Pregnancy-seekers have long trekked to fertility shrines and landmarks for some “divine” conception help. These days, more couples are trekking to fertility clinics instead, but that doesn’t mean that the traditional and historic sites aren’t still fascinating. . . and perhaps an excuse for a fun getaway.
Cerne Abbas Giant
Featured in the 2001 movie Maybe Baby, this ancient figure of a huge, naked man carved into a chalk hillside in Dorset, England, is said to have special fertility powers. Couples have slept and even made love inside the giant’s outline to up their babymaking odds.
Japanese Fertility Festivals
Every spring, Japan comes alive with traditional fertility fests. . . and we mean “alive.” Rowdy revelers in Kawasaki, Komaki, and other cities are treated to giant penises paraded through the streets (plus penis-shaped candy, candles, and other souvenirs). Couples often pray for fertility at local shrines. Many of the onsens (hot springs) in Japan claim to have special fertility powers, too.
Beltane Fire Festival
Thousands congregate in Edinburgh, Scotland, every April 30 for this wild, all-night, fire-filled traditional Celtic fertility celebration. To join the merrymaking, see beltane.org.
Kununurra “fertility waters”
While filming Australia, Nicole Kidman and six other women conceived shortly after swimming near the waterfalls outside the Outback town of Kununurra.
St. Mary Frances “Miracle Chair”
Mom-hopefuls flock to this shrine near Speranzella Street in Naples, Italy. Visitors sit in an old armchair while receiving a blessing from a nun.
Phallic Rock
This surprisingly lifelike 6-foot-high penis-shaped rock on the Hawaiian island of Molokai has long drawn women hoping to conceive. Many still leave offerings and pray for pregnancy.
Obando Fertility Dance
Each May, couples, farmers, and fishermen gather in this Philippine town for a three-day dance fest to encourage fertility of all kinds—healthy babies, bountiful harvests and abundant fish-catches.
St. Gianna Shrine
Italian saint Gianna Beretta Molla discovered she had cancer in 1961 during her pregnancy and insisted that the baby’s life be saved before hers. She died shortly after giving birth in 1962. Women trek to Nativity of Our Lord Parish (saintgianna.org/stgiannashrine.htm) in Warminster, Pennsylvania, to touch her gloves and ask for conception help.
National Shrine of St. Gerard
Italian saint Gerard Maiella was known for his “motherhood” miracles. Visit his shrine at St. Lucy’s Church in Newark, New Jersey, or log on to saintlucy.net/saintgerard.htm to request “fertility aids,” including a St. Gerard medal, prayer card, novena book, and handkerchief.
A version of this article was originally published in the Spring 2010 issue of Conceive.
