Half-a-million Christmas lights kick off holiday season at Our Lady of La Salette shrine in Attleboro
By Mike Sullivan, WBZ-TV
ATTLEBORO - A 69-year-old tradition is once again bringing joy at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro. The annual Festival of Lights opened for the Christmas season Thursday night.
The display of 500,000 lights takes three months to put together and changes a little bit every year. Four people work to get it up and running but designing begins shortly after the new year begins.
"I always say the only limits that our grounds has is our creativity," Father Flavio Gillio told WBZ-TV, "It's one of the few events that brings together entire generations of family."
People have been coming here for decades, but Duff White and his family have been volunteering for 19 years on Thanksgiving night. Their son has been by their side since he was 3-years-old.
"People want to be with their family, and we are 350 miles from our closest family. I looked at my wife, she looked at me and that was it, it's our Thanksgiving now," White said before talking about his son. "We can talk about volunteerism, and living our faith all we want, but unless they see us do it, this just reinforces what we have been trying to teach him."
There is also a room filled with candles. People can purchase a candle from a vending machine and light the flame in honor of loved ones who have passed away.
"I light them in memory of my parents and my brothers who have passed," Mary Fitzgerald told WBZ. "I tell them that I miss them and I wish they were here."
The lights will be on every night from now until New Year's Day. They are illuminated from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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