On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the Immaculate Conception a dogma through the apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. This proclamation was followed, a little over three years later, by a remarkable event. On February 11, 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, a young girl of modest means and fragile health, reported seeing visions of a lady. This series of apparitions culminated on March 25, when the lady identified herself as “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Bernadette, the daughter of impoverished parents with a tepid engagement in their Catholic faith, was familiar only with basic prayers like the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Creed, and the prayer of the Miraculous Medal. When describing her visions, she spoke of encountering “aquero,” a term from her dialect meaning “this thing,” which appeared to her as a young girl clad in white, with a blue girdle, a white veil, and a rosary draped over her arm. The vision was distinguished by the presence of yellow roses at her feet and the respectful use of the formal “vous” in address, a sign of dignity from the vision to the young Bernadette.

This event not only transformed Bernadette’s life but also had a profound impact on the Catholic faith globally. Lourdes, the site of the apparitions, soon became a beacon for pilgrims from France and beyond, seeking healing and spiritual renewal. In 1862, the Church formally recognized the apparitions, allowing for the veneration of Our Lady of Lourdes, which was extended worldwide by 1907.

Lourdes is now synonymous with faith, healing, and pilgrimage. The Church has officially acknowledged over 60 miracles at Lourdes, attributing them to the intercession of Mary, though the true number may be higher. For believers, these miracles are a continuation of the healing works of Jesus, manifesting through His mother. The stories of physical and spiritual transformation among visitors to Lourdes are numerous, often leading to a deepened faith and a commitment to service.

While skepticism about the apparitions persists, the message of Lourdes resonates with many: faith’s power needs no explanation for believers, while for skeptics, perhaps no explanation will suffice. The story of Bernadette and the apparitions at Lourdes remains a testament to the enduring impact of faith and the mysterious ways through which it manifests.

Photo credit: THOMAS KURIAN / Shutterstock.com
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30 COMMENTS

  1. God bless! May the Almighty Lord be Praised! He used Our Lady of Lourdes to heal my wife, Helen, of her severe rheumatoid arthritis and osteo porrhosis. In June 1996, together with 40 members of the Singapore St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Serangoon Garden, we went on pilgrimages to Vatican, Assisi, Lourdes, Fatima and SantaRem. She was on the wheel-chair. Very shortly after her Lourdes bath, she experienced immediate healing. Prior to this event, she could not walk more than 10 meters without need to stop and rest. After the healing, she passed her wheel-chair to another lady. We have a video of pre- and post-events.

  2. Praise the Lord for giving us such a tender and caring Mother. I too went to Lourdes on pilgramage, something I had wanted to do since I was a little girl. I had a little miracle there as well. I suffered from severe swollen ankles – so bad that I could hardly walk at all. We were touring several shrines in France and had arrived in Lourdes via the super train from Paris. No matter what I did , night after night of elevating my legs, cold baths, ice packs, nothing made my legs go down. I was crying the night we arrived because I wanted to go to the rosary procession and it was pouring rain to boot. I was determined after hear the voice of my long dead grandmother in my head instruct me to go to the grotto, rain or no rain. My husband was with me as I hobbled and cried. We passed the fountain and my husband decided to put a little bit of the water on my feet. I had an immediate warm sensation and was able to process and say the rosary with the other pilgrams without pain. The warm sensation continued all evening and in the hotel. By morning my feet and ankles were normal again. That day I went to thank Our Lady and at the base of her statue was wild daisies growing. My grandmother’s name was Daisy.

  3. Our Lady, please pray for love n peace in the world…also for the sick, the poor, the holy souls in purgatory n for all who have no one to pray for them….Amen!

  4. all year we raise money for the young people of our parish ro go to Lourdesas red shirts and helpers The changes in the young people when they are there is amazing the care and compassion they show to others andwhen they returnthiit stays with them all these young people go to mass regularly andthey have taken an overgrown piece of ground by the church hall andare making it into a garden to say thankyou to the parisioners for helping them to get to Lourdes our Lady as certainly blessed thes young people I hope we can help many more young people to recieve our Lady s blessings in this way its wonderful

  5. Thank You, Almighty God, our Father, Lord Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit for giving to us our Holy Mother Mary and all the blessings she is. For her example of faith, trust and pity! Thank You for Bernadette and all the Saints and our personal saints in our lives! Thank You for my salvation and helping me in all things and for my health. Glory to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit forever and ever, Amen!

  6. Oh Mother Mary, how I adore thee. Just the thought of your name brings peace to my mind, body and soul. I long to meet thee in Heaven. Please pray for my family. Please pray for the health of my mother and father. Thank you for the good news from my fathers skin cancer surgery. Please intercede in my life. I have been so anxious. So anxious it makes me ill. Please pray that the worry that is dwelling inside of me goes away.

    Amen

  7. Blessed Mother Mary, please bless all the children in my family. May your Son Jesus Christ with His healing powers help to heal my brother Rene, my sister Ruby and my grandson Sebastian. May they all be healed. I pray that my niece Maria be healed of all her additions and change her life for the better. I pray for the end of child abuse in this world. I ask this in the name of your son Jesus Christ.

    • I’ve reported this post. What you’re talking about is the abuse of young girls, incest and rape. I’m a sinner too, but not in these things that harm other people. Innocent, vulnerable children. I’ll pray for you and others that do these things that you see God’s Light which will reveal to you God’s Truth and know He loves you. God’s Truth will set you and all of us free. He loves all of us equally. God bless

  8. Blessings,
    nothing more than blessings
    Never to forget your blessings of love
    Remorse tears roll down on my heart
    Trying to forget my killings of your love

    Blessings,
    for my new life I love you
    I wish I’ve earlier met you, Lord!
    You’ll nor leave me again
    Blessing, woo-o-o blessing
    Woo-o-o, love you always in my heart

    Blessings, feelings I’ve finally found you
    Your blessings like
    I’ll never leave you again out of my heart

    Blessings,
    eternal life I’ll have you
    I´m sure I’ll never lose you, Lord;
    You’ll never leave me again
    Blessings, woo-o-o, feelings…!!!
    ————————————–
    Written just right now, on Feb. 11, 2016 due to inspiration from the old Song “FEELINGS” of Andy Williams in 1975.
    I hereby dedicate this new Song of “Blessings” to Our Holy Lady of Lourdes today – celebrating the Feast of Her Apparition on February 11, 1858 to St. Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France, for this sake I converted from a communist dog once to a convicted believer in Jesus Christ in 2001.
    My full-sincere thanks to our Lady of Immaculate Conception of Lourdes, for without Her Apparition there in Lourdes in 1858 I´d surly have fallen into hell for ever.

  9. I went to Lourdes and as I passed the grotto I was struck wlth awe by a powerful presence. The presence had 3 attributes.
    Inconditional Love: A love so great so wonderful ,so deep and given unlimited to everybody on earth , whever one is saint or sinner.Should I, you, or Hitler would stand in front of this presence, this Love will stand unchanged.
    Power: Powerful beyond imagination. Power penetrating all things , men, animals, rock, chairs and the all universe . A power so great that should this power be removed or stopped everything will cease to exist.
    Humility: The presence had humility in its purest and most elevated form. A humility so great that should I fell it will come to lift me up without hesitation. I understood and saw the washing of his disciples feet by Jesus in a new light. Jesus was showing a quality that he had , humility.
    This presence really moved me deep inside and I had tears in my eyes. I am sure that I must have stepped where Divinity one stood , the Virgin Mary during the apparition to Bernadette.This place is still imprinted by her energy .Only God and those coming from Him can display such Love ,Power and humility at the same time.

  10. Our Lady of Lourdes with St. Bernadette — how can i forget … my childhood i had my chronic asthma; but i was cured. St. Bernadette’s Church was my parish in Singapore. PRAISE BE MOTHER MARY with ST. BERNADETTE!!!

  11. Oh ever immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comfortess of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen.

  12. Praised be the Queen of heaven our Blessed Virgin Mary ,mother of our savior ,our Lord JESUS CHRIST. I pray to you every day Holy Mother and thank you for all that you do for all of us.Blessed Virgin Mary I love you with my soul, my heart and all that is in me.

  13. Our Lady, thank you, for today. I trust you. Our Lady, Mother of God, Mary of Nazareth, Mary of Dawn, Mary of Guadalupe, Mary of Lourdes, Mary of my heart. Thank you for the holy cloud of charitable intercessors that sustain me in prayer under the merciful command of your grace and mediation. Our Lady, My Lady, keep me safe from me in Jesus. Amen.

  14. Our Lady, thank you, for today. I trust you. Our Lady, Mother of God, Mary of Nazareth, … Same prayer as last year, today, on your Lourdes day, again, and in all your days for the rest of my life, because every day is a Mary day. Amen.

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