The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-09-17

] ccurate as a desctiption A wand Of en-
\ chantment has been waved over the vii
isge of LOurdes, over the swift current o
tho Gave, over the ouce neglected and SO
litary GrOtto of Ma7sHbielle. Cruwning the
lofty rock above the GrOttn, which ia now
recognized by tho whole Catholic world al
holy ground, and is beloved and revere
accordingly, is n majestic and beautifui Ca
thedral, the Gothic spires Of which point
to the Heaven, of which The hceEe around
s as the antelope. X'gzagged up the face
of the all but perpendicular hill, in the
symbolic form of an NJ placed borizontsly,
| ia the lovely Ave Maria walk by which the
! pilgrims can ascend from the GrOttO to the
Cathedral. The odour of sapctity seems to
render all the blooming plants and shrubs
there simply delicious. Trailing luxuri-
antly over the rocky front of the Grotto
itself is q world of exquisite verdure and
tfhorescence, outrageous ivy, the dog
rose, the eglantine, and the honeysucke.
Placed in q niche above the centre of the
natural span of the arched entrance of
the Grotto, exactly at the very spot where
the Apparition of eur Blessed Lady ap-
peared again and again to the wondering
eyes of the little peasant girl Bernadette,
stands the charming and maj estic statue of
the Immaculate Conception, which was
sOlemnly crowned by the Papal Nuncio on
the 3rd of July, in obedience to the direc
ton of the Sovereign Pontiff. Scutptured
III "Hlte HhTpIe, Tie UkuI6 ID
swathed down the front with the blue cinct-
nre, bears pendant from the right arm the
Rosary, has the delicate feet encircled and
half hidden with the blossoms of the wild
rose and the sweet briar.
From the roof of tt 9 Grotto beneath
more wonderful than any s.alactites-de-
pend, IN brlstling array, the crutches of
those who have been there miracuiously
cured. From the rocky interior of that ca
vernous recess in the hill eide pours forth,
in copious streams, the marvellous foun-
tain, which first sprang into existence at
the date of the ApparItion. The Cattle
dral, far above on the hills summit, at a
moderate calculation must have cost at
least & GOO, 900. 1t ia rich in marble, it
is glorious with stained glass, i is la ishly
decorated with gold embroidered banners.
Above in the body of the sacred edifice,
below in the crypts, it has no less than
thirty two affairs for the offering up of the
Adorable Sacrifice. But yesterday, as it
were, tn scene was perfectly wild. 1t has
seattle ed in profusion among the flowers
and verdure is how much sculpturesoue
and architectural magnitic ence! Yonder
in the midst of its beautiful garden, is the
Episcopal Palace. Scattered about on the
opposite side Of the Gave and facing the
GrOtto, convent after convent has sprung
into existence-one after another these
there AT Lourdes-Lhe Reparatrices of
Toulouse; the Clarisses, of Lyons the Be-
medicines, the Car-aelites, the Blue Nuns,
the Sisters of Nevers, the Little Sisters of
the Poor-a very guard of honor around
the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lpurdes, and
of the immaculate Conception. Winter and
summer, through the snow and among the
flowers, the Pilgrims throng to this newly
favored and sacred spot in Christendom
Princes and paupers, venerablo prelates
and little children, by hundreds and by
thousands, people of all classes and from all
countries are perpetually throngiBg into
are offering up their devotions in the noble
basilica above 1t. The Mother of Our Lord
has smil:d upon the place as she smiled
upon the little peasant girl whom eighteen
years ago she deigned to make her ennis
sary and Lourdes, tO-day, is TRANSPORTED
by the reflection of that smile, as eighteen
years ago was the face of the lowly Berna-
dette.