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Lourdes
HISTORY
In ancient times,
there was, in Ethiopia, a queen named Tarbis.
Although queen, she was very unhappy, because love had touched his
heart, and the man she loved did not feel for her the same feeling.
Then, out of spite, she left her country, bringing her sister Lorda. Tarbis came to
settle on the banks of the Adour
to found the city of Tarbes
and her sister, on the banks of the Gave, Lourdes brought
forth!
Then
came the Gauls, Romans,
who fortified the rock of Lourdes,
the Barbarians, the Moors.
They defeated in 732 at Poitiers by Charles Martel, retreated to Spain,
became again decimated in the plain of Tarbes, at a place called Lande
Maurine, and shut themselves up at the Chateau of Lourdes where
Charlemagne besieged .
Then
Turpin,
Bishop of Puy, the companion of Charlemagne,
obtained permission to talk with the besieged. The man of God, bringing
forgiveness of Charlemagne, convinces the leader of the Moorish Mirat to
follow him and give his surrender to Notre Dame du Puy.
The
day of his baptism, Mirat
takes the name of Lorus,
which became later Lourdes.
And the heavy door shield since that time "two towers gules three gold,
masonry sand, on a" rock of money, the middle highest topped with a
"sand unfurled eagle, holding in mouth a trout money ".
In 1843, the
population of Lourdes amounted
to 4 148 inhabitants. The city was transformed, a new roadway extending
the road from Tarbes, Lourdes crossed in the direction of Argeles
Gazot. It was called Chaussée
Maransin in memory of Jean-Pierre
Maransin, General of the armies of the Republic and
Empire, born
in LOURDES on March 20, 1770, died in Paris on May 15, 1828. His name
was engraved on the Arc de Triomphe.
The
following year, on January 7, 1844, a small indistinct Lourdian slept
for the first time lulled by the song of Moulin de Boly: Marie Bernadette Soubirous,
the daughter of François Soubirous and Louise Casterot
When
this birth was going to upset his destiny in the shadow of Castle
symbol of its past, Lourdes
gave
asylum to 4 155 inhabitants, and had 459 houses. One thousand two
hundred workers were working in his marble and slate, markets and fairs
were of great importance.
Delighted
by the singing of the Gave,
which winds under the Old
Bridge, squeezed between the old church and its old Castle, Remembrance
and guardians of tradition, Lourdes,
a small city of Pyrenean valley, preparing to live this day February 11, 1858, the day of the
first apparition of the Virgin to Bernadette Soubirous.
Until
"was a city known as crossing over. It will become a magnet for
spiritual intensity as its physical structure will change and rise by a
city made up of new hotels and shops, monasteries and chapels, imposing
obligations on measure of its destiny.
BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS
Daughter of François Soubirous
(1807-1871), and Louise Soubirous born Castérot (1825-1866),
Marie-Bernarde Soubirous, better known under the name of Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes
was born on January 7, 1844 at Boly mill and will be called two days
later under the name Marie-Bernard.
His parents, Francis and Louise Soubirous Castérot are millers.
She lived into a loving and devoted family. At
the time of her birth her family were relatively prosperous; however,
due to a series of misfortunes her family were soon plunged into dire
poverty.
At one point, Bernadette's father, was arrested on suspicion of
stealing firewood (a single wood plank); he was later released without
charge, but, the event was, perhaps, indicative of their poverty.
Because of the family's poverty, they were forced to live in a single
room that used to be a prison cell. The cell was so dank that it was
actually deemed to be too “insanitary” even for prisoners.
The young children were
brought up to accept their lot without complaint. Bernadette herself
was generally very well liked and displayed great courtesy and
kindliness to others.
She
suffered from ill health and because of the family’s poverty she missed
the opportunity to get a proper schooling. When she was 14, she was still
studying the basic
catchecism with 7 year old children. Thus she was
intellectually ignorant of concepts such as the Immaculate conception,
which were soon to have a great impact on her life.
On 11 February 1858, Bernadette,
then aged 14, was out gathering firewood and bones with her sister and
a friend at the grotto of Massabielle
outside Lourdes, when she had an experience that completely changed her
life and the town of Lourdes where she had lived.
It was on this day that Bernadette
claimed she had the
first of 18 visions of what she termed "a small young lady" (ua
petita damisela
(Classical) uo
petito damizelo (Mistralian)
standing in a niche in the rock. Her sister and her friend stated that
they had seen nothing.
On her next visit, she said that the "beautiful lady"
asked her to return to the grotto every day for fifteen days. At first
her mother had forbidden her from going, and Bernadette could not
persuade her mother to allow her to go.
The supposed apparition did not identify herself until the seventeenth
vision, although the townspeople who believed she was telling the truth
assumed she saw the Virgin
Mary. Bernadette never claimed it to be Mary, calling what
she saw simply "Aquerò" (or rather "that one"), aquerò being Gascon
Occitan for that. Bernadette
described the lady as wearing a white veil, a blue girdle, and had a
golden rose on each foot; she held a rosary of pearls.
 Bernadette's story
caused a sensation with the townspeople, who were divided in their
opinions on whether or not Bernadette was telling the truth.
Some believed her to have a mental illness, and demanded she be put in
an asylum. She soon had a large number of people following her on her
daily journey, some out of curiosity and others who firmly believed
that they were witnessing a miracle.
According to Bernadette's account,
during that same visitation that she claimed, she again asked the lady
her name but the lady just smiled back.
She repeated the question three more times and finally heard the lady
say, in Gascon Occitan, "I am the
Immaculate Conception" (Qué soï era
immaculado councepcioũ, a
phonetic transcription of Que soi era
immaculada concepcion).
Four years earlier, Pope
Pius IX
had defined the dogma of the Immaculate
Conception that, alone of all human
beings who have ever lived (save for Jesus, Adam, and Eve), the Virgin Mary was conceived
without the stain of original sin.
Her parents, teachers and priests all later testified that she had
never previously heard the words 'immaculate conception' from them.
On Friday July 16th Bernadette
made one final
pilgrimage to the Lady. Under the instructions of the
bishop and local authorities she wasn’t able to enter the grotto, but
even from across the river, she felt that the lady was as close to her
as in the cave.
Silently they said goodbyes; during the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin, the Virgin Mary
made several revelations to Bernadette. She asked Bernadette to do
penance and pray for sinners. She also told her one secret she was not
to reveal to anyone and this she never did.
Bernadette
described Our Lady
as being very young and very beautiful - In her own words:
"so lovely that, when you have
seen her once, you would willingly die to see her again!"
Later,
many would try to reproduce the Lady through art, statues and
paintings.
However, Bernadette
was never satisfied with the outcome. She was particularly disappointed
with the statue created for the grotto;
Bernadette
noted many differences. But, also, it was as if the beauty of her
visions could never be captured through the images of the world.
 Although,
she patiently met
visitors Bernadette
was increasingly attracted to the idea of entering a Carmel Convent,
but her weak health made the demanding routines of the Carmellite
convent unsuitable.
In the end she settled on entering the Convent at Nevers.
On arriving at the convent
all the sisters were invited into the chapel where Bernadette was asked
to recount her visions for the benefit of the sisters. After this time,
the Mother Superior requested
that the matter should never be referred to again.
Bernadette
was quiet happy to accept this injunction, as she herself, wished to
move on from merely repeating her stories.
For
several months she had been unable to take active part in the convent
lifestyle.
For long periods she was confined to her bed. When asked why she didn’t
go to Lourdes for healing, she replied “It is not for me.”..
Sister Nathalie Portat
was present during the final day of Bernadette's
life on April 16th, 1879.
She remarked how in the afternoon the patient seemed to be tortured by
an inexpressible interior agony and asked for those nearby to pray for
her soul.
"At the words of the Angelic
Salutation: "Holy Mary,
Mother of God", the dying woman revived, and, in a voice
full of conviction, a voice that in her final moments expressed her
profound humility and her daughterly confidence in the Immaculate Virgin,
she twice repeated: "Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for me, a poor sinner."
A few
moments later Bernadette
made a large sign of the cross, drank a few
drops of water and left her mortal body.
Following
the events of the apparitions a papal investigation was founded.
After long deliberation and careful examination of the evidence it was
declared that the
visions of the Virgin Mary really did occur at the Grotto of Lourdes.
She
received Beatification
in 1925 and Canonization in 1933 under Pope Pius XI, not
so much for the content of her visions, but rather for her simplicity
and holiness of her life.
She is the patron saint of sick persons and also of the family and
poverty.
THE
SANCTUARIES
In
Lourdes, one played for a long time between the singular and plural to
speak about the sacred area. The term Sanctuary indicates a building of
pilgrimage. In this way, the Chapel above the Grotto, i.e. the
Basilica of the Immaculate Conception constitutes "the" original
Sanctuary. Later on, the multiplicity of the churches and basilicas
resulted in naming the whole area "the Sanctuaries", the collective
entity having the Grotto as its focal point.
The
organisation of the Sanctuary
Private
Property :
51 hectares with 22 places of worship
Person
in Charge :
The Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes who appoints his representative named
the Rector.
Priests,
Brothers and Sisters : There are 30 Chaplains
permanently in the Sanctuary. They accompany Pilgrims and Groups,
celebrate the Sacraments and lead pilgrims in prayer. They come from
different religious Congregations and Societies as well as different
diocese. There are 5 communities of Religious Sisters working in the
Sanctuary.
After
the bridge that crosses the Gave de Pau, you're in front of the
impressive driveway leading to the plaza, dominated by the upper
Basilica. Along it is fitted the Underground Basilica of St. Pius X,
consecrated in 1958 to celebrate the centenary of the apparitions. This
incredible ship almond spread over 12 000 m² and can accommodate up to
20 000 pilgrims. Inside, the impressive volumes, the gross architecture
and light strings are almost intimidating.
ON
THE ESPLANADE
Then go on
the vast esplanade of the Basilica
of Our Lady of the Rosary. With its 130 m long and 85 m
wide and can accommodate up to 40 000. It is dominated on both sides by
St. Therese
of the Child Jesus and St. Bernadette.
Further, on the forecourt, stop before the statues of St. Peter and St.
Paul, respectively head of the Church and Apostle of Nations.
OUR
LADY OF THE ROSARY
Our Lady of the Rosary Basilica
below the Sanctuary, is located between the two ramps leading to the
chamber to the crypt. Neo Byzantine style, the building of 2000 m² and
can accommodate up to 1,500 people. Note on each side of the central
door, two medallions mosaic executed in the Vatican workshops
representing Popes Leo
XIII and Pius XII
left to right. The lower basilica also shines through the dome
surmounted by a golden crown that does not go unnoticed. Inside, the
mosaics of Venetian chapels representing the mysteries of the Rosary
are incredible.
THE
CRYPT
Then take
the stairs leading you to the crypt, the first shrine of Lourdes dug in
the rock of Massabielle.
This chapel was built in response to the request that would have
addressed the Virgin to Bernadette Soubirous in his 13th appearance.
Consecrated on May 19, 1866, the remains of Bernadette were
kept inside.
THE
BASILICA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Above the crypt of the Basilica of the
Immaculate Conception, also known as Upper Basilica,
overlooks the site of her slender figure. Gothic Revival, it is
composed of a single nave divided into 5 bays and contains 21 altars.
Its spire rising to more than 70 meters is amazing. Inside you will
find many ex-voto. On warheads chapels, you can read the words that
would have sent the Virgin
to Bernadette.
CAVE
MASSABIELLE
Going down
to the banks of the Gave, you can not miss the Grotto of Massabielle,
where the Virgin
appeared to Bernadette
for many occasions. You must be patient in order to get close to the
simple cavity, so the crowd is compact. You can then enjoy the
beautiful Lady in Carrara marble carved by Fabisch in 1864, and the
source that brought forth Bernadette
February 25, 1858. A system also allows for channeling water to the
fountains to the left of the cave and into the pools which are immersed
pilgrims.
From late
March to late October, the Sanctuary
of Lourdes
experiencing overwhelming and continuous activity. Pilgrimages of all
nations to coexist harmoniously and follow each with a specific
timetable.
On February 11, the
anniversary of the debut, is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes,
which was proclaimed by Pope
John Paul II, World Day of the patient to mark spiritual
vocation that of Lourdes.
All
religious festivals, particularly the Assumption, attract large crowds.
To know more
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- Open : The sanctuaries are open all the year - 24/24
- Information :
05.62.42.78.78
- To know : Forum
information open from April to October, 8h30 to 12h15 and 13h45 to
18h30 ; july and august, 8h30 to 18h30 ; from november to March, 9h to
12h and 14h to 18h.
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Websites about Lourdes
Official website of city of Lourdes : http://www.lourdes.fr
- www.lourdes-france.com
Official website of the tourism office of Lourdes
: http://www.lourdes-infotourisme.com
Links to the websites of the Sanctuaries Notre-Dame de
Lourdes
Website of the magazine : http://www.lourdes-magazine.com
Website of the radio of
Lourdes :
http://www.radiopresence.com
Website of the Library of the Grotto of Lourdes :
http://www.lourdes-editions.com
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