salette

Salette most commonly refers to Our Lady of La Salette, a Marian apparition site and shrine in the French Alps. In 1846, two local shepherd children, Mélanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, reported that the Virgin Mary appeared to them on September 19 while they tended their flock. The alleged apparition conveyed a message urging repentance and conversion, the daily prayer of the Rosary, and observance of the Sabbath, warning of punishments if people did not reform. The children also reportedly received two private secrets during the vision, which have been discussed in Catholic circles.

The local bishop conducted an inquiry, and in 1851 the Holy See declared the events worthy of belief, affirming the possibility of the apparition within Catholic belief. The site grew into a major Catholic shrine, with a sanctuary, a basilica, and a museum at La Salette-Fallavaux in Isère, France. It became a longtime destination for pilgrimages and devotion, attracting visitors from around the world. The message attributed to La Salette has influenced Catholic prayer, penitential practice, and discussions on penance and humility within both devotional and theological contexts.

Salette also denotes the religious movement associated with the site, including the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette and related communities that promote the devotion. The La Salette apparition remains a stable element of Catholic tradition, continuing to be studied in historical and theological contexts while maintaining a broad public presence through pilgrimage, literature, and devotional practices.