Ile de la Reunion Miracle Church

In the little village of Piton-Sainte-Rose in the southeastern corner of Reunion Island stands a small parish church.  In 1977, Piton de la Fournaise volcano erupted, sending a large lava flow through the village, destroying several buildings. The lava flow crossed the highway and surrounded the church, entered the front door, then stopped without destroying the building. The front entrance was later cleared out, and the church was brought back into service.  When we visited last week, it was evident that the lava split into two flows and went around the sides of the church, with only a dribble going into the church.  This was widely believed to have been a miracle---and it was celebrated and commemorated 20 years later in 1997 when Pope John Paul II visited the renamed "Our Lady of the Lavas" to consecrate the church and conduct mass. Enjoy our photos!