Annual Pilgrimage of the Diocese of Ho, Ghana

Every year, on the weekend closest to December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Diocese of Ho calls the faithful to gather in pilgrimage at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Agbenoxoe, Kpando, in the Volta region of Ghana. Since 2023, this sacred place has been entrusted to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. This year, thousands of pilgrims came, especially on December 13 and 14. Many walked long distances, some arriving from Accra and even from the neighboring country of Togo, journeying “to the feet of Mother Mary” in search of healing, renewal, and to offer gratitude.

On Sunday morning, the bishop presides at the main Mass, a moment of profound unity and reverence. From photographs, one can see the deep devotion of the people to St Michael the Archangel, the original patron of the chapel established here by German SVD missionaries in 1902. In 1954, the Dutch White Fathers SMA built the first grotto, and even today pilgrims bring leaves and roots to be blessed, which they later use for medicinal teas and healing baths, a sign of faith woven into daily life.

Large crowds also gather in May, in October for Catholic Women, and the Oblates are encouraging devotion on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption. The original grotto still stands, though damaged by a mudslide, and now a towering statue of Our Lady of Lourdes rises eight meters high, a beacon of hope and prayer. Pilgrims also find deep meaning in the life sized Stations of the Cross, especially on Good Friday, when the passion of Christ is remembered with solemnity and love.

Photos and Story by Fr. Nick Harding, OMI
Edited by Roger Brooks, MAMI USA