February 11

OUR LADY OF LOURDES

Lourdes, France

1858

The Blessed Virgin appeared to a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous in February 1858, and appeared to her 18 more times.

During one apparition, Mary asked Bernadette to dig into the ground in front of her. Clear water eventually came up and this pool of water has since been reported to be the source of many miraculous cures of physical illness.

The highlight of these series of apparitions includes Mary's declaration to Bernadette that she is "the Immaculate Conception." Pope Pius XI authenticated the visions and the veneration of Mary as Our Lady of Lourdes.

Did you know?

In 1863, an order of sisters commissioned a statue to be made to resemble the Mary that Bernadette saw. This is the famous statue. However, Bernadette said that the Lady of the apparitions looked like a diminutive 12-year-old girl.

A family tradition...

Watch the Hollywood film Song of Bernadette (1943), based on a book of the same title.

Pray the novena to Our Lady of Lourdes.