Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-16
The HQSkin Letter
HEALING SHRINES.

Washington, D. c., July 13.--Al-
though these be days of marvellous
medical therapeutics. the holy shrine
still holds its own as a healing agency.
Indeed. the belief in it's miraculous
power, like the belief in other uper-
natural phenomena. is evidently greatly
on the increase. New shrines are
s~pringing UP all over the world, and
old ones are attracting greater num-
bers of patients than ever before.
The annual pilgrimage of the at
flicted to Lourdes this year. for in
stance. has been exceptionally large.
Patients. many Of whom are carried
on stretchers or rolled in wheel
chairs, have been taken to the little
French town from points as far dis
tant as Belfast and Belgrade. In the
past. most of the pilgrims were prac-
tically without hope of relief through
medical assistance. but this year large
numbers suffering only minor ailments
are seeking the shrine. inspired by TIE
new theory of auto-suggestion and
other faith cures.
Lourdes, which contains the most
famous of the worlds healing shrines.
is situated in a charming valley az
the entrance of that huge chain qf
mountains separating France from
Spain. known as the Pyrenees. Until
1855 it was a quiet. self-effacing little
town, visited only by sagacious tour
lists searching for unusual rustic
scenery and quaint architecture. hslt in
this year it suddenly acquired wide
spread fame owing to the alleged
miraculous experience of a 1~4-year-eld
shepherdess.
1t is recorded that one dav while
this young lady, whose name was
Beruardette Soubirous, was OH,
gathering firewood with her younger
sister near the o famous Massabielle
Rock she was suddenly confronted BY
a vision. 1t appeared in the form Of
in white with the exception of a blue
figure was surrounded by a bright haso
Of light. at the sight of which Ber-
nardette fell down upon her knees
and remained in a state of ecstacy until
the vision faded.
Like Joan of Arc
When the girl returned home enc
~recounted her experience, her family
received the story coldly and decided
TO have her treated for Authorizations
But as Bernardette continued to see
visions with great persistency. in one
of which appeared a figure claiming 10
be the Virgin Mary. the villagers be
gan 10 place some credence in her
story. The thing had happened &c
Jeanne dare, who was also a simple
peasant girl-why not to Bernadette =?
Thus the tale spread rapidly from
o, tNurr until III, whNfa ~
| Europe was interested and people be-
gan to arrive by the thousands TO see
the sacred spot where the visions had
invariably appeared TO the shep-
herdess.
Then. suddenly. the report went forth
that miraculous cures were taking place
in Lourdes. near the spring in the
| grotto visited by the vision. A blind
boy had regained his eyesight; another
| who had been deaf could 10 hear
plainly. and an old paralytic
was able to walk after having been
a helpless invalid for five years AT
last a small statue of the Virgin Mary
was placed in the grotto, which signi-
fled the church's official acceptance OF
Bernadette Soubirous' story.
Since then, hundreds of thousands OF
invalids have knelt before Our Lady
Of Lourdes. as the little statue ia call.
ed. and prayed that they might be
| cured. And many marvellous cures
have actually taken place, II one may
believe the testimony of numerous
amazed spectators as well as that o!
various grateful pilgrims. One of last
years eases. for example. was that o.
a young woman with a badly twisted
ankle. resulting from a fall. Severa
! surgical operations had failed to cor
! rect the trouble. and she was able &c
walk only with the aid of a specifically
made brace and crutches. When sh.
left Lourdes. however. she left these
aids to locomotion behind her,
In describing her sensations while
| the cure was taking place the youn;
woman said: Upon kissing the statue
Of Our Lady the second time / fel
a severe pain shoot through my Grip
pied leg and something seemed to cracl