Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre deserves its name of "Holy City of the Vendée" because its history is intimately linked to that of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort whose tomb is in the basilica, where Pope John Paul II came to pay his respects in September 1996. Born in 1673, Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, a clergyman, was interested in the missions and asked to go to Canada. He returned in 1706 and made helping the poor and the evangelical missions his priorities. In conflict with his hierarchy, he travelled the West before finding help and support from the Bishop of La Rochelle, Monseigneur de Champflour, in 1711. He worked in the dioceses of Luçon and La Rochelle to maintain the influence of the Catholic religion shaken by the wars of religion. He wrote writings and hymns and multiplied the construction of calvaries, preaching, processions and services. He died, exhausted and adored, in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre in 1716. He was beatified in 1888 and canonised by Pius XII in 1947. The town is home to five congregations: the Daughters of Wisdom - whose co-founder was Marie-Louise Trichet -, the Brothers of Saint-Gabriel, the Montfort Missionaries, the Louis-Marie community, and the Saint-François-Xavier community. If you want to get to know the town better, there is a walking route in the town entitled "In the footsteps of Montfort" which guides visitors and helps them discover the heritage and history of the Holy City of the Vendée.

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