Short Summary: The Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette at a grotto, revealing a spring that became a source of miraculous healings and worldwide pilgrimage.
Details
Location: Lourdes, France
Year: 1858
Prayer: Blessed be the Holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Help us to find healing in our body, mind, spirit, and soul. We offer ourselves to God, to be in His service during our life. Intercede for our suffering, in alignment to His Divine will. If our plot is to continue forward without healing, grant us the graces of courage, acceptance, and understanding. St. Joseph, pray for us. St. Bernadette, pray for us. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Verse: For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. -Ps 62:5-7
Full Story
14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous experienced a series of 18 visions in a small grotto near Lourdes, France. During these apparitions, a woman dressed in white with a blue belt appeared to her, sharing several messages. On March 25th, during one of the apparitions, the lady revealed her identity by speaking in Bernadette's local dialect, saying, "I am the Immaculate Conception." Bernadette, who came from a poor and uneducated background, did not understand the meaning of these words and repeated them to herself as she went to inform the local priest. The lady’s messages emphasized prayer, penance, and repentance, asking Bernadette to pray for sinners and encouraging others to turn their hearts to God. At one point, she told Bernadette, "Pray for the conversion of sinners," and repeatedly urged her to do penance. The messages called on people to come closer to God through personal sacrifice and prayer. Initially, the Church and local authorities were skeptical of Bernadette’s claims. She was questioned by both the local priest and the civil authorities, who were cautious about the growing crowds and public interest in the grotto. In fact, the town’s mayor ordered the grotto to be barricaded, citing concerns over public health as the crowds continued to swell. A commission was appointed by the local bishop to conduct a thorough investigation into the apparitions. Despite the skepticism, Bernadette never wavered in her account. After a detailed inquiry, in 1862, the Church officially recognized the apparitions as genuine. One of the most significant moments of the visions occurred when the lady asked Bernadette to drink from a fountain that was not visible. Trusting in the apparition, Bernadette dug in the dirt, and a small stream of water began to flow. This spring, which continues to flow today, became associated with miraculous healings, drawing pilgrims from all over the world. The Lourdes Medical Bureau, established to investigate claims of healing, has since documented thousands of testimonies, and 70 cases have been officially recognized as miraculous by the Church.
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