On February 11, 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, her sister and a friend went in search of firewood near the Gave river. They spotted some wood on the other side of the river but Bernadette's ill health prevented her from wading across the river with her sister and friend.       There was a huge rock overlying a grotto which was called Massabielle. Bernadette first heard a strong gust of wind, then she raised her head and saw a woman standing in the grotto. The lady was dressed in white with a white veil over her head, a skyblue girdle, and a golden rose on each foot. Clasped in her hand was a rosary with white beads. Bernadette took out her rosary and prayed with the woman.       The beautiful Lady appeared seventeen more times to Bernadette at Massabielle. There was a great deal of scepticism on the part of the pastor. The civil authorities were also very upset because so many people were going to the grotto. Bernadette detained many times by the mayor and commisioner, she was questioned for hours. She suffered very much but she offered it all as a penance. The lady had asked her to pray for the conversion of sinners and for penance. She told her "I won't promise to make you happy in this world but only in the next."       The pastor asked her to ask the Lady who she was. She later came to the pastor and told him that the Lady said, "I am the Immaculate Conception". The priest then believed in the apparitions because he knew she couldn't have made this up. She was a very poor and ignorant girl. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception had just been proclaimed 4 years before in 1854. (More information on the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.)       At the ninth apparition something remarkable occurred. In Bernadette's words "the Lady told me to go and cleanse myself in the spring. I saw none and went to the Gave. She replied that it wasn't there and pointed at a spot below the precipice. I found a bit of water which looked more like mud, but there was so little I could hardly get any into my hand. I started digging and so I got more. It was so salty I had to spit it out three times."The people watching this concluded that she was crazy. It looked like she was washing in mud. A great spring came from this spot and many cures are attributed to this water.       At the thirteenth apparition Our Lady asked that priests come to this spot in procession and to erect a chapel on this spot. In 1862 construction of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception was begun. The upper basilica stands on a cliff 20 meters above the river Gave. It took eight years to build. The crypt lies beneath the apse of the Basilica and was finished in 1866. This chapel contains the chapel of the Blessed Virgin in which Perpetual Adoration continues, there are always two nuns praying there. The Basilica of the Rosary was added years later which included the curving entry ramps.       From the very beginning, water was collected in rudimentary tanks. A statue was erected in the grotto which was sculpted to Bernadette's specifications. She never did like it because it really didn't capture the beauty of Our Lady. The grotto is a most peaceful place and has a powerful attraction for the pilgrims. Millions of pilgrims come each year to bathe in the water, attend Mass, the Eucharistic procession and blessing, and the candlelight procession. Many are looking for a cure. So many sick are brought and blessed by the Blessed Sacrament. This is where most of the cures take place. Many miracles have taken place in Lourdes and have been documented by the Church. Many more take place that are not documented, especially the spiritual conversions.

St. Bernadette lies incorrupt in the convent in Nevers

Bernadette entered the convent of the Sisters of Charity at the age of 22 in Nevers where she spent the rest of her life. She died at the age of 35 after suffering for many years from a tumor on her knee. Her body lies incorrupt in the convent where she lived for so many years. Bernadette was canonized a saint on December 8, 1933 by Pope Pius XI. The Pope stressed the humility of this "ignorant girl, a simple miller's daughter who possessed no other wealth than the candour of her exquisite soul."

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