Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

One of the most renowned apparitions of Mary began on February 11, 1858. The Blessed Mother appeared to a girl named Bernadette Soubrious.

Bernadette, a 14 year-old peasant girl and was the oldest daughter among the six children of Francois Soubrious and Louise Casterot. Her family was one of the poorest in town. Her father had no work so she had to exert extra effort for her family even though she was sickly.

One day her family allowed her to collect firewood, along with her two friends. During that time, the people cooked their food and heated their house with firewood. Bernadette and her friends passed by the rock of Massabielle a rocky outcropping in a wild and isolated part of the countryside. After a little while, her friends decided to cross the river that ran near the rock. Bernadette wanted to go with them but the water was too cold and she didn’t want her feet to get wet. But she didn’t want to be left behind by her friends so she went to the other side and removed her shoes. All of a sudden, Bernadette heard a loud noise. And when she turned her back she caught sight of a very beautiful Lady clothed in white with a rosary hanging on her arm standing in a grotto in the rock. The beautiful Lady smiled at her and summoned her to pray the rosary and they prayed together.

Bernadette told her mother what she saw. Her mother didn’t believe her and prevented Bernadette to visit the place again. Bernadette obeyed her mother. When news about the incident spread, some of Bernadette’s friends asked Madame Soubrious if Bernadette could go back to the grotto. This time her mother allowed her.

The Lady appeared again to Bernadette and asked her to come for 15 days. The Lady appeared to her every time she was there. Many people who came with Bernadette could not see the Lady but they knew that Bernadette saw something so special and beautiful because she would look very happy.

Bernadette repeated to the people what the Lady told her. She was told to tell people to pray and do penance. All must pray especially for the conversion of the sinners. The Lady wanted them to strengthen their faith in the Lord, and have a pure heart as a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The Lady also told Bernadette to tell the priests to have a procession and to build a chapel in the place where she had appeared. The Lady of the grotto made a new spring of water and told Bernadette to drink and wash herself in it.

After 18 appearances of the Lady to Bernadette, the lady finally told her that she is the Immaculate Conception. Bernadette was confused about what she heard and kept on asking herself what those words meant? But as she walked through the road going to the priest’s house, she kept on remembering them and repeated it to herself many times so she would remember them correctly. The village priest knew what those words meant and was very surprised after hearing Bernadette.

The Lady in the grotto who appeared to Bernadette was the Blessed Virgin Mary herself. She is the Immaculate Conception because she was created in her mother’s womb without original sin because she was going to be the Mother of Jesus.

The little village of Lourdes had been greatly honored by the appearances of the Blessed Mother. Millions of people go to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. Because of great faith to the Blessed Mother many people of different illness were miraculously healed and testimonies of renewed faith fill many books.