On February 11, 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, a 14-year-old girl in a poor family gathered wood with several friends for her family near a rock cave near Bernadette's home town of Lourdes, France. The place was known as a garbage pit and unfrequented except by the most destitute of the people of the town.
Perpetually sick because of the Soubirous family's terrible living conditions, Bernadette was frail and fell behind her friends who were more robust in physical stature and could run faster than she. While attempting to catch up to them, Bernadette saw in the grotto cave what she described as "a girl in white, no taller than I, and beautiful." Their dialogue did not reveal the apparition's identity until later, when after many visits between them, the mysterious young woman revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception.
Bernadette was uneducated and unfamiliar with this theological title; many people, including church leaders did not believe her. However, Bernadette's faith in her relationship with the Lady of Lourdes persisted; Bernadette endured many trials to see her. During one of the appearances, the Lady of Lourdes told Bernadette to dig for water in dry soil with her hands. The crowds who grew and came to watch Bernadette scorned her for her actions. However, the earth that Bernadette clawed unearthed a spring that still flows at the rate of 27,000 gallons of water daily.
In the years that followed the apparitions, millions of people continue to come to Lourdes to bathe in the spring and to pray for healing from a myriad of illness. Many cures have occurred since the first days of the apparitions.
Bernadette Soubirous died at the age of 35 and was declared a saint in 1944. The French and Canadians regard her as one of their legendary saints and celebrate her feast day on April 16. St. Bernadette is the patron saint of illness and the poor. A really lovely film, The Song of Bernadette reveals a poignant story worth watching.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.