ETHIOPIA: New Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes Official Inaugurated in Soddo Vicariate, Ethiopia
Habtamu Abrdew Beture
The annual feast of Our Lady of Lourdes was celebrated with profound devotion at Dubbo, within the Catholic Vicariate of Sodo, from February 14–15, 2026. A historic highlight of this year’s celebration was the official blessing and inauguration of the new Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
The grotto is designed to serve as a spiritual sanctuary for pilgrims, offering a dedicated space for quiet contemplation and divine encounter. The celebration drew together the faithful, clergy, and religious from various dioceses across the country.
The festivities commenced on the eve of the feast with a solemn candlelight procession and liturgical prayers led by His Excellency Bishop Dejene, Apostolic Vicar of Sodo, and His Excellency Bishop Merhakristos Gobezayehu Getachew, Apostolic Vicar of Hawassa.
During the Holy Mass on the feast day, Bishop Dejene’s homily centered on the transformative power of God’s grace through the intercession of the Blessed Mother. He emphasized that the Feast of Lourdes is not merely a historical remembrance but a “living call” to reflect on God’s mercy.
“Our Mother, Our Lady of Lourdes, invites us to serve her Son, Jesus Christ, with steadfastness even in the midst of trials,” the Bishop stated. “She reminds us that Christ makes all things new.”
The celebration concluded with an intercessory prayer session for the sick, the elderly, and the nation’s leaders. The atmosphere was one of profound unity, as pilgrims from diverse backgrounds joined their voices in prayer for national reconciliation and the well-being of the Universal Church.
The event closed with a final Apostolic Blessing, leaving the faithful, especially the young pilgrims, renewed in their mission to be “witnesses of hope” in their respective communities.
