Con vuestros ojos preciosos,
Amparadnos, Virgen bella,
Pues que Dios, sacra doncella
Quiso fuesen belicosos.
Lucía, si en la conquista
Del Cielo tuviste gozo
Alcanzad de vuestro esposo
Nos quiera guardar la vista.
With your precious eyes
Help us, beautiful Virgin,
For God, holy maid,
Wills that they have power.
Lucy, if in the conquest
Of Heaven you rejoiced,
Obtain from your Spouse
That He wills that we keep our sight.
-traditional
Reditus 
Like my mom was saying I plan on visiting there especially now because of the changes I’ve just heard about. My mom just shared with me all her memories from that time and how much she enjoyed visiting the grotto. I look forward to going and seeing this very special place and imagining a different time in the world.
Vinny, I went there many times in the 50ies with my grandparents who were very devoted to Santa Lucia. The grotto was beautifully maintained as were the grounds. I remember there being a gift shop as well and buying “holy cards”. I will pray that somehow it will be restored. My daughter is planning on visiting from Connecticut very soon. Wish I could too but now residing in Florida.
And thanks for the link, the photos are fascinating.
Vinny, a good publicity campaign, starting right here at this site could surely save this homegrown shrine. I would think the Italian-American Catholic community would have some interest in keeping this alive.
Shrines and relics don’t seem to hold much interest to many American catholics. Without interest and support such as from your family, Vinny, these places will close.
I recently returned from Australia where the opposite seems to be occurring. I visited an Anglo-Catholic church which had recently acquired a relic that is housed in an ornate box conspicuously placed under the altar.
Images of the grounds can be found here http://www.forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/bronxlourdes/lourdes.html
Arturo,
Are you familiar with ST. Lucy’s Church in the Bronx? It is on Bronxville road. I think the shrine there is right up your ally. It has a shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes to which many miracles have been attributed. It also has an extensive indoor shrine and outdoor grotto. It used to be a mecca for Italians now the neighborhood is largely Puerto Rican. My family has gone their every year since the fifties on a yearly pilgrimage of thanksgiving. It is filled with tacky statues, hysterical pilgrims, and is Catholic through and through. From what I understand the shrine and the grotto might soon be closed. Everything seems to be falling into disrepair and the hours for the grotto have been limited to a few weeks in summer and only on weekends. Its breaks my heart! If you ever find yourself in NYC try to get there you won’t be disappointed. It is one of the few remains of traditional Italian Catholic NY.
Vinny