The Blessed Virgin Mary made an appearance here on Earth 164 years ago when she appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France on Feb. 11, 1858. Bernadette counted 18 visions of the Virgin Mary during the five months between the first vision and the last, on July 16 of the same year. While it seems so long ago, the apparition was one of several that occurred in what is called the Modern Era of Marian apparitions; those taking place in the 20th and 21 centuries.
In 1943, the movie “The Song of Bernadette” debuted, starring Jennifer Jones as the young Bernadette. In the film she was 14 when she experienced the first apparition. I was about 10 years old when, at the suggestion of my dear mother, I watched the movie on our family’s black and white television. I remember being very moved while watching Our Lady appear to Bernadette. I wanted to be Bernadette, partly because she was beautiful, but also because I thought somehow I would be validated, get my hand stamped, and go directly to Heaven if the Virgin Mary paid me a visit. But, as with most of those blessed to actually see and speak to Mary, the Mother of God, they weren’t transported straight to eternal life, to bliss. No. Mary enlisted most to share her messages with the world and warned them life would not be easy.
Note: I continue to discover that Mary appears to those who are less educated, of a lesser socio-economic class, and young.
I do recall praying more often for several weeks after watching the movie, until the movie faded from my young mind.
The movie version of the apparition has Bernadette, her friend and her sister gathering wood for the family near the bank of a stream next to the Massabielle Grotto. Bernadette’s sister and her friend headed back home and admonished Bernadette, who suffered from asthma, not to fall into the cold water of the stream, lest she might get sick. According to the University of Dayton’s website, on which an article written by Reverend Matthew R. Mauriello appears, Bernadette described the young woman, whom she thought to be not much older than herself, as:
“…dressed in a white robe, girded at the waist with a blue ribbon. She wore upon her head a white veil which gave just a glimpse of hair. Her feet were bare but covered by the last folds of her robe and a yellow rose was upon each of them. She held on her right arm a rosary of white beads with a chain of gold shining like the two roses on her feet.”
Bernadette’s first encounter involved her praying the Rosary, after which the Virgin Mary left her. A week later, in the same spot, Our Lady opened their conversation with the following: “I do not promise to make you happy in this life, but in the next.”
History.com reports that the Virgin Mary told Bernadette that she was “The Immaculate Conception.”
I suppose, in an effort to provide a miracle so that people would believe, Mary told Bernadette to begin digging near the grotto so that a life-saving spring of water would emerge. Today, thousands make the pilgrimage to the grotto at Lourdes and many have been cured of their illnesses.
Bernadette was also instructed to tell the local priests that Mary wanted a chapel built. A basilica was constructed and dedicated in 1876. See the virtual tour by clicking here.
After years of scrutiny by authorities, and even her own family, Bernadette became a nun and lived the rest of her short life (she died at age 35) in the convent of Notre-Dame de Nevers. She is the patron saint of those suffering with illness, shepherds and shepherdesses, as well as those who are ridiculed for their faith.
Interesting footnote: Above is an image of the actual grotto where Our Lady of Lourdes appeared in 1858, captured by Brunner Emmanuel.
Below is an image captured by me, (@maryshandmaiden), while visiting St Michael’s Abbey in Silverado Canyon, CA. As my husband and I were leaving the parking lot after attending Sunday Mass, we noticed in the distance a grotto and a statue of Mary. I will be in touch with the abbey to ask more about a scene that looks as if it portrays Our Lady of Lourdes. If only there was a life-saving, disease-curing stream at the same location.
UPDATE: (Feb. 25, 2022) – I stand corrected. I’ve been told that the statue in the grotto is NOT the Blessed Mother, but rather a statue of St. Joseph!
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