Our Sanctuary
“Lorrie has a story to tell that through her art and the work of the sanctuary will inspire, uplift, and bring comfort ”
At first sight the Sanctuary is an Art Gallery but many people describe it as being more than a Gallery – a place with a unique atmosphere, that is comforting and at the same time inspirational and contemplative.
The first Sanctuary was established in Rathdrum, Ireland in 2002, the country of Lorrie’s birth. It was by word of mouth from this ideyllic countryside location that more and more people came to visit and experience the Art and uniqueness of the Sanctuary.
In 2007, Lorrie her family and the Sanctuary re-located to Alet les Bains (old Gallic meaning ‘ The Chosen Place’) a small town in the south of France. It is here set in beautiful surroundings that all of Lorrie’s original Angel Art is exhibited. Through the years the Angel Sanctuary has become a source of solace and inspiration for thousands of people around the world.
Admission into the Sanctuary is free of charge, when inside you will find the setting to be both calming and reflective, Chairs are placed throughout the gallery for people to sit and spend time with their thoughts and with Lorrie’s Angel Art and Writings. The Angel Rooms are gracefully lit with soft lighting and burning candles.
People from all walks of life come to visit the Angel Gallery, it is non- denominatioal and all are welcome, please view our ‘Your Story’ link for messages that have been written in the Sanctuary’s Guest Book. Some of the people we have met at the sanctuary over the years include leading business people from around the world, doctors and consultants, writers, artists, religious people (from Buddhist monks to catholic priests and nuns), to police and army from around the globe. One retired officer of the Dutch army has visited the Sanctuary many times. His role within the forces was conflict resolution and this involved meetings with Sadam Hussein and Osama Binladin. He found that coming to the Sanctuary brought him some peace after his extremely difficult experiences in the worlds’ worst conflict zones. We never know who is going to walk through the doors of the Sanctuary. The experience a person has in the Sanctuary is unique and personal. It is afterwards that some will share their life experiences and that of the sanctuary. It is from peoples sharing that we are encouraged to continue our work and to help make the world a better place.
The Water Source
Housed within the Angel Sanctuary is the wonderful feature of a ‘Thermal Water Source’. Alet has been renowned for its thermal waters since Roman times. In ancient times the natural spring attracted the Romans - who always homed in on natural springs in any newly acquired territory. According to local history both Charlemagne and Nostradamus favoured the water here.
The Spa water here is reputed to be good for the treatment of digestive disorders and metabolic afflictions - obesity, diabetes, gastritis and colitis. Some say that it was his digestive problems that brought Charlemagne here.
The Vision
Lorrie’s personal experiences have brought her to search for and recreate her understanding of the true nature of God and man through art, sculpture and writing. It is from her inner work that she feels a calling to be of service to her findings and to create a place of goodness and truth, to stir mans consciousness and reawaken his conscience. She sees her creations as a bridge between worlds. For Lorrie her searching has become a devotion to participate in the creation of the Sanctuary, which for her is a living prayer and has become a place of beauty, stillness and holiness. This is the message Lorrie’s work brings to the very many people who choose to visit the Sanctuary and be inspired.
The Sanctuary exists in its simplistic form and is able to continue the positive and empowering effect it has within the world. It takes and has taken a great deal of determination, courage and faith to remain true to the calling and the purpose. As observers of the work of the Sanctuary we see how the tangible atmosphere makes a difference to peoples lives in positive ways. When there seems no hope, they find hope; where the loss is too great to bear, they find strength; where there is no understanding, they find understanding; where there is confusion there is brought clarity. As we see the difference the Sanctuary is making we become more dedicated to its cause as we strive to grow its work. As an Irish priest who visited from one of the teaching colleges said the Sanctuary was a beautiful way to commune with God...
Sanctuary Gift Shop & Tea Rooms
Nearby the Sanctuary and gallery, tea and coffee facilities are provided as people often like to take time to take in their experience and reflect. The tea and coffee rooms are created to emulate/echo the sense of calm and tranquillity that the Sanctuary holds. The gift shop is positioned alongside the tea rooms and offers the full range of ‘Gifts for the Soul’ products for visitors to browse and buy from. People firstly purchase a gift as a direct experience of their time spent in the sanctuary and will then think of others and their circumstances and buy a gift accordingly, to inspire, uplift and bring comfort to their friends and family.