady dressed in white, holding a torch in her hand, standing before the fountain. This lady reappeared several times in the weeks that followed, and he was always stunned by her majesty and beauty, despite her silence. Yvon decided to go see the rector and told him everything in confession. The latter remained very circumspect and cautious about how to interpret these visions.

On the eve of July 26, the feast of Saint Anne, Yvon returned from church after a ceremony, and the beautiful lady appeared to him again. Lying in bed at home, he heard the lady say to him: “Yves Nicolazic, do not be afraid, I am Anne, the mother of Mary.” She then asked him to go see his rector and remind him that a chapel was once erected in her name in the Bocenno field. “It has been 924 years that it has been in ruins, and I desire that it be rebuilt, for God wants me to be honored there.” Yvon went the very next day to the rector to convey Saint Anne’s wish, but he was rebuffed and advised to speak no more of this story. Yvon began to doubt himself. He returned home utterly dejected, regretting that he could not fulfill Saint Anne’s request. Then, during the night, Saint Anne appeared to him again and looked at him with compassion as he explained his troubles with the priest, regretting that he did not have the means to build her a chapel. She asked him to trust her, to go fetch his neighbors to accompany him that same evening. “A torch will guide you in the night to a precise spot, and there you will dig. You will then find something that will make people believe you.” The torch appeared and remained still while Yvon went to find his neighbors, as requested. Returning with a small group, everyone was astonished to see this torch, which began to move along the path. “Let us go, my friends, and see where Saint Anne will lead us,” said Yvon. The torch led them into the Bocenno field, where it stopped at a precise point, rose and fell, then disappeared, sinking into the ground. Taken aback, the small group began to dig and discovered an old wooden statue, a little damaged by dampness. Yvon then recognized Saint Anne. The next day, convinced that the priest would believe him in the face of such a prodigy, he went to the church, but the priest remained unbelieving. A few days later, while Yvon was in prayer, the statue began to shine in the field. These mysteries had begun to cause a stir despite the priest’s disapproval, and some pilgrims began to arrive before the statue and place offerings there. After a few days, the bishop of Vannes was informed and was moved by this story. He ordered an investigation, and Yvon was questioned thoroughly. Intrigued, the bishop questioned Yvon himself and, in view of his piety and lack of personal interest, finally decided to have a church built on the designated spot, changing the name of Keranna to “Sainte-Anne.”

Little by little, the priest, clinging to his doubts, sank into madness, until one of his friends advised him to make a novena to Saint Anne to ask forgiveness for his behavior. In the face of his sincere repentance, he was forgiven and became a fervent defender of this place of pilgrimage.

Yvon then devoted all his energy to building the sanctuary, then stepped back and left Sainte-Anne.

After the apparitions

Besides the healing of the priest who had become insane, numerous miracles began to occur at Saint Anne’s. Yvon Nicolazic, whose marriage had always been sterile, became the father of four children.

Pilgrimages to Sainte-Anne-d’Auray

Little by little, the pilgrimage to Saint Anne became so important that by the end of the 19th century a basilica was built to welcome the growing number of pilgrims.

John Paul II went on pilgrimage to Sainte-Anne-d’Auray in 1996, thus becoming the first pope to set foot on Breton soil.

People go on pilgrimage to Sainte-Anne-d’Auray to ask for graces for families: fertility for couples, children looking for work, grandchildren who have lost the path of prayer and of the Church, grandparents who are ill, single people seeking their soulmate. People come to entrust to Saint Anne their failures, their projects, their joys and sorrows, their hopes and disappointments.

Prayers to Saint Anne

Prayer for families

“You see the young people, the children who don’t know where to turn their eyes,
Tell them that God is a loving Father, that they have a future in the heavens.

Look upon the parents, worried for their children who no longer pray,
Grant them to live in peace; for the Lord, nothing is lost.

To the grandparents who beg you, grant peace and hope,
With you they find support; may they always live in trust.

Look upon all families; grant them every goodness,
Listen to those who pray you to keep them in unity.

Always answer the cries for help of couples who have no child;
May they be able to live that Christmas which will put an end to their torment.”

Prayer to obtain Saint Anne’s guidance

“O good Saint Anne,

you who, in the first hours of our history,

heard the fervent prayer

of Breton sailors in peril,

turn your gaze of kindness upon us again.

Today’s world, like a stormy sea,

puts to the test the heritage of faith received from our ancestors.

You who taught Mary

to listen to the Word of God and to pray,

help us to be good witnesses to the Gospel.

You who so loved your little grandson Jesus,

help us to accompany and guide

the young people whom we love.

You who so often welcomed people

tried in body, mind, and heart,

show them God’s tenderness.

Be attentive to the favors we ask of you…

Stay with us so that we may walk in love

until we reach our heavenly homeland. Amen.”

Also discover these prayers to Saint Anne.

Pray to Saint Anne in trust on Hozana…

Pray this novena to Saint Anne to honor her, give thanks for favors obtained, or invoke her intercession by presenting a special request to her.