The daily star-mirror., 1922-10-21

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Year-Another Famous Shrine 1
That Of St. Anne d'Auray In Brit
tany-St. Anne dc Beaupre in Que
beo and Church of Jean Baptiste II
New York Most Famous in ThI'
Country.
Although these be days Of marvellous
medical therapeutics the holy shrine
still holds its own as o healing agency
Indeed, the belief in its miraculous
power, like the belief In other super
natural phenomena, is evidently great
| ly on the increase. New shrines are
springing up all over the world, and
old ones are attracting greater num-
bers of patients than ever before.
The annual pilgrimage Of the afflict-
ed to LOurdes this year, for instance,
has been exceptionally large. Patients,
many Of whom are carried on stretch
ers or rolled in wheel chairs, have
been taken to the little French town
from points as far distant as Belfast
and Belgrade. In the past, most OF
the pilgrims were practically without
hope of relief through medical assist
ance, but this year large numbers
suffering only minor ailments are
seeking the shrine, inspired by the
new theory Of auto-suggestiOn and
other faith cures.
Lourdes, which contains the most
famous of the worlds healing shrines,
is situated In charming valley at the
entrance of that huge chain Of noun
tains separating France from Spain,
known as the Pyrenees. Until 1898
it was quiet, self-effacing little town,
visited only by sagacious tourists
searching for unusual rustic scenery
and quaint architecture, but In that
year 1t suddenly acquired widespread
fame, owing to the alleged miraculous
experience of a fOurteen-year- OLD
shepherdeSs.
1t is recorded that one day while
this young lady, whose name was
Bernadette Soubir0us, was out gather
ing frewood with her younger sister
near the now famous Massabielle Rock
she was suddenly confronted by a
vision. 1t appeared In the form of
beautiful young woman, dressed all
In white with the exception of blue
sash around the waist. The entire
figure was surrounded by bright halo
Of light, at the sight of which Berna- |
dette fell down upon her knees and
remained in state Of ecstasy until |
the vision faded.
Like Joan of Arc.
When the girl returned home and
recounted her experience, her family
received the story coldly and decided
to have her treated for hallucina-
tions. But as Bernadette continued
to see visions with great persistency,
In one Of which appeared a figure
claiming to be the Virgin Mary, the
villagers began to place some credence
n her story. The thing had happened
20 Jeanne dare, who was also simple
peasant girl-why not to Bernadette?
Thus the tale spread rapidly from
town to town until the whole OF
europe was interested and people be-
ran to arrive by the thousands to see
he sacred spot where the visions had
Invariably appeared to the shepherd
SS.
Then, suddenly, the report went
orth that miraculous cures were TAX
ng place In Lourdes. near the spring
n the grotto visited by the vision.
lind boy had regained his eyesight;
mother, who had been deaf, could
ow hear plainly, and an old wOm-
n paralytic was able to walk after
aving been helpless invalid for
We years. At last a small statue OF
ne Virgin Mary was placed in the
rotto, which signified the church's Of
cial acceptance Of Bernadette Sou
Irous' story.
Since then, hundreds Of thousands OF
ldividuals have knelt before Our Lady
f Lourdes as the little statue IS
He'd. and prayed that they might
} cured. And many marvellous cures
Ave actually taken place, II one may
,lieve the testimony Of numerous
nazed spectators as we'll as that of
lrious grateful pilgrims.
ODc OI last years CASES. IOT cA-
nple, was that of a young woman
it'll badly twisted ankle, resulting
om fall. Several surgical opera
ms had failed to correct the trouble
ID she was able to walk only with
e aid of speciallymade brace and
utches. When she left LOurdes,
wever. she left these aids to loco
,tion behind her. In describing her
nsations while the cure was tax
: place the young woman said:
"Upon kissing the statue of Our
dy the second time l felt q severe
In shoot through my crippled leg
something seemed to crack be-
I'd my knee. | then kissed the
tue a third time. after which the
1le Strengthened out, all pain In
ntly vanished, and l walked for
I'd unaided."
rhe French have another famous
inc located In Brittany, known as
shrine of Ste. Anne d'Auray, which
been steadily working similar
racles ever since the year 1923.