Where is the place in Europe where people burn the wax candles in the shape of organs?

Question

I saw this place in Europe (Spain or Portugal maybe?) on the Travel Channel, where people purchase wax candles in the shape of human organs and take them to an alter to burn and it is supposed to heal that part of their body. Did anyone see this? Where is this place?

It was definitely a Catholic shrine. I really thought it was in Europe, but India makes sense if it is called Lourdes of the East because Lourdes, France was one of the places I thought it might be.

Answer 1

Oh, this is an easy question for me! It's a city called Fátima. I live right next to it, a few miles away. It's located at the center of Portugal, more or less. It's has a big basilica where thousands of pilgrims come every year. People buy wax candles according to the organ they have a problem with. There are all sorts of shapes: feet, arms, hands, you name it! People also make promisses, and usually, they crawl on their knees around the basilica. The most important date for celebration is May 13th, because it's the day the Virgin Mary appeared to 3 little sheppards and told them some secrets about the future, like, for example, WWII (she appeared in 1917, I think). the basilica was built in the place she appeared. Right now, they're building a new basilica in the city, because sometimes there are so many pilgrims that the space around the basilica is completely full. Many pilgrims come from vary far.

Answer 2

I found your question really interesting, so I started looking... but I can't really come up with an exact answer, even when I google in spanish, french or dutch...

I can tell you that candles have a long tradition of being bought and burned for healing...
In wiccan religion they use candles in different colors for all sorts of things and in spanish speaking countries there's a long tradition of burning candles in the form of skeletons and deadheads around all saints day (I don't know if that's the exact name in English. It's the day after Halloween)
I also found a lot of esoteric websites explaining rituals with human organs/body parts shaped candles.

Ancient roman culture had a tradition of penis-shaped candles to improve their sex life! :-)
And...

I FOUND IT! :-)
It's in India, in the sanctuary of Velankanni. The devotees in Velankanni offer to Our Lady of Health candles in various forms in days of ailments.. The tradition is that in case of cardiac complications, a heart size candle is offered , in case of jaundice, liver shaped candles, lungs problem then a case of tuberculosis and many others. After being cured of the disease many bring as offering small golden or silver replica of the organ that has been cured.
Check the link below!

Add: the one in India is a catholic shrine. They pray to the Virgin Mary there... The church was built in the 16th century with modifications of the Portugese, so it looks quite european, for an indian church.
I lived in France and I don't think they burn organ-shaped candles in Lourdes.