Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady of Lourdes is a name for the Virgin Mary recalling Marian apparitions near Lourdes, France.  The first appearance was on 11 February 1858. It was seen by Bernadette Soubirous, 14 years old, made saint by the Catholic Church in 1933. "Our Lady" was standing in a niche above the main cavity of the Massabielle grotto. Seventeen more appearances were reported that year. In the course of the apparitions, our Lady instructed Bernadette to go in the nearby ground; a spring with healing properties flowed,https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/o/our-lady-of-lourdes.php still active today. After detailed investigation, the apparitions were approved for devotion by the Catholic Church. 

Following a request of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette, a chapel at the grotto was built. Subsequently, due to the great increase of people visiting the chapel following the apparitions, a shrine was also built becoming a popular place of pilgrimage and prayer.

During the years, many miraculous healings have been recognized by the Catholic Church, with the support of medical consultation; a large group of physicians was permanently established in the site to provide continuous advice.https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/how-lourdes-cures-are-recognized-as-miraculous-5987 Also, many conversions are reported.

The statue of the Lady of Lourdes with a white veil, a white robe with a blue ribbon and at the feet two golden roses, holding a crown of the Holy Rosary prayer, is a representation of the Virgin Mary as described by Saint Bernadette.

The feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes is February 11. 

 References 

Category:Roman Catholicism
Category:Christian symbols
Category:Marian apparitions

Category:Religion in France
Category:Lourdes