Lourdes Cathedral

Christiana Massalley

Lourdes Cathedral is home to over one million visitors annually. The cathedral was
created based upon a myth that occurred in small cave just outside of the chapel. February 11th,
1858 a young girl by the name of Bernadette was said to have seen and spoken to a woman
wearing blue cloth and holding a rosary. The woman was described as the Virgin Mary. The site
of the visions grew so popular they expanded Lourdes cathedral several times. The Cathedral
now is home to a universal church containing multiple chapels.
On February 11th, 1858, a fourteen year old peasant girl with no education reported
seeing a vision in a cave while collecting firewood. Others reported with her saw nothing besides
the young girl in a trance like state and in awe. She was punished severely for her false
accusations. The city had the grotto barricaded and closed down. They did not want any other
people creating blasphemy. Bernadette continued to sneak into the grotto Bernadette saw the
spectacular vision of Mary a total of eighteen times. Bernadette was also told by the vision to dig
and drink from the water in the grotto which contained the power of healing. Doctors examined
her whilst in her trance state and she could not feel a candle burning her hand.
During the final visit, the vision of Mary told her Que soy LImmaculado concepciou
or I am the Immaculate Conception and gave her instructions to go to the priest and have them
build a chapel upon the land where she stood. The clergy and others of the town were initially
skeptical and ignored the fourteen year old. Bernadette was a poor and sick child and was outcast
for much of her life. She was a very unhappy child. Eschaton theory was shown during the last
visit in which Virgin Mary gave Bernadette promises of happiness in the next life.
Four years later the clergy believed her upon her last sight of Mary. They believed it was
not possible for a peasant girl to know such a phrase as the Immaculate Conception and that her

sights were ineffable. The statue of Mother Mary was built in 1864 by Joseph-Hugues Fabisch, a
French sculptor. In 1873, Pilgrimages to see this amazing site and test the healing waters began.
On February 11th a feast is held in honor of Bernadettes vision. The pilgrimages to
Lourdes became so popular they had to build another chapel because it was overpopulated. Each
year over a million people visit Lourdes Cathedral in sights of seeing the Basilica de Rosary
statue. In addition to the growing pilgrims, the diversity of the Cathedral grew immensely. Each
year at Lourdes Cathedral visitors from all nationalities, religions, and backgrounds come to see
the statue of the Virgin Mary. Even skeptical visitors cannot deny the authenticity of the site and
its religious powers.
The healing waters of Lourdes have been tested my many scientists to see if there is any
kind of healing agent inside of it. They found the water was just normal stream water. The waters
of the grotto have healed illnesses ranging from deafness, blindness, cancer, nervous disorders,
and tuberculosis. Bernadette said the water had no healing power, but it was the power of faith
that brought healing. To this day, there have been 3962 cures confirmed and recorded by
multiple physicians. The ritual of Lourdes has been celebrating Passover ceremonies and
drinking or bathing in the healing water. There are about 19 private bathing areas for visitors to
submerge themselves in. Also, if asked you can receive a small bottle of the water. Doctors from
all over have visited and tested the healing water cases and they were all infallible.
Pope Benedict XVI visited Lourdes for the 150th anniversary. He spoke on the apparition of
Mary that was seen and how her first gestures toward Bernadette were simply ones of kindness.
He spoke on the luminal stages in which secularism and religion lie together. Kindness is a trait
that can be shown and taught throughout any religion or faith. The religion in France has clear

ideas on secularism. The message that is promoted is one in which you can have reason
coexisting with religion.

References

Bertrin, G. (1910). Notre-Dame de Lourdes. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert
Appleton Company. Retrieved December 12, 2014 from New Advent:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09389b.htm
Cummings, Kathleen S. "Roman Catholicism: The Impact of Immigration in the Nineteenth
Century." Encyclopedia of Religion in America. Ed. Charles H. Lippy and Peter W. Williams.
Vol. 4. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2010. 1968-1976.
http://ezproxy.gsu.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
"Mary's Smile." America 199.10 (2008): 4. Religion and Philosophy Collection. Web. 10 Dec.
2014.
Cummings, Kathleen S. "Roman Catholicism: The Impact of Immigration in the Nineteenth
Century." Encyclopedia of Religion in America. Ed. Charles H. Lippy and Peter W. Williams.
Vol. 4. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2010. 1968-1976. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 12
Dec. 2014.