In 1810 the convent of the Carmelites was turned into a minor seminary. In 1866, the Cardinal Saint Marc laid and blessed the first stone of the present basilica. A new statute of Saint Anne was solemnly consecrated by order of Pius IX, 30 September 1868.Goyau, Georges. "Diocese of Vannes." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 20 July 2019 St. Anne has continued to be the favourite pilgrimage of Brittany down to the present day.Fournet, Pierre Auguste. "Sainte Anne d'Auray." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 19 Jul. 2019 Pope John Paul II visited here in 1996. Every summer, there is the Grand Pardon of Sainte Anne, the largest pilgrimage in the region on July 26, the feast of St. Anne. The religious services are followed by picnics, dancing and entertainment.
