FishEaters Traditional Catholic Forums

Just wondering, has anyone on FE ever given votive offerings-whether at a church, shrine, etc.-in thanksgiving of answered prayers, healing, etc.?

I know many of the major Catholic shrines throughout the world (I suppose Orthodox shrines as well) have hundreds or thousands of of ex-votos left there over the centuries...but what about ex-votos at home? I have a "wall" of icons and other Catholic pictures, and was thinking of leaving an ex-voto to St. Joseph for gratitude. There are no St. Joseph shrines close to me but I have a very nice photo of St. Joseph plus the child Jesus. I was thinking of doing some sort of ex-voto in thanksgiving and just placing it next to.the picture of St. Joseph.

Perhaps it doesn't need to be something physical but could be an ex-voto like a special prayer or devotion said in honor of the Saint?

I do not think

Everytime I enter Church be it Orthodox or Catholic I light a candle before an icon or a statue and, if I have some money, donate something.  I love piety that's incarnational and visceral like that, where it's just you and an empty church and flickering candlelight. 

I've lit candles at the St. Photios Shrine in St. Augustine before. This place has tons of relics donated by the Vatican. It's this tiny little place right of St. George street in the heart of the tourist area of St. Augustine.

I guess I don't know if these prayers were answered or not. I just like this type of piety.

There is a Mexican practice of making tin retablos depicting a miracle or an event that has been attributed to the intercession of a saint or Our Lady or Our Lord.





The caption of this one says:

Quote:Thank you, Virgin of Guadalupe, because my husband doesn’t beat me so much. I asked you for this, and you heard me. Now we love each other, I’m very happy and thank you.

Maria Torres
Toluca, Mexico
May 10, 1970

There are other unseemly retablos from prostitutes, thanking our Lord or Our Lady for granting them success in their prostitution (geesh, they should really reconsider as to where did they should attribute such an unfortunate success).

Something else