Basilica of Our Lady of Loreto Introduction
The Holy House of Loreto, located in Touhu Township, was completed and put into use on March 25, 2007. Like the original Holy House of Loreto in Italy, it is the third Holy House of Loreto in the world and the only one in Asia, serving as a pilgrimage site for Catholics. The original "Holy House of Loreto" in Italy is a Catholic shrine that attracts nearly a million pilgrims from around the world each year. According to Catholic faith, it was transported from the home of the Virgin Mary in Nazareth, Israel, where Mary was chosen by God to become the mother of Jesus. The bricks of the Holy House were once touched by Jesus during his childhood and are now relocated to the Holy House of Loreto in Italy for the faithful to venerate. Outside the shrine, the garden scenery is equally impressive. A stone sculpture of the Virgin Mary at the entrance seems to welcome visitors, and the tidy environment along with European-style architecture is filled with unique cultural aesthetics, making it well worth a visit to experience in person.
