The Irish standard., 1908-02-01
LOURDES' ORIGIN
Graphic Description Of Histor-
ical Facts.
Forty Thousand Pilgrims There
In One Day.

Hubert Larkin, in second letter
from Lourdes, under date Of December
81. continues his interesting narrative
in the Salt Lake Intermountain CATH
olic OF the miracles performed there
He says:
During the past SO years professions
of pilgrims in isolated bodies or in
vast multitudes have been moving, like
unto flowing river, to the shrine Of
Our Lady Of Lourdes in the Upper
Pyrenees. In November, 1872, in one
day forty thousand people came in pill
grimage to Lourdes. They came by
concerted arrangement from Paris,
Marsellles, Bordeaux. Nantes and other
towns in France. Now, there are many
stalwart Catholics, who do not believe
in the miraculous origin of the Lourdes
devotion, who are not in sympathy
with. and, to use the language of tho
market, take no stock" in these pil-
grimages.
Nor will it mend matters to use harsh
language toward these people; in es-
sentials they believe as firmly as
bench OF bishops, but they have driftcd
consciously or not, into Il mental con-
dition which is not receptive to visible
manifestations of the supernatural. or,
rather. perhaps, to the testimonies de-
claring these manifestations. They are
like those who do not believe in ap-
partitions Of the dead because they have
never seen ghost. Now let us get
at the facts, and then, maybe, the
doubling Thon1ases may exclaim with
the apostle, MY Lord and my God"
Lourdes is, as mentioned in a former
letter, now town of considerable di-
lnensions and population, buried in the
Hautes-Pyrenees. Near it. in fact in
corporated into it now, is g. mass IF
rocks called Massabielle, which means
old rocks Between these rocks and
the town proper, there flows a large
brook, the Gave. In the face of these
rocks of Massabielle there are -hree
srottos. one above the other. The mid.
die one is of oval shape, and round it
and beneath it twined in early days the
branches Of wild rose tree. which
formed kind of drapery to the OPEN
ing. In the town of Lourdes there
lived in the year 1858 miller of the
name of soubirons. one Of his chill
dren, a daughter, when baptized was
given the name Of Bernadette, and an
other was called Mary.
Hernadette in 1855 was IA years of
age. On the 18th of February. Mary,
companion by the name of Jane and
this Bernadette, went out to gather fire.
wood along the shore Of the Gave. They
picked up what wood they could find
on their side Of the river; and. as the
brook was shallow. Mary and Jane
Waded across and continued :hefr
search for wood around the rocks Of
Massibielle. Bernadette fingered be-
hind. She was slower in her move.
ments. Before crossing the stream, she
sat down to remove her shoes and
stockings, and while doing so was
startled by the touch and noise Of a
rushing wind. She looked up astonish
ed. and everything was quiet and calm
around her Again she stopped to fin.
ish her task and get ready to cross the
brook. Then again came the rush of
wind. and looking across the stream.
the child was transflxed. for in the oval
opening of the lower. grotto she saw.
standing In the opening and surround
ed by strange and mysterious light.
a Lady Of Incompatible Beauty. She
was clothed in a robe of wool white.
From her head was pendant veil Of
spotless white. A sash of virgin blue
encircled her waist, and parting. fell
away almost to the ankles. She was
shoeless, but on each instep reposed a
rose of marvellous beauty. The peas
ant girl, Bernadette, almost beside her.
self with amazement. went to her
knees, tried to make the sign of the
cross. and failing. began to say the
Hail, Mary Slowly the vision saded
away and the child rose to her feet and
looked around her in wonder. as IL
awakening from ravishing dream.
Meanwhile her companions had gat,,er-
ed their faggots tied them in bundles
and recrossed the brook on their way
home. They had seen Bernadette on
her knees and thought she was saving
her Rosary. When they came to her
she was still gazing at the grotto and
seemed to be unconscious of their pres-
ence. They saw a something in the
face of the young girl. unfamiliar and
awe-inspfring. They touched her hand
and she became her old familiar self.