Apparitions of St. Bernadette Soubirous

8/14/2019 Apparitions of St. Bernadette Soubirous

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APPARITIONS OF ST. BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS

First Apparition

Thursday 11 February 1858At half past twelve on a cold February day, Mary, the Mother of God, descended fromHeaven who met our little shepherdess in a lonely grotto. T he meeting was entirelyunexpected. Who could possibly describe the following scene better than Bernadetteherself?

The Thursday before Ash W ednesday it was cold and the weather was threatening. Afterour dinner, our mother told us there was no more wood in the house and she was vexed.My sister Toinette and I, to please her, offered to go and pick up dry branches at theriverside. My mother said no, because the weather was bad and we might be in danger offalling into the Gave. Jeanne Abadie, our neighbor and friend, who was looking after her

little brother in our house and who wanted to come with us, took her brother back to hishouse and returned the next moment telling us that she had leave to come with us. Mymother still hesitated, but seeing that there were three of us, she let us go. We took first ofall the road which leads to the cemetery, by the side of which wood shavings can sometimesbe found. That day we found nothing there. We came down by the side which leads nearthe Gave and having arrived at the Pont Vieux we wondered if it would be best to go up ordown the river. We decided to go down and taking the forest road we arrived at Merlasse.Then we went into Monsieur de la Fittes field, by the mill of Savy.

As soon as we had reached the end of this field, nearly opposite the grotto of Massabieille,we were stopped by the canal of the mill we had just passed. The current of this canal wasnot strong for the mill was not working, but the water was cold and I for my part was afraidto go in. Jeanne Abadie and my sister, less timid than I, took their sabots in their hands andcrossed the stream. However, when they were on the other side they called out that it wascold and bent down to rub their feet and warm them. All this increased my fear and Ithought that if I went into the water I should get an attack of asthma. So I asked Jeanne,who was bigger and stronger than I, to take me on her shoulders. I should think not! sheanswered If you wont come, stay where you are!.

After the others had picked up some pieces of wood under the grotto, they disappearedalong the Gave. W hen I was alone, I threw some stones into the water to give me afoothold, but it was no use. So I had to make up my mind to take off my sabots and crossthe canal as Jeanne and my sister had done.

I had just begun to take off my first stocking when suddenly I heard a great noise like thesound of a storm. I looked to the right and to the left, under the trees of the river, butnothing moved; I thought I was mistaken. I went on taking off my shoes and stockings,when I heard a fresh noise like the first. Then I was frightened and stood straight up. I lostall power of speech and thought when, turning my head toward the grotto, I saw at one ofthe openings of the rock a bush only one moving as if it were very windy. Almost at thesame time, there came out of the interior of the grotto a golden colored cloud, and soon


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after a Lady, young and beautiful, exceedingly beautiful, the like of whom I had never seenbefore, came and placed herself at the entrance of the opening, above the rose bush. Shelooked at me immediately, smiled at me and signed to me to advance, as if She had beenmy Mother. All fear had left me, but I seemed to know no longer where I was. I rubbedmy eyes, I shut them, I opened them; but the Lady was still there continuing to smile at me

and making me understand that I was not mistaken. W ithout thinking of what I was doing Itook my Rosary in my hands and went on my knees. The Lady made with Her head a signof approval and Herself took into Her hands a Rosary which hung on Her right arm.When I attempted to begin the Rosary and tried to lift my hand to my forehead, my armremained paralyzed, and it was only after the Lady had signed Herself that I could do thesame. The Lady left me to pray all alone; She passed the beads of Her Rosary betweenHer fingers but She said nothing; only at the end of each decade did She say the Gloria

with me.

When the recitation of the Rosary was finished, the Lady returned to the interior of therock and the golden colored cloud disappeared with Her.

When asked to describe the Lady of the vision, Bernadette said -

She has the appearance of a young girl of sixteen or seventeen. She is dressed in a white

robe, girdled at the waist with a blue ribbon which flows down all along Her robe. Shewears upon Her head a veil which is also white; this veil gives just a glimpse of Her hair andthen falls down at the back below Her waist. Her feet are bare but covered by the last foldsof Her robe except at the point where a yellow rose shines upon each of them. She holdson Her right arm a Rosary of white beads with a chain of gold shining like the two roses onHer feet.

Bernadette then continued with her story -

As soon as the Lady had disappeared Jeanne Abadie and my sister returned to the Grottoand found me on my knees in the same place where they had left me. They laughed at me,calling me an imbecile and asked me if I would go back with them or not. I now had nodifficulty in going into the stream and I felt the water as warm as the water used for washingplates and dishes.

You had no reason to make such an outcry I said to Jeanne and my sister Marie, while

drying my feet; the water of the canal is not as cold as you would make me believe. Theyreplied, You are fortunate not to find it so we found it very cold.

I asked Jeanne and Marie if they had noticed anything at the Grotto No, theyanswered. Why do you ask us?. Oh, nothing I replied indifferently. But before we got tothe house, I told my sister Marie of the extraordinary things which had happened to me atthe Grotto, asking her to keep it a secret.

Throughout the whole day, the image of the Lady remained in my mind. In the evening,at family prayer, I was troubled and began to cry. My mother asked what the matter was.Marie hastened to answer for me and I was obliged to give the account of the wonder


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which had come to me that day.

These are illusions answered my mother You must drive these ideas out of your headand especially not go back to Massabieille.

We went to bed but I could not sleep. The face of the Lady, so good and gracious,returned incessantly to my memory and it was useless to recall what my mother had said tome; I could not believe that I had been deceived.

Second Apparition

Sunday 14 February 1858From that day forward, little Bernadette could think of only one thing - the beautiful Ladyshe had seen. H er normally fun-loving nature had become grave and serious.

Louise continued to tell her daughter that she had to be mistaken - Bernadette did notargue, but she could not believe that she had been the prey of an illusion. Even hermothers warning that this may have been a trick of the devil seemed impossible - howcould Satan carry a Rosary and pray the Gloria?

On the Friday and the Saturday, Bernadette intimated her desire to return to Massabieille -her mother ignored her pleas. On Sunday, Bernadette heard within her soul a summons,calling her once more to a meeting with the beautiful Lady of the rock.

She told Marie of this, who in turn mentioned it to Madame Soubirous, who again refusedpermission. Jeanne Abadie then pleaded the cause. Finally, Louise relented and gavepermission - after all, if this was an illusion, it would prove itself to be so.

Bernadette had told no-one outside the family what had occurred on Thursday. Marie, onthe other hand, had not been so reserved. Several of the local young girls knew the secret.These girls were then summoned by Marie to come to Massabieille.

Bernadette armed herself with a small phial of Holy Water and left for the Grotto. As soonas she arrived at the grotto, she fell to her knees opposite the niche, and began to pray.Almost immediately, she exclaimed - "There She is! There She is!"

One of the girls present told Bernadette to throw Holy Water on the Lady, in case it reallywas Satan. Bernadette did as requested. "She is not angry", she related, "On the contrary,She sanctions it with Her head and is smiling at all of us". The girls knelt around their littlecompanion and began to pray.

Bernadette then fell into ecstasy; her face completely transfigured and radiating happiness.Her expression was indescribable.

Just then a stone fell from the top of the Grotto, causing alarm among the girls. It was


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Jeanne - having been left behind, this was her revenge. Bernadette showed no reaction.The girls called to her, but she was unaware of their presence, her eyes remaining fixed onthe niche. Thinking she was dead, the other girls began to cry out; their cries were heard bytwo of the Nicolau women from the Savy mill, who ran to the Grotto; seeing the ecstaticBernadette, they called to her, attempted to move her, covered her eyes - all to no avail.

Madame Nicolau then ran to get her son, Antoine, a young man of twenty eight years.Believing this to be some kind of joke, he came to the Grotto and could not believe thesight he found there.

He said later - "Never had I seen a more marvelous sight. It was useless for me to arguewith myself - I felt I was not worthy to touch the child".

Urged by his mother, Antoine gently pulled Bernadette away from the Grotto, leading hertoward the Savy mill. All the way there, Bernadettes eyes remained fixed a little in front andabove of her. It was only upon her arrival at the mill that she once more returned to earth,her ecstatic expression gradually disappearing and her face becoming once more that of thesimple millers daughter.

The Nicolaus then asked Bernadette what she had seen and she related what had occurredat the Grotto; again she had prayed the Rosary accompanied by the Lady, who moved Her

lips only at each Gloria, and who had again disappeared at the conclusion of the prayers.

By now, Louise Soubirous had been summoned to the Savy Mill. She was crying, thinkingher little child was dead. She was angered to find Bernadette sitting telling her story; "So,you want to make us a laughing stock! I'll give it to you with you hypocritical airs and gracesand stories of the Lady!".

She was prevented from striking the child by Madame Nicolau, who cried - "What are you

doing? What has your child done to be treated like this? It is an angel, and an angel fromHeaven that you have in her - do you hear? I shall never, never forget what she was at theGrotto!"

Madame Soubirous burst into tears once more, worn out with emotion and frustration. Shethen led the young girl home. On the way, Bernadette occasionally glanced behind her.

T hird App aritionThursday 18 February 1858

The girls who had been present returned to Lourdes and began to describe theextraordinary sight they had witnessed. Few people believed them.

But not everyone laughed. Antoinette Peyret was a leading light in the Children of Mary, inLourdes. Desperate to know more of what was happening, she found all sorts of excusesfor visiting the Soubirous family. Each time she would question the little one about what


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she had seen. The answers never changed.

Upon hearing Bernadette describe the beautiful Lady, Antoinette was moved to tears; shebelieved this was her friend Elisa Latapie, who had been the president of the Children ofMary before her untimely death a few months beforehand.

Accompanied by her friend Madame Millet, Antoinette arrived at the Cachot in time tohear Bernadette pleading with her mother to be allowed to return once more to the Grotto.Louise was stern in her replies to Bernadette. This seemed to be the perfect opportunityfor the pair to ask permission to be allowed to take the child to the Grotto, where theypromised they would let no harm come to her. After some soul-searching and many tears,Louise granted their request.

The following morning, before dawn began to light the sky, the two ladies called at theCachot. After collecting Bernadette, the trio left to attend Mass in the church. Followingthis, they left for the Grotto. Madame Millet carried with her a blessed candle, which sheused to burn on special feast days. Antoinette Peyet took with her a pen and paper, hopingthe mysterious Lady would write some messages for them.

Arriving at the Grotto, Bernadette ran on ahead. By the time the two older ladies caught up

with her, she was already on her knees in prayer, her Rosary in her hand. The candle waslit and the two women knelt also. After a few minutes, Bernadette exclaimed "She comes!Here She is!". The two women could see nothing, but Bernadette was captivated by thesight she beheld.

Bernadette was happy and smiling, occasionally bowing her head. However, she gave nosign of ecstasy on this occasion. Since the Lady was about to speak, it was important thatthe child retain full use of her faculties. After the completion of the Rosary, Antoinette

handed Bernadette the pen and paper.

"Please, ask the Lady if She has anything She wishes to tell us and in that case if She wouldbe so good as to write it down".

As the child moved toward the opening, the two ladies also moved forward; withoutlooking back, Bernadette signaled to them to remain where they were. Standing on tip toe,she held up the pen and paper. She appeared to listen to words addressed to her, then

lowered her arms, made a deep bow and returned to the place she just left. Antoinetteasked what the Lady had replied.

"When I presented the pen and paper to H er She began to smile. Then without beingangry She said 'There is no need for me to write down what I have to say to you'. Then Sheseemed to be thinking for a moment and added 'Will you be so kind as to come here everyday for fifteen days?' "

"What did you answer?" asked Madame Millet.

"I answered 'Yes'" said the child in all simplicity. Asked why this request had been made,


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Bernadette replied, "I do not know - She did not tell me". Madame Millet asked whyBernadette had signed to them to stay where they were. The child said this had been donein obedience to the Lady. Somewhat distressed, Madame Millet asked Bernadette toenquire of the Lady if their presence was disagreeable to Her. Bernadette raised her eyes tothe niche, then turned and said - "The Lady answers, 'No, her presence is not disagreeable

to Me' ".

Once more the three began to pray. Bernadette's prayers were frequently interrupted - sheseemed to be having a conversation with the invisible Lady.

At the end of the vision, Antoinette asked Bernadette if the Lady had told her anythingelse. Bernadette replied -

"Yes. She said to me, 'I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next'."

"Since the Lady consents to speak to you," enquired Antoinette, "why do you not ask Herfor Her name?". Bernadette replied that she had already done so. Asked what Her namewas, the young girl replied -

"I do not know. She lowered Her head with a smile, but She did not answer."

Fourth ApparitionFriday 19 February 1858

Hearing Bernadette relate what had occurred, her parents were distressed - not least of allby the strange promise made by the mysterious Lady. Until now, they had thought this wassimply the product of a child's imagination... But now the Lady had spoken - and whatwords! If this was a real Lady, then who could it be? They considered that the child'sdescription matched that of the Queen of Heaven. They immediately discounted this as apossibility; Bernadette was not worthy of such a grace. And the Mother of God wouldsurely not appear in such a lowly place as the Grotto of Massabieille. W as it perhaps asouls from Purgatory? Or - most terrifying of all - was it the evil one? Why would She giveno name? What did this mean?

They sought the advice of the wise Aunt Bernarde.

"If the vision is of Heavenly nature," said Bernarde, "we have nothing to fear. If it is sometrickery of the devil, it is not possible that the Virgin should allow a child who trusts Herwith such innocence of heart to be deceived. Moreover, we ourselves have done wrong innot going to Massabieille with her to see what is really taking place there. This we must dobefore anything else and then we shall be able to form an opinion based upon the factsthemselves and decide upon a future line of action."


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And so, the next morning, Bernadette was accompanied to the Grotto by both her parentsand by her aunt, again leaving the house before dawn. Despite the precautions they took toremain unseen, some neighbors did see the small group - and began to follow. Eight peoplearrived at the Grotto along with the Soubirous.

Bernadette knelt and began her Rosary. All present noted how impressively this was made.Moments later her plain face was transfigured and illuminated; she no longer belonged tothe world.

Louise had already heard how Bernadette's countenance was changed in the presence ofthe Lady - but still she found the change hard to believe.

The ecstasy lasted thirty minutes, after which Bernadette rubbed her eyes and appeared asone waking from a sleep. She remained happy after the conclusion of the vision.

On the way home, Bernadette said that the Lady had expressed Her satisfaction at thechild's fidelity to her promise to return to the Grotto; She also said that later She wouldreveal secrets to the child.

Bernadette also related that during the vision, she had heard loud, quarreling voices, which

had seemed to rise up out of the river, telling her to escape. The Lady also heard thecommotion; She had simply raised Her eyes in the direction of the voices, which were thenseized with fear and began to disperse, finally fading away altogether.

No one paid much attention to this incidental detail at the time - only much later did theyrecall what Bernadette had told them that morning.

Fifth ApparitionSaturday 20 February 1858

By now the entire town of Lourdes knew what was reported to be happening at the Grottoof Massabieille; only a few people, however, had actually seen Bernadette in ecstasy beforethe vision in the niche. By the morning of the fifth apparition, the people presentnumbered several hundred, whereas previously there had been only a few dozen.

Accompanied by her mother Louise, Bernadette approached the Grotto at half past six inthe morning. She paid no attention to the crowds gathered there to witness what was tooccur. She knelt upon the small rock which served her as a prie-dieux, which had becomeher usual place, and which was always left for her, no matter how many were present. Shebegan her Rosary.

Seconds later, the ecstasy began.

"I must be out of my mind, for I simply can't recognize my own daughter!", such was the


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grace and charm of Bernadette's every movement.

The crowd was straining for a glimpse of the little visionary. They shifted their eyes fromthe young girl to the niche which so captivated her gaze. They, however, could see nothingbut the moss at the base of the niche and the long trailing rose bush.

After the vision had ceased, Lousie questioned Berndatte about what had happened duringthe ecstasy. Bernadette said the Lady had very kindly taught her a prayer for her personaluse; She had taught this word by word until Bernadette remembered it all. Asked to repeatthe prayer, the girl said she did not think herself at liberty to do so, since the prayer hadbeen composed by the Lady with the seer's personal needs in mind. She appearedsomewhat embarrassed in relating this.

Until the day she died, Bernadette never related this personal prayer to any living soul,although she maintained that she prayed it every single day without fail.

Sixth Apparition

Sunday 21 February 1858On this day there occurred an indication of the purpose of the apparitions.

A cold wind was blowing that morning, as Bernadette arrived at the Grotto in the companyof her mother and her aunt. The crowds were greater than they had been so far. Notablyabsent were the members of the clergy.

In Lourdes there was an establishment called the Saint John's Club. Here, the local free-thinkers would gather and discuss issues of the day, often forming conclusions on events.Of course, one such issue was the events at Massabieille. The members of the club hadalready made a conclusion on this particular event; the occurrences were nothing morethan the product of a neurotic imagination in an unstable adolescent.

Of course, these men had not taken the time or trouble to witness the events first-hand.This situation was rectified the following morning. O ne of this circle, Dr. Dozous, haddecided to pay a visit to the Grotto.

Dr. Dozous was not an especially religious man; in fact, quite the opposite. He was a man

of science, which - he believed - held all the answers. W hat need was there for religion?After the events of that cold February morning, he changed his opinions somewhat; hechampioned the cause of Bernadette and of the Immaculate Conception, and wrote bookson the miracles he later encountered at the Grotto. He died a good death on 15th March1884, aged eighty-five.

He himself relates what took place that morning.


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"As soon as she had come before the grotto, Bernadette knelt down, took her Rosary out ofher pocket and began to pray. Her face underwent a perfect transformation, noticed by allwho were near her, and showed that she was in communication with the Apparition.Whilst she told her beads with her left hand, she held in her right hand a lighted candlewhich was frequently blown out by the strong draught which was blowing along the Gave;

but each time, she gave it to the person nearest her to have it re-re-lit.

"I was following with great attention all the movements of Bernadette, and I wished to knowwhat was the state of the circulation of the blood and of the respiration at this moment. Itook one of her arms and placed my fingers upon the radial artery; the pulse was tranquiland regular, the respiration easy, nothing indicated any nervous excitement in the younggirl.

"Bernadette, after I let her arm free, rose and advanced a little toward the Grotto. Soon Isaw her face, which until then had expressed the most perfect joy, grow sad; two tears fellfrom her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. This change occurring in her face during herstation surprised me. I asked her, when she had finished her prayers and the mysteriousBeing had disappeared, what had passed within her during this long station. She answered :

'The Lady, looking away from me for a moment, directed Her glance afar, above my head.

Then, looking down upon me again, for I had asked Her what had saddened H er, shereplied - 'Pray for the sinners'. I was very quickly reassured by the expression of goodnessand sweetness which I saw return to Her face, and immediately She disappeared.'

"In leaving this place, where her emotion had been so great, Bernadette retired as shealways did, in the most simple and modest attitude."

THE LADY DOES NOT APPEAR

After the last Apparition, Bernadette had been interrogated by Monsieur Jacomet, thePolice Commissioner; he had sought a retraction from the child, believing that she waslying in her account of visions and a mysterious Lady. He did not succeed. Other than anaccount of what she had already made known, the little one gave nothing more away.Jacomet tried to trick Bernadette into contradicting herself and her story - attempting tomix up the details of the story and get her to make a mistake. He did not succeed. Finally,he had sought a promise that she would never again return to the Grotto. At this point the

interrogation had been interrupted by the arrival of Francois Soubirous, Bernadette'sfather, and the interview was abruptly terminated. Jacomet had failed at every turn.Bernadette had retained her simplicity, humility, veracity and sweet nature throughout.

On Monday 22 February, 1858, the Soubirous parents ordered Bernadette to go straight toschool and to go nowhere near the Grotto; they had been terrified of the PoliceCommisioner. The child did as instructed. At lunchtime she returned home for a smallmeal and to collect a book.

She left the Cachot, but at the road to the Hospice (run by the Sister of Charity of Nevers)she was halted. "An invisible barrier prevented me from passing" she related later.


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She could not move forward along the road - she was able only to go in the oppositedirection, toward the Grotto. Then she felt again the interior call to the Grotto and allhesitation left her. Her course was set.

This scene was witnessed by some of the local gendarmes, stationed nearby - they couldnot understand why Bernadette appeared unable to move forward. But upon seeing herchange of direction, they guessed where she was headed. Taking another road, two of themcaught up with her and asked where she was off to. She replied simply, "I am going to theGrotto". They said nothing more, but followed her in silence until she reached herdestination.

A local woman by the name of Mademoiselle Estrade, had been walking that day and hadgone to see the now-famous Grotto. She gives the account of this days events, which sheherself witnessed:

"My companions and I noticed a number of people collecting at a spot where the path bythe fort joins the forest road. All were looking down the river and soon a cry of satisfactionwas uttered by the group - 'There she is! She is coming!'.

"We asked who was expected and they told us it was Bernadette. The child was comingalong the path; beside her were two gendarmes and behind them a crowd of children. Itwas then that I saw for the first time the face of Mary's little protg. The seer was calm,serene and unpretending. She passed in front of us as tranquilly as if she had been alone.

"My companions and I arrived at the Grotto. Bernadette was on her knees and thegendarmes were standing a little way off. They did not disturb the child during her prayer,which was long. When she rose, they questioned her and she told them she had seen

nothing. The crowd dispersed and Bernadette went away also.

"We heard that the seer had gone into the Savy mill and wishing to see her, we went to themill to find her. She was sitting on a seat and a woman was beside her; I learnt that thiswoman was the mother. I asked the woman if she knew the child. She replied, 'Ah,Mademoiselle, I am her unhappy mother!'. I asked why she called herself unhappy. 'If youonly knew, Mademoiselle, what we suffer! Some laugh at us, others say our daughter ismad. Some even say that we are receiving money for this!'.

"I asked what she herself thought of the girl and she said - 'I assure you, Mademoiselle, thatmy child is truthful and honest and incapable of deceiving me. Of that I am certain. People

say she is mad. It is true that she suffers from asthma but apart from that she is not ill. W eforbade her to return to the Grotto; in anything else I am sure she would have obeyed us,but in this matter - well, you see how she escapes our control. She was just telling me thatan invisible barrier prevented her from going to school and that an irresistible forcedragged her in spite of herself to Massabieille.' "


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Seventh Apparition

Tuesday 23 February 1858Mademoiselle Estrade was determined that her brother, Jean Baptiste, should also see whatwas happening at Massabieille. Monsieur Estrade was a writer.

That evening at supper, she told him of her desire to witness the child in ecstasy, but saidthat since it was not fitting for a lady to walk alone on such a road, would he be kindenough to accompany her? He replied that he would not be so kind.

Later that evening, Monsieur Estrade paid a visit to his friend, Abbe Peyramale, the parishPriest. During their conversation, the subject of Mademoiselle Estrades request came up;the priest replied that going to the Grotto could do no harm, and that had he not been a

member of the clergy he would have been there already. Monsieur Peyramale also believedthat the visions were nothing more than the neurosis of a child who was unstable.

So the next morning, both Monsieur and Mademoiselle Estrade left home for the Grotto.He asked his sister had she remembered to bring her opera glasses. They arrived at thegrotto at six in the morning, just as dawn was beginning to light the sky. He later estimatedthat some two hundred people were already present, even before Bernadette appeared.

The child appeared a few minutes later - soon she was in prayer before the niche. Close toher stood Monsieur Estrade - he had made a point of getting as close as possible, using hiselbows to achieve this goal.

With no sign of awkwardness or self-consciousness, the child took the Rosary from herpocket and crossed herself in her usual profound manner; Monsieur later commented thatif the sign of the Cross is made in Heaven, it must be as Bernadette made it that morning.

All the while she was praying she kept on looking up into the niche, like one who waswaiting. Suddenly, her whole appearance was once more transformed and she began tosmile. Estrade said she "was no longer Bernadette; she was one of those privileged beings,the face all glorious with the glory of Heaven, whom the Apostle of the great visions hasshown us in ecstasy before the throne of the Lamb".

All doubt removed, the men present removed their hats and fell to their knees. They were

in no doubt that the child did indeed see a heavenly Lady in the hollow of the rock.

Now the child appeared to be listening; she seemed grave and serious and wouldoccasionally bow low. At other moments she seemed to be asking questions. She appearedtransfused with joy whenever the Lady answered her. At points, the conversation wasinterrupted and the Rosary would continue, with the young child never for a momenttaking her eyes off the beautiful sight she beheld.


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The vision lasted for an hour. At its conclusion, Bernadette moved on her knees towardthe rose bush and there she kissed the earth. The radiance of her face slowly faded, beforeshe rose and left in the company of her mother.

Afterward, Bernadette was asked what the Lady had said on this occasion. She replied that

the Lady had entrusted her with three secrets, but that these concerned no-one but herself.She also said that she was allowed to reveal these three secrets to no-one, not even herconfessor; for many years afterward, people (including priests and bishops) tried their bestto make the seer give up her secrets.

But Bernadette carried them with her to the grave.

Eighth Apparition

Wednesday 24 February 1858By now the newspapers were taking notice of the events at the Grotto. The local paper, theLavedan, took a particular interest; unfortunately, its reports were neither accurate norfavorable. It promised to keep its readers informed of the "craze" concerning the "cataleptic"girl who had claimed to see "the Mother of the Angels".

Events at the Grotto were about to take a new turn. Until this point, the visions hadappeared to be more or less personal in nature; the prayer taught by the Lady and the threesecrets She had revealed all concerned Bernadette alone. Now, however, the universalnature of the Apparitions was about to become apparent.

There were "four hundred to five hundred" people at the Grotto that day, as reported tothe Lieutenant of Police by Constable Callet of the local gendarmarie.

Immediately upon her arrival, Bernadette commenced her Rosary as she always did.Before a decade had been completed, the ecstasy began; the child leaned forward and herface was lit with a heavenly smile and once more she began to reflect the grace of Shewhom she beheld. She smiled and - without lowering her eyes - made a number of gracefulbows.

After several minutes, the ecstasy was interrupted; Bernadette turned to face the crowdand, referring to the long trailing rose bush, asked, "Who has touched the briar?". The

bush had been shaken by a young girl who was trying to get as close as possible to thevisionary. The Lady had moved from the niche high in the rock, but had not disappeared;She had descended into the larger hollow at the base of the Grotto. Bernadette heardherself called and the ecstasy resumed, the child kneeling at the opening of the larger vault,within which the Vision was standing.

Again Bernadette listened to the words of the beautiful Lady. The child's face appeared sadand her arms fell to her side. There were tears upon her cheeks. She turned once more to


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face the crowd and three times she repeated, "Penitence...penitence...penitence!". This washeard distinctly by those standing close to her, who quickly spread the words they hadheard. Bernadette had given her first public message.

The seer returned once more to her former place and the vision continued, while the

entire crowd remained silent - struck by the sincerity on the face of the child.

One person, however, had not lost the power of speech; the Lourdes quarter-masterpushed his way toward the girl, and when he had reached her he asked - "What are youdoing, you little actress?".

Bernadette was not even aware of his presence, much less intimidated by it. His only

response was his own - "And to think that such follies can take place in the nineteenthcentury!".

Ninth Apparition

Thursday 25 February 1858The events of this day caused the on-lookers to re-assess what they believed aboutBernadette and her visions. At the time, what was happening was unclear - only later didthe true nature of that day's apparition become clearer. Afterward, the day would never beforgotten.

The narration of the scene is given by Mademoiselle Elfrida Lacrampe, whose parentsowned the Hotel des Pyrenees at that time, and who had the joy of being present as themarvelous events occurred. This morning, the vision began even before dawn.

"It was not yet light; we had a lantern to light us. Bernadette did not keep us waiting long",she recounts. Bernadette approached in the company of her aunt, walking rapidly towardher destination; as she came nearer, she called to the crowd, "Let me pass, let me pass!".

Mademoiselle Lacrampe continues -

"At this moment, when nearly all the sightseers had arrived, there were, I think, about fourhundred people in front of the Grotto and under the rocks near the Gave. Approachingher place, Bernadette raised her dress a little so as not to muddy it, then knelt down. I wasstanding on the right, up against the rock, almost beneath the niche where the Apparitionused to come.

"The child had not recited a decade of her beads when all of a sudden she set off on herknees and began to clamber in this way up the slope that led to the interior of the Grotto.


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She passed in front of me, a short distance away. On reaching the entrance to the vault, shegently - and without pausing - pushed aside the branches that hung down from the rock.From there she went on towards the back of the Grotto. The crowd was pressing closebehind her.

"When she reached the back of the Grotto, Bernadette turned about and came back, stillon her knees, down the same slope. I witnessed there a tour de force and I ought to havemarveled more at the ease and dignity of this child's movements in such a posture and ondeeply sloping ground that was very uneven and strewn with stones which jutted out sharplyhere and there. At the time I saw nothing in Bernadettes movements, apart from the tourde force, but a ridiculous wriggle, for it seemed to me purposeless."

Mademoiselle Lacrampe lost sight of the child at this moment, being surrounded by thepressing crowd. But Aunt Bernarde was more fortunate,

"Everyone was astonished. Finding nothing, the child turned off towards the river" shestated.

But despite seeing the events occurring before them, those close by were unable to explainthem. Only Bernadette could supply this. And she was soon required to do so.

It is important to state here that until that moment, there had been NO water in the Grottoother than a little stagnant water, probably collected rainwater. Just at this moment,Bernadette went towards the wild rose bush, pushed it aside and kissed the rock, then fellonce more into ecstasy. She got up and seemed embarrassed - she walked toward the RiverGave, then stopped and looked back, like one who has been called, and went in a differentdirection, into the opening at the base of the rock, on the left hand side. Looking oncemore towards the niche, she appeared puzzled. She then began to dig with her hands.

Muddy water surfaced which she scooped up and three times threw away. She drank thefourth scoop. Later, in the convent, she joked to the Sisters that three times she threw thewater away before drinking - and that this was why Our Blessed Lady made her ask threetimes for Her Name, before revealing Her identity!!

When the on-lookers saw her mud-covered face they thought she was insane and laughedat her. Unaware of all this, Bernadette continued in her ecstasy until 7:00am, long after thesight-seers had departed.

Leaving the Grotto, a neighbor asked Bernadette to explain what had occurred. Shereplied:

Whilst I was in prayer, the Lady said to me in a serious but friendly voice - 'Go, drink andwash in the fountain'. As I did not know where this fountain was, and as I did not think thematter important, I went towards the Gave. The Lady called me back and signed to mewith Her finger to go under the Grotto to the left; I obeyed but I did not see any water. Notknowing where to get it from, I scratched the earth and the water came. I let it get a littleclear of the mud then I drank and washed."


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Seeing what was happening - but not understanding - the crowd wondered if Bernadettewas mad after all. Why had she smeared her angelic little face with muddy water? Whatcould it mean? Horrified, they watched in silence. Their distress was increased as theywatched the child eat some wild herbs growing at the foot of the rock.

Unknown to the crowd, the Lady had pointed once more to the floor of the Grotto andtold her little one - "Go, eat of the herbs you will find there". She then made her impressiveSign of the Cross once more, before coming away from the vault, kneeling once more andwatching as the vision faded.

Quickly, Aunt Bernarde took hold of the child and ushered her away from the Grotto,fearful of the crowd who were calling out to the child that she was insane. No one had

bothered to examine the hole where the child had been digging; all were too concernedonly with their reputations - after all, it would be embarrassing to have to admit to beingfooled by this imbecile girl.

Later that afternoon, on the spot where Bernadette had knelt digging, the trickle hadbecome a ribbon of water which was hollowing out its own channel in the topsoil.

A twenty-year debate followed about the origin of this spring, until finally the Abbe

Richard, a famous hydro-geologist at the time, declared after a long and careful study, thatthe spring was miraculous in its discovery and in its effects, although not in its existence.

Later studies concluded that the rock itself is the source of the water, perfectly pure otherthan minimal deposits of salts, and that it contains NO therapeutic ingredients.

On 6 May 1858, a chemist by the name of Latour issued a statement on the water -

"The water .. is very limpid, inodorous and without any strong taste; .. it contains thefollowing ingredients - chlorides of soda, lime and magnesia, bicarbonates of lime andmagnesia, silicates of lime and aluminum, oxide of iron, sulphate of soda, phosphate,organic matter.."

He speculated that at some point a 'curative element' would be found in the water, but thisnever happened. A further analysis, by Monsieur Filhol, of the T oulouse Faculty ofSciences (in August 1858) declared -

"The extraordinary results which I am informed have been obtained by the use of this watercannot, at least in the present condition of scientific knowledge, be explained by the nature

of the salts whose existence is revealed by analysis".

Analyses since that date have reached similar conclusions. And yet still the water from thisspring flows - in itself not miraculous, not therapeutic. But countless miracles have resultedfrom its use since that happy day.

Friday 26 February 1858 - A Second T ime, TH E LADY DOES NOT APPEAR


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On the following morning, Friday 26th February 1858, Bernadette went to the Grotto asusual. Doctor Dozous, who watched the child that morning, said that she knelt and prayedher Rosary for "a long time" that morning, but at the end of her prayers she was sad anddistressed. The Lady had not appeared.

By that day, however, Bernadette was once more in favor with the crowd at Massabieille -their insults and laughter were forgotten, washed away by the flowing waters of the springwhich Bernadette had said was there, having been told so by her Lady.

T enth App aritionSaturday 27 February 1858

The Lourdes clergy were discussing the visions at Massabieille. Abbe Peyramale had always

maintained a public silence on the subject. This morning, he gathered together his threecurates to give them his opinion. The speech given to them by the Abbe Peyramale wasrelated on several occasions to Monsieur Jean Baptiste Estrade, who retells it here -

You have heard the reports which are going about respecting certain appearances whichare supposed to have taken place in a Grotto near the Gave. I dont know how much istruth and how much is fancy in the current legend, but it is our duty as Priests to maintainthe greatest reserve in matters of this nature. If the appearances are genuine and of a divinecharacter, God will let us know it in his own time. If they are illusions or caused by thespirit of lies, God has no need of our intervention to reveal the falsehood.

It would therefore be rash of us to show ourselves at present at the Grotto. If the visionsare recognized as genuine later on, we shall certainly be accused of bringing about thisrecognition by our own machinations. If they are subsequently rejected as withoutfoundation, we shall be ridiculed for what will be called our disappointment. So we mustnot take any unconsidered step or speak any rash word; the interests of religion and of ourown dignity are concerned. The present circumstances demand of us the greatestcircumspection.

Such was the outlook of the Lourdes Clergy at the time of the Apparitions.

On the morning of Saturday 27th February, Bernadette was once again at her belovedGrotto, undaunted by the non-appearance of the Lady the day before. After all, the Ladyhad simply asked Bernadette to come daily for fifteen days She had not promised toappear on each of those days.

She was not disappointed today the Lady was there in the niche. Throughout the visionthe child held her blessed candle in her hand as she prayed and listened. On severaloccasions she bowed low, touching the earth, sometimes smiling and sometimes weeping.She also approached the foot of the rock, kissing the ground on the way. This had beendone in deference to the command of the Lady Go, and kiss the ground in penance for


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sinners.

As the vision approached its end, the Lady seemed to be lost in Her thoughts for a fewmoments. Bernadette patiently waited. Finally, the Lady smiled on her once more, thengave her a new command -

Go and tell the Priests to have a Chapel built here.

Leaving her state of ecstasy, the child moved toward the spring there she drank some ofthe water. Leaving the Grotto, Bernadette informed her Aunt Bernarde of what the Ladyhad said.

ABBE PEYRAMALE

Though he is so good, I am more frightened of him than of a policeman! said Bernadetteto Monsieur Estrade. But despite her fear, the child headed straight for the presbyteryimmediately on leaving the Grotto. The Priest was praying the Divine Office in the gardenas Bernadette approached. The following conversation was related by Monsieur Estrade.

The Priest knew the name of the child involved in the apparitions at the Grotto, but he did

not recognize the child standing before him. In Catechism class he had only caught aglimpse of her. He asked her name.

On being told her name, he replied Oh, its you, is it?

His reception was cold and austere, his appearance rugged and stern. The child wasterrified of him. Appearances, however, are often deceptive; such was the case with thisPriest, who in reality (after the initial contact) was warm and welcoming, a loyal supporter

of those in need of any kind, a true shepherd of his flock.

Later, this is how Bernadette would find him.

Leaving the garden, Peyramale went into the house. Bernadette followed, stopping on thethreshold. Peyramale asked what it was she wanted.

With her exquisite charm and simplicity, the girl replied -

The Lady of the Grotto has ordered me to tell the Priests that She wishes a Chapel to bebuilt at Massabieille and that is why I have come.

The Priest remained unmoved. Who is this Lady of whom you speak?

She is a very beautiful Lady who appeared to me on the Massabieille rock.

Still Abbe Peyramale gave away nothing of his feelings.

But who is She? Is She from Lourdes? Do you know Her?


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Bernadette replied that she did not.

And yet you undertake to carry messages like the one you have just given me, from aperson who you do not know? he enquired coldly.

Oh but Monsieur, the Lady who sends me is not like other ladies.

Asked to explain, she continued -

I mean that She is as beautiful as they are in Heaven, I would think.

By now, the Priest was finding it difficult to control his emotion, touched by the obvioussincerity of the girl standing before him.

He asked if Bernadette had never enquired of the Lady Her name.

Yes, but when I ask Her She bows Her head slightly, smiles and gives me no answer.

Peyramale asked if the Lady was, then, dumb.

No, because She talks to me every day. If She were dumb, She would not have been ableto tell me to come to you.

Peyramale asked Bernadette to describe the events which had taken place so far. Hepointed to a chair and she sat. He sat opposite her and listened.

Within a few minutes, the Priest lost all his doubts, although he declined to make the child

aware of this fact.

You imagine that a Lady who has no name, who takes up Her abode on a rock and hasbare feet, deserves to be taken seriously? My child, there is one thing I do fear and that isthat you are the victim of an illusion.

Bernadette hung her head but did not reply. Then the Priest spoke once more.

Tell the Lady who has sent you that the parish priest of Lourdes is not in the habit ofdealing with people whom he does not know. Say that before anything else, he demands toknow Her name and that moreover She must prove that this name belongs to Her. If

this Lady has the right to a Chapel She will understand the meaning of my words to you; ifShe does not understand, tell Her that She need not trouble to send me any moremessages.

Bernadette rose, curtsied and left.


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Eleventh ApparitionSunday 28 February 1858

Bernadette arrived at the Grotto just before seven o'clock, together with her Aunt Lucille.

In one hand she carried her ever-present Rosary, in the other, her blessed candle.

Monsieur Estrade estimated there to be approximately two thousand on-lookers at theGrotto that morning. The crowd was densely packed, so that during the vision, it proveddifficult for Bernadette to move while performing her normal penances at the command ofthe Lady. Before she could move under the niche on her knees, the gendarmes presenthad to push back the crowd a little. This was by no means easy.

Several times the little one moved forward to the rock and back again, each time on herknees, each time kissing the ground at intervals. Her face and lips were mud-stained. Buttoday no-one laughed at her.

The messages she received were of a personal nature and were not related to theassembled people. Her privacy in such instances was respected.

The large numbers present had caused the ground to become muddy and down-trodden.Only a few of the wild plants remained untrodden. Also, the constant coming and goinghad caused the water from the spring to run in several little streams towards the Gave. Onthis day, local workmen decided to dig a trough in which the water could collect.

After the vision, Bernadette and Lucille left the Grotto and went directly to Mass in theparish Church.

T welfth ApparitionMonday 1 March 1858

From the beginning of the Apparitions in the Grotto of Massabieille, the popular press -and many individuals, most notably the 'free-thinkers'- had done all possible to put an end

to these curious events; when this had failed and it was clear that they were powerless tostop what was happening, they resorted to the fall-back plan - to misrepresent, distort and

discredit the occurrences.

This was clearly seen in the lies being told about Bernadette in the papers - she wasdescribed as mad, a neurotic, a cataleptic, an epileptic, a psychotic, a fraud, a devious littleliar, a fool who was manipulated by others... the list was nearly endless.

Particular events at the Grotto were also played upon and misrepresented, taken out ofcontext in an attempt to give them meanings which they did not possess. During the


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Twelfth Apparition such an event occurred. And as before, it was only after the event wasexplained by Bernadette herself that it made sense and cleared away the misrepresentationssurrounding it.

Many people believed in the Apparitions, further, they were also certain of Who was

appearing; they felt sure it was none other then the Blessed Virgin Mary, althoughBernadette herself had never made this claim. Instead, the child had always spoken of 'theLady' (un damizelo) who appeared, but who, so far, had declined to name Herself. But,believing that Bernadette was indeed in communication with the Queen of Heaven, thefollowers often made attempts of one sort or another to obtain souvenirs of the Apparitionsand of Bernadette herself.

Monday 1st March saw at least 1300 people at the Grotto - as Jacomet the policecommissioner stated in a report he sent the next day. But this number was based solely onthose counted by the gendarmes returning to the town after the Apparition; it did notinclude those who left in other directions and did not pass through Lourdes. That day, oneof those present was a priest from nearby Omex; the priest, Abbe Dezirat, had been onlyrecently ordained. He was the first cleric to visit Massabieille during the Apparitions. Hedescribed what happened after Bernadettes arrival at 7:00am in the company of both of herparents -

"From the moment she arrived, I watched her closely. Her face was calm, her lookunassuming, her walk most natural, neither slow nor hurried. No sign of exaltation, not atrace of disease.

"The crowd on the road pressed close behind the child to get to the scene of theApparition. Once there, I did as the rest. When we arrived in front of the Grotto, someonesaid - 'Let the priest through!'. These words, though spoken softly, were easily heard, for

there was deep silence over everything. They made way for me and advancing a few paces Iwas quite close to Bernadette, a yard away, not more.

"Between the moment when I got near to the child and the moment when the vision began,there was scarcely time to recite a decade.

"By her posture and by the expression on her face, it was evident that her soul wasenraptured. What profound peace! What serenity! What lofty contemplation! Her smile

was beyond all description. The child's gaze, fixed on the Apparition, was no lesscaptivating. Impossible to imagine anything so pure, so sweet, so loving.

"I had watched Bernadette with scrupulous care while she was making her way to theGrotto. What a difference between what she was then and what she was as I saw her at themoment of the Apparition. It was like the difference between matter and spirit... I felt I wason the threshold of Paradise."

Here, Monsieur Jean Baptiste Estrade, present throughout the Apparition, takes up thestory - but it is also here that the misunderstanding of the day occurred.


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"I witnessed that day a great display of religious enthusiasm. Bernadette had just returnedfrom her place under the spur of the rock. Kneeling down again, she took her beads asusual from her pocket, but as soon as she lifted her eyes again to the privileged bush, herface became sad. She held up her beads with surprise as high as her little arm would allowthere was a moments pause, then suddenly went the beads back into her pocket. Instantly,

she displayed another pair which she waved and held up as high as the first. The look ofanguish vanished from her face. She bowed, smiled once more and recommenced herprayer.

"With a spontaneous movement, everyone took out their Rosaries and waved them. Thenthey shouted 'Vive Marie' and went down on their knees and prayed with tears in their eyes.The opponents of religion spread the rumor that Bernadette had that day blessed the

Rosaries".

One Paris newspaper printed the following article a few days later -

"That little actress, the millers daughter at Lourdes, collected round her again on themorning of the 1st of March, beneath the Massabieille rock, nearly two thousand fivehundred boobies. It is impossible to describe the idiocy and moral degeneration of thesepersons. The visionary treats them like a troop of monkeys and makes them commit

absurdities of every kind. This morning, the pythoness was not inclined to play the seer,and to make a little variety in the exercises, she thought the best thing was to play thepriestess. Assuming a grand air of authority, she ordered the fools to present their Rosariesand then blessed them all."

Since the day following the discovery of the Spring, the crowd had often imitatedBernadettes actions at the Grotto, such as kissing the ground in penance; today was nodifferent, although the crowd had misinterpreted what had happened.

If Bernadette had not blessed the Rosaries, then what had been the meaning of the strangeevent which had just occurred? Later that day a priest asked the child this same question;only after her explanation was the odd happening demystified.

Bernadette explained that while on her way to the Grotto earlier that morning, a ladynamed Pauline Sans (who was the Lourdes seamstress) had spoken to her; she had desiredto have a memento of the Apparitions and so had asked the child if she would be kind

enough to use her (Madame Sans') Rosary that morning while the Blessed Virgin waspraying with her. Bernadette had agreed to this proposal.

As Bernadette was about to make the sign of the Cross, she took the Rosary from herpocket but was not able to lift her hand to her forehead. The Lady asked Bernadette whereher own Rosary was - here, the child lifted the Rosary high in the air for the Lady to see.But the Lady saw only too well "You are wrong" She told Bernadette, "this Rosary is notyours".

Realizing she had Madame Sans' Rosary in her hand, she put it back into her pocket andretrieved her own Rosary of black wood beads on a knotted cord, bought previously by her


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mother. Again she lifted the beads.

"Use those", said the Lady sweetly, smiling at the child, and Bernadette was able to beginher prayers.

The priest who asked the child to explain said to Bernadette "Is it true that you blessedRosaries at the Grotto today?".

Bernadette smiled. "Oh but Monsieur, women do not wear the stole!"

Thirteenth Apparition

Tuesday 2 March 1858The thirteenth Apparition took place following the normal pattern, Bernadette arrived atthe Grotto early in the morning, prayed the Rosary in the company of the Lady whoremained silent except for the Glorias, then made her usual devotions and acts of penance.

After the vision, the child arose and appeared tremulous. She had been accompanied byboth aunts Basille and Lucile. Wondering what the Lady had said to make the childappear so anxious, Basille asked Bernadette what had happened. She replied -

Oh I really am in great difficulty! The Lady has ordered me to tell the priest that Shewishes a Chapel at Massabieille and I am nervous about having to go to the Presbytery. Ifonly you knew how grateful I should be if you would accompany me!

They left immediately to go and tell Abbe Peyramale of the Ladys request.

Upon arriving at the presbytery, the priest enquired -

Well, what have you come to tell me? Has the Lady spoken to you?. Bernadettes anxietyincreased.

Yes, monsieur le cure. She has ordered me to tell you again that She wishes to have achapel at Massabieille.

Peyramale in his reply to the child left her in no doubt what the priest thought ofherself, of the Lady of the rock, of the messages being relayed to him, and (above all) at theinconvenience of the interruption she was causing to his normally quiet and routine life.

It is high time for me to get out of the imbroglio in which the Lady and you seek toentangle me. Tell Her that with the priest of Lourdes She must speak clearly and concisely.


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She wants a chapel. What right has She to these honors which She claims? Who is She?Where does She come from? W hat has She done to deserve our homage? Dont let usbeat about the bush if your Lady is She whom you suggest, I will show Her a means ofobtaining recognition and giving authority to Her messages. You tell me She stationsHerself in a niche, above a wild rose bush. Well, ask Her from me to make the rose bush

burst into flower suddenly in the presence of the assembled multitude. The morning whenyou come to tell me that this prodigy has occurred, I will believe your word and I willpromise to go with you to Massabieille!.

The tone and volume of his reply terrified the poor child so much that she forget thesecond part of the message and left without having passed it on to the man shouting at her.

Afterwards, she realized her error. She asked her aunt to accompany her once more to thepriests house, but met with a definite no. She then asked both her parents but theywere more terrified of Peyramale than even Bernadette was. Later in the afternoon, thechild spoke to one of her neighbor, a lady called Dominiquette Cazenave. She explainedher predicament to this lady, who was more helpful than those she had alreadyapproached.

Madame Cazenave went to the presbytery in the late afternoon to arrange another meeting.

She accomplished her task and the meeting was set for seven that evening.

At the appointed time, Bernadette and her neighbor found themselves in the priestscompany.

The child spoke -

The Lady has ordered me to tell you that She wishes to have a chapel at Massabieille and

now She adds I wish people to come here in procession.

My girl replied Peyramale, this is a fitting climax to all your stories! Either you are lyingor the Lady who speaks to you is only the counterfeit of Her whom She pretends to be.Why does She want a procession? Doubtless to make unbelievers laugh and to turnreligion into ridicule. The trap is not very cleverly laid! You can tell Her from me that Sheknows very little about the responsibilities and powers of the clergy of Lourdes. If She werereally the One whom She pretends to be, She would know that I am not qualified to take

the initiative in such a matter. It is to the Bishop of Tarbes, not to me, that She ought tohave sent you!

Bernadette spoke again. But sir, the Lady did not tell me that She wanted a procession tocome to the Grotto immediately She only said, I wish people to come here inprocession. And if I understand Her rightly, She was speaking of the future and not of thepresent.

Well do better than that we shall give you a torch and you shall have a procession all toyourself. You have many followers you have no need of priests! retorted Peyramale.


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But monsieur le cure, I never say anything to anyone. I dont ask them to come with meto the Grotto.

Peyramale was silent for a moment to collect his thoughts. A moment was all he needed.

Ask the Lady Her name once more. When we know Her name, then She shall have achapel and I promise you, it wont be a little one either!

Bernadette left the house. Now she smiled despite her fear of the priest, she had carriedout the task given to her by the Lady. She had given Abbe Peyramale the full message.Now it was up to him.

Fourteenth ApparitionWednesday 3 March 1858

That morning there were around three thousand people present when Bernadette arrivedat the Grotto at seven in the morning, accompanied by her mother. The child knelt andbegan her prayers as usual. But her face - although sweet - did not take on the radiance ofother mornings. The Lady had not appeared.

One onlooker, Monsieur Clarens of Lourdes, wrote to the Prefect of Police at Tarbes twodays later -

"The vision failed the little girl and this seemed to cause her deep distress. It is important tonote this point, for it might not perhaps seem to favor the hypothesis of an hallucination".

The point of that statement was perfectly clear to many people present that day. Amongstthem was the relative who allowed the Soubirous family to live rent-free in the Cachot,Andre Sajous.

Seeing the child's bitter sadness (she believed the Lady had not appeared because she hadfailed in her first visit to the priest the preceding day), he offered to go back to the Grottowith her. Her face lit up and she agreed. An hour and a half later (at nine in the morning)they were in front of the rock.

It was quieter there at that time, with only a few believers present. The remainder haddeparted once Bernadette had left earlier.

The Apparition took place in the same manner as before, with the Lady and her protgjoined in prayer.

After the Apparition, Bernadette went once more to see Abbe Peyramale. The Lady hadasked once more about a Chapel. But this time the priest was a little less gruff in hisapproach, asking what was the purpose of the visit. The young girl replied that she had told


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the Lady about the priest's request of the previous day -

"She smiled when I told Her that you were asking Her to work a miracle. I told Her tomake the rose bush, which She was standing near, bloom; She smiled once more. But Shewants the Chapel".

Asking if Bernadette had money with which to build a chapel, the girl replied that she didnot.

"No more have I! Ask the Lady to give you some!" responded the priest.

Later that day, more relatives of Bernadette arrived; the next day was the last day of the

fifteen days and perhaps some great miracle would occur. Her cousin, Jeanne MarieVedere, said to the child -

"I hear you did not see your Lady this morning", to which Bernadette replied -

"But I did see H er during the day! Jeanne Marie asked her cousin why it had taken twovisits to the Grotto before the Lady arrived; Bernadette said she had asked the Lady thesame question and had received the following reply from Her lips -

"You did not see me this morning because there were some people there who wanted tosee what you looked like in My presence - they were not worthy of this honor; they spentthe night at the Grotto and they dishonored it".

Fifteenth ApparitionThursday 4 March 1858

The whole of France was aware that Thursday 4th March was to be the last of the fifteendays during which Bernadette Soubirous had promised the mysterious Lady that she wouldbe present at the Grotto of Massabieille.

What would happen today?

If the visions were a fraud, would all this nonsense cease? If real, would the Lady perform agreat miracle to prove Her existence and presence? Who was the Lady? A soul fromPurgatory? The Blessed Virgin Mary? The evil one in disguise? Perhaps today all wouldbecome clear.

Since early the previous evening, pilgrims had been arriving from all over France. They hadtraveled by horse, in carriages and on foot. Throughout the night torches had remainedalight in front of the Grotto. Hymns were sung to the Queen of Heaven - surely this was themysterious Lady of the visions? By morning, there were twenty thousand pilgrims in andaround the Grotto of Massabieille.


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Also present were a large number of gendarmes. Jacomet had felt the need for a strongpolice presence to prevent any of the trouble which always follows a large crowd.Consequently, he had called in extra police from the Garrison, all of whom were armed.

The night before, Jacomet - together with two colleagues - had undertaken a minute searchof the Grotto, the niche and the entire rock of Massabieille. The niche was empty - noperson, lamp, or any suspicious item was found within it. The same was true of the largevault beneath the niche - the only items found were a few coins, a small bouquet of flowersand a Rosary.

In the early hours of the morning, the search was repeated. Again, nothing suspicious was

found.

Bernadette was present in the parish church for early morning Mass at six o'clock. Aftercommunion, she felt herself impelled to go to the Grotto - she left immediately. Her cousin- who had accompanied her to the Mass - ran after her once she noticed the little one hadslipped quietly out of the Church, somewhat irritated at not having been told of thedeparture. Bernadette said she had not thought to tell her.

She arrived at the Grotto shortly after seven o'clock. The gendarmes cut a path through thecrowd so that the child could reach the Grotto which had been the scene of so manymarvels.

Bernadettes cousin, Jeanne Vedere, relates what happened -

"Holding a candle in one hand and her Rosary in the other, Bernadette recited her beadswithout a pause as far as the third Hail Mary of the second decade, her eyes fixed all the

time on the niche and the rose bush. At that moment, a marvelous change came over herface and everyone cried out - 'Now she can see H er!' and they fell to their knees. Iexperienced at that moment such intense feelings of joy and happiness as I could neverexpress; I felt the presence of a supernatural Being, but though I looked hard, I could seenothing."

Jeanne relates that the Rosary was prayed three times in succession that morning. At theend of her Rosary, Bernadette tried to make the Sign of the Cross. But once more, she was

unable to lift her hand to her forehead despite three attempts. She later explained that shehad finished her prayers before the Lady had finished Hers, and it was only once the Ladymade the Sign of the Cross that the child could do the same.

The vision continued after the Rosary was finished. Not once did Bernadettes eyes movefrom the object of her delightful gaze. Jeanne Vedere counted eighteen smiles on thechilds face during the vision. At one moment, Bernadette got up and walked forward intothe vault at the base of the rock; Jeanne followed her. Later Bernadette said that at thispoint, the Lady had been so close that Jeanne could have put out her hand and touchedHer. Bernadette went back to her usual place, but later went right into the vault once againand resumed the conversation.


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Throughout the vision, Jacomet was always close by, scrutinizing the child and taking notesin his little book. Of all those present, he alone stood throughout the Apparition, writingfuriously.

This was to be the longest of all the visions, lasting more than an hour. At the end,Bernadette quietly finished her prayers and left the Grotto. People close by, as she wasleaving the Grotto, asked the child how the vision had concluded. Bernadette said

"Just as usual. She smiled when She departed but She did not say goodbye to me".

"Now that the fortnight is up, you will not come again to the Grotto?" she was asked.

"Oh yes, I shall", replied the child. "I shall keep on coming, but I don't know if the Lady willappear again".

Sixteenth ApparitionThursday 25 March 1858

For the next twenty one days, Bernadette did not go to the Grotto in the early morning asshe had been doing until then - she had not felt the call within herself which was hersummons. But surely the matter had not reached a satisfactory conclusion - after all, theLady had still not identified Herself, despite the child's repeated requests.

However, the child did go to the Grotto - but alone. She would go in the late afternoon andspend long hours in prayer and contemplation. But unlike the days of the visions,Bernadette would not kneel in her usual place; instead, she would go deep into the largerock vault at the base of the Grotto. There, cloaked in the gloom of the place, she wouldpour out her soul to the Lady of the Apparitions - whom she saw with the eyes of her soul,if not her body. By this time, some pious people in Lourdes had set up a small altarbeneath the niche - upon an old table; they had placed a small statue of the Blessed Virgin,surrounded with flowers and candles. In fact, candles burned all over the Grotto.Whenever people were gathered at the place, they would begin to sing hymns to theQueen of Heaven. Nearly all of the pilgrims there would leave a small monetary donation,which would later be used to carry out the requests of the Lady. Strangely, none of thismoney was ever stolen - although it was left there with no-one to watch over it.

On the evening on March 24th, Bernadette told her parents of the feeling she had that shewas being called to the Grotto once more by an interior impulse - she intended to returnthere in the morning. It had been a long time since the Lady had visited her - more thantwo weeks! How long that night was - try as she might, the child was unable to sleep. Assoon as the first light of dawn began to pierce the darkness of night, she rose and quicklydressed.


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There were a number of people present there at the Grotto already; it seemed they too feltthere may be a fresh occurrence that day. But why today, after the silence of two weeks?That was simple to answer - today was the feast of the Annunciation of the ArchangelGabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary - the day he saluted H er as 'Full of Grace'.So perhaps....

Bernadette arrived at the Grotto at five in the morning, with her blessed candle in herhand. Her parents were with her. Even before she reached the rock, she could see thewondrous light filling the niche, in which stood her beautiful Lady.

"She was there", saidBernadette, "tranquil and smiling and watching the crowd just as a fond mother watches her

children. When I knelt down before Her, I begged Her pardon for coming late. Still kindlytowards me, She made me a sign with Her head that I had no need to apologies. Then Itold Her of all my love and regard for Her and how happy I was to see Her again. Andafter pouring out my heart to Her I took up my beads".

At this moment, the Figure bathed in the heavenly light moved from the niche down intothe larger vault. Rising to her feet, Bernadette went into the vault to be closer to the Lady.She remained standing in front of Her and a conversation followed. Soon afterward, the

oval of light moved back up into the niche once more and prayers were resumed.

Bernadette herself describes the conversation and events which followed this moment -

"Whilst I was praying, the thought of asking Her name came to my mind with suchpersistence that I could think of nothing else. I feared to be presumptuous in repeating aquestion She had always refused to answer and yet something compelled me to speak. Atlast, under an irresistible impulsion, the words fell from my mouth and I begged the Lady

to tell me who She was.

"The Lady did as She had always done before; She bowed Her head and smiled but Shedid not reply.

"I cannot say why, but I felt myself bolder and asked Her again to graciously tell me Hername; however, She only smiled and bowed as before, still remaining silent.

"Then once more, for the third time, clasping my hands and confessing myself to beunworthy of the great favour I was asking of Her, I again made my request.

"The Lady was standing above the rose bush, in a position very similar to that shown on theMiraculous Medal. At my third request, Her face became very serious and She seemed tobow down in an attitude of humility. Then She joined Her hands and raised them to Herbreast. She looked up to Heaven.

"Then slowly opening Her hands and leaning towards me, She said to me in a voicevibrating with emotion


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'I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION' (Que Soy Era Immaculada Conceptiou)

"She smiled again, spoke no more, and disappeared smiling".

After the vision, Bernadette asked her aunt Lucille to allow her to keep the blessed candle

which she had used throughout the Apparitions. Lucile agreed. Having obtained thenecessary permission, Bernadette placed the candle between some of the rocks beneaththe niche, where it slowly burned itself out.

Lucile asked why Bernadette had wanted to do this. She replied -

"The Lady asked me if I would leave the candle to burn at the Grotto - as it was your

candle, I could not leave it there without your permission".

Leaving the Grotto, the child was laughing and smiling and quietly repeating some words toherself. Some neighbors from Lourdes came toward her and asked the cause of herhappiness and what it was that she was saying. The child replied -

"Oh, I'm repeating the name the Lady has just this moment given me, for fear that I mightforget it. She said to me, 'I am the Immaculate Conception."

The child was mispronouncing the word 'Conception' and had to be corrected.

From the Grotto, the little one went directly to the Presbytery - still smiling, still repeatingthe words which already were spreading so quickly throughout Lourdes.

She was still repeating them when she entered the garden of the Presbytery, where AbbePeyramale was praying his Office. He asked what she wanted today, but the child did not

hear his question.

"What's that you're saying, you conceited little thing!"

" 'I am the Immaculate Conception' it's the Lady who has just said these words to me!"

He asked if she knew what the words meant. She replied that she did not know theirmeaning.

"I see you are still being deceived. How can you say things you don't understand?" heasked.

"All the way from the Grotto I have been repeating the words 'I am the ImmaculateConception' for fear that I would forget them."

"Good!" added the Priest, "I shall consider what is to be done" and he entered the house,leaving the child and her aunt standing in the garden.

Later that day, the Priest admitted to a neighbor the effect of the child's words on him


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"I was so amazed by it that I felt myself stagger and I was on the verge of falling."

Seventeen th Apparition

Wednesday 7 April 1858The number of people traveling to the Grotto was steadily increasing, more so now that themysterious Lady had finally identified H erself as the Immaculate Conception. Until thistitle had been announced, Bernadette had always called the Woman the Lady thepeople at the Grotto had also followed this example set by the little one. But after the Feastof the Annunciation, they were able to personalize the name of the Lady there was nowno doubt about Her identity; She was Mary, the Mother of God. And subsequently, Shewas referred to as Our Lady of Massabieille or Our Lady of the Grotto.

On Easter Sunday, 4th April 1858, the parish church in Lourdes was filled with people allday long. And throughout the day, people flocked to the Grotto. Commissioner Jacometcounted in all, 3,625 visitors to the Grotto between five in the morning and eleven atnight.

The next day, Jacomet counted 3,433 strangers and 2,012 Lourdes people; in all 5,445visitors at the rock of Massabieille. Bernadette, however, had not been back to the Grottosince the day the Lady had named Herself.

On the Tuesday evening, 6th April, the child once more felt within herself the summonsfrom the Lady of the niche she was called to a further meeting.

It was the W ednesday of Easter week. At six in the morning, Bernadette was once morekneeling in prayer in front of her beloved Grotto, the place she would later call a littlepiece of Heaven. The Lady was standing in the niche, bathed in the light of Heaven.Again the vision was a long one, lasting nearly forty-five minutes. The child was praying theRosary as usual.

Doctor Dozous was present throughout the Apparition. He describes for us the scene as hewatched it take place -

Bernadette seemed to be even more absorbed than usual in the Appearance upon whichher gaze was riveted. I witnessed, as did also every one else there present, the fact which Iam about to narrate.

She was on her knees saying with fervent devotion the prayers of her Rosary which sheheld in her left hand while in her right was a large blessed candle, alight. The child was justbeginning to make the usual ascent on her knees when suddenly she stopped and, her righthand joining her left, the flame of the big candle passed between the fingers of the latter.Though fanned by a fairly strong breeze, the flame produced no effect upon the skin which


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it was touching.

Astonished at this strange fact, I forbade anyone there to interfere and taking my watchin my hand, I studied the phenomenon attentively for a quarter of an hour. At the end ofthis time Bernadette, still in her ecstasy, advanced to the upper part of the Grotto,

separating her hands. The flame thus ceased to touch her left hand.

Bernadette finished her prayer and the splendor of the transfiguration left her face. Sherose and was about to quit the Grotto when I asked her to show me her left hand. Iexamined it most carefully, but could not find the least trace of burning anywhere upon it. Ithen asked the person who was holding the candle to light it again and give it to me. I put itseveral times in succession under Bernadettes left hand but she drew it away quickly, saying

You are burning me!. I record this fact just as I have seen it without attempting to explainit. Many persons who were present at the time can confirm what I have said.

A neighbor called Julie Garros (who later joined Bernadette in the convent of Nevers asSister Vincent) also witnessed this. She relates -

As the Apparition continued, the candle gradually slipped down so that the flame wasplaying on the inside of her hand.

Bernadettes younger brother, Jean-Marie, recalled seeing this very clearly as it passedbetween her fingers. Another neighbor present, a boy called Bernard Joanas, rememberedthat while this was taking place, Doctor Dozous checked the childs pulse but could find noirregularity. And that when someone was about to remove the candle from her, the womanwas told by Doctor Dozous to Leave her alone. Bernadette, meanwhile, made nomovement, stated the boy, who later became a curate in Lourdes and the Chaplain of theLourdes Hospice run by the Sisters of Nevers.

Other witnesses later mentioned that this phenomenon also occurred earlier during theApparitions, sometime before the end of February. At those times, people shouted to takethe candle away from the child as it would burn her, although in fact she was not burned despite the long period of time during which her hand was in contact with the flame.

THE THREE MONTHS LEADING TO THE END OF TH E APPARITIONS

Toward the end of the Apparitions, the civil authorities had made all sort of attempts to putan end to the occurrences at the Grotto of Massabieille. A number of doctors andpsychiatrists had been called to examine her the child submitted to each and every

examination without question. The doctors concluded that while there still existed thepossibility that the visions were the result of some cerebral lesion, still they could notconclusively decide if this was the case. Other doctors were unwilling to discount thepossibility that what was occurring was the result of a supernatural manifestation.

The Bishop of Tarbes, Monseigneur Lawrence, was also following the unusual events inLourdes. As yet, he had not formally set up a Commission to investigate the allegedApparitions.


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Between the penultimate and the final Apparitions, the child was quite ill as a result ofher asthma she was sent to the mineral springs in Cauterets for recuperation (although thiswas not entirely effective).

Also, the Grotto itself had undergone some changes; workmen had widened the pathleading to the Grotto and had completed the stone troughs into which the waters of thespring were to be redirected and allowed to collect, so allowing pilgrims to bathe in thewater or to take it away in bottles.

Bernadette also made her First Holy Communion, on the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament Thursday 3rd June 1858. Also on that day, she was invested by Abbe Peyramale with the

Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel this scapular remained with her untildeath. Later, in the convent at Nevers, she would make her own scapulars as the needarose. Many of them can still be seen in the museum there.

That afternoon, Jean Baptiste Estrade and his sister were once again in the company of thechild. Monsieur Estrade asked her -

Tell me, Bernadette, which made you happier receiving Our Lord or conversing with

the Blessed Virgin?.

The child replied without hesitation I dont know. The two things go together andcannot be compared. All I know is that I was intensely happy in both cases.

That day, there were more than six thousand people in attendance at the Grotto, hopingfor some heavenly manifestation; they were not to be disappointed, despite the fact that novision occurred that day.

Among the people present, there were many who were sick and crippled. A laborer fromthe countryside had come together with his family, including a boy of six years who wassuffering from paralysis of the spine. Again Doctor Dozous was present at the scene andhe wrote later that he had taken quite an interest in the poor family with the paralyzedchild.

Since you have come he said to the father of the child, to obtain from the Blessed

Virgin a cure which you have asked for in vain from science, take your child, undress him,and place him under the taps of the spring. This was duly done and the child was partiallysubmerged in the cold water for a few minutes.

The little invalid continues the Doctor, after he had been well dried and his clothes putback on, was laid on the ground. But he immediately got up by himself and made his way walking with the greatest ease toward his father and mother, who smothered him withvigorous hugs, shedding tears of joy.

But there were also unhappy events. The civil authorities were trying their best to have theGrotto closed to the public, and use of the water disallowed until it had been properly


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checked once more.

Further and more worrying still they were plotting to have the child arrested andcommitted on her next visit to Massabieille. This sad state of affairs was only halted by theintervention of Abbe Peyramale who despite his lingering doubts about the visions

themselves was in no doubt about the innocence of the visionary. She might be deluded,but she was certainly no threat to the moral order of Lourdes or of France!

At this time, there were also a number of Satanic manifestations at the Grotto.

From the start of time, God had warned Satan that there would forever be enmity betweenhim and the Woman. Lourdes was to be no exception to this rule.

The Satanic manifestation had begun during the fourth Apparition, when Bernadette hadheard the cacophony of dark voices rising from the waters of the river, until silenced by theglance from the Virgin.

Now, toward, the end of the Visions, he would once more commence his assault. A younglady of Lourdes named Honorine, had been at the Grotto one day when she heard voicescoming from within the empty Grotto she said these voices produced a strange effect on

her senses. This was repeated the next day, when Honorine again heard sounds this time,savage howls and sounds like wild beasts in combat. The girl was terrified, and did notreturn to Massabieille for a number of weeks

Apparitions of St. Bernadette Soubirous

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