On January 7, 1844, a girl was born in Lourdes (a small town in southern France): Marie-Bernarde Soubirous.

Everyone called her Bernadette.

Her family was very, very poor! Her father, François, was a miller who had lost his job!

They lived in a terrible place: the Cachot - an old abandoned prison!

A dark, damp, cold room! Six people lived there!

Bernadette was the oldest of four children!

The Sick Girl

Bernadette was small for her age! Weak! Sick!

She had terrible asthma! She coughed constantly! She had difficulty breathing!

She also suffered from other illnesses! She had gone hungry as a child!

She couldn't read or write! She had never been able to attend school properly!

But she was gentle, kind, pious!

She prayed much! She loved Our Lady!

Everyone who knew her said: "Bernadette is holy!"

February 11, 1858: The First Apparition

On February 11, 1858, Bernadette was 14 years old!

That day, she went with her sister and a friend to collect firewood!

They arrived near the Gave River! There was a grotto called Massabielle!

The other girls crossed the river! Bernadette stayed behind (because of her asthma)!

Suddenly, she heard noise like strong wind!

But there was no wind! The trees didn't move!

Bernadette looked at the grotto!

And saw bright light!

In the light, there was a most beautiful Lady!

Dressed in white! With a blue sash! Golden roses on her feet!

She had a face of extraordinary youth! She smiled sweetly!

Bernadette was paralyzed! Frightened but fascinated!

The Lady signaled for Bernadette to approach!

But Bernadette couldn't move!

Bernadette automatically took her rosary!

She tried to make the sign of the cross, but couldn't raise her hand!

The Lady took the rosary she had in her hand and also began to pray!

When she finished, she made the sign of the cross with perfect grace!

Then Bernadette could! She also made the sign of the cross!

She prayed the entire rosary! The Lady prayed along, moving her lips!

When finished, the Lady disappeared!

Bernadette returned home different!

She didn't tell anything at first! But her sister noticed!

"What happened? You're strange!"

Bernadette finally told: "I saw a beautiful Lady in the grotto!"

"Was it Our Lady?" they asked.

"I don't know... it was a very beautiful Lady!"

Her parents were worried! "You're seeing things! It's the fever!"

February 14: The Second Apparition

Bernadette felt a strong desire to return to the grotto!

On Sunday, February 14, she asked her parents' permission!

"Please! I want to go back to the grotto!"

Her parents hesitated, but let her! "Go, but take holy water!"

Bernadette went with several girls!

Arriving at the grotto, she knelt and began praying the rosary!

And the Lady appeared again!

Bernadette threw holy water in the Lady's direction!

"If you come from God, stay! If you come from the devil, go away!"

The Lady smiled even more sweetly!

Bernadette realized: she came from God!

They prayed the rosary together again!

The other girls saw nothing! Only Bernadette!

They were amazed seeing Bernadette so concentrated, so happy!

When the vision ended, Bernadette cried! She wanted it to stay!

February 18: "Come here for fifteen days"

In the third apparition (February 18), the Lady spoke for the first time!

She said in local dialect: "Would you do me the grace of coming here for fifteen days?"

Bernadette answered: "Yes!"

The Lady continued: "I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next!"

Then she disappeared!

Bernadette was radiant! The Lady had spoken to her!

The Apparitions Continue

In the following days, Bernadette returned to the grotto daily!

The Lady didn't always appear! But when she did, it was glory!

The news spread! Hundreds began coming to watch!

They saw Bernadette in ecstasy! Transformed face! Radiant!

But they didn't see the Lady! Only Bernadette saw!

Some believed! Others doubted! "It's imagination!" "It's a trick!"

February 25: "Go drink and wash at the spring"

In the ninth apparition (February 25), something extraordinary!

The Lady told Bernadette: "Go drink and wash at the spring!"

Bernadette looked around! There was no spring! Only the distant river!

But she obeyed! She began digging the ground with her hands!

She dug! She dug! The earth was dry!

Finally, water began to spring forth!

First it was mud! Then it became clearer!

Bernadette drank the muddy water!

She washed her face with it!

People thought: "She's gone mad!"

But the next day, the spring flowed abundantly!

Crystal clear water! Pure! Fresh!

And soon miracles began: sick people drank and were healed!

The blind saw! The paralyzed walked! Tumors disappeared!

It was a miraculous spring!

March 2: "Penance! Penance! Penance!"

In the thirteenth apparition, the Lady asked:

"Penance! Penance! Penance! Pray for sinners!"

She also asked: "Go tell the priests to build a chapel here!"

Bernadette obeyed! She went to Father Peyramale!

"Father, the Lady asks that they build a chapel at the grotto!"

The priest became irritated: "What Lady? What is her name?"

"I don't know... she didn't say..."

"Then tell her to say her name! And make a rose bush bloom in winter! Then I'll believe!"

March 25: "I Am the Immaculate Conception"

Bernadette returned to the grotto several times asking for the Lady's name!

Finally, on March 25 (feast of the Annunciation!), in the sixteenth apparition...

Bernadette asked again: "Please, tell me who you are!"

The Lady joined her hands, looked to heaven, and said:

"I am the Immaculate Conception!"

Bernadette ran to tell the priest!

She repeated along the way: "Immaculate Conception! Immaculate Conception!"

She was afraid of forgetting! She didn't really know what it meant!

When Bernadette arrived at the priest and said: "She said she is the Immaculate Conception!"

The priest went pale! He fell to his knees!

"It's Our Lady! It's really Our Lady!"

Now he believed! And he would begin working to build the chapel!

The Last Apparitions

Our Lady appeared to Bernadette 18 times in total!

The last were in April and July 1858!

In the last apparition (July 16), Bernadette couldn't enter the grotto (it was closed)!

She stayed on the other side of the river!

But she saw Our Lady clearly from the other side!

"I had never seen her so beautiful!" Bernadette said afterwards!

It was farewell! Our Lady would not appear again!