A girl called Bernadette was out walking with her sister, collecting fire wood when she saw a vision of a lady standing on a rock in the woods.

The lady spoke to Bernadette and asked her to return to the same place every day for 17 days. At first her mother banned her from going, as she didn’t believe Bernadette. But Bernadette persuaded her mother to let her go.

Bernadette saw the lady seventeen times, and she described her as wearing a white veil, a blue sash, a golden rose on each foot and holding some rosary beads. On the seventeenth visit the lady told Bernadette that she was the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus.

Many people in the village believed Bernadette, and started following her to her visits, but no-one else ever saw her visions. But some people in the town thought that Bernadette was mentally ill and demanded that she be put in the local asylum.

Bernadette said that the lady told her to tell the priests of the village to build a chapel at the pool, and allow people to come and pray here. The lady told Bernadette to drink from the water, which was muddy. As she did, the water turned clear and a fresh spring appeared from underground. Some people called this a miracle.

Bernadette eventually became a nun, as she disliked the constant attention from the crowds. Many chapels were built at Lourdes, and people believed that drinking and bathing in the spring water could heal you. A young boy who was blind bathed his eyes in the water and was the first person reported to be cured.

Lourdes Today. Around five million pilgrims and visitors travel to Lourdes each year, including many who are seriously ill or handicapped. They visit the site where Mary appeared to Bernadette, attend mass and pray the rosary. http://www.lourdes-radio.com/player_live/player_live_en/player-token_en.php

The Healing Water Pilgrims visit the pools of holy water and immerse themselves. As many as 2,500 unexplained healings have been recorded. However only 66 have been authenticated by the Catholic Church.

Candlelight Procession Pilgrims also take part in the torch-light procession, which begins at dusk and ends in the dark. There is a beautiful image from outside the old basilica as the thousands of candles create a sea of light. At the head of the procession a statue of Our Lady is carried. The rosary is recited along the way, interspersed with the Lourdes hymn ‘Ave Maria’.