10 Fascinating Facts About Our Lady of Lourdes

1. Eighteen Apparitions in 1858:

The Blessed Virgin appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous eighteen times between February 11 and July 16, 1858, at the grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, France.

2. “I am the Immaculate Conception”

During one apparition, the Lady identified herself using that very title — a dogma of the Church proclaimed only four years before, in 1854. Bernadette, a young girl without formal theological training, repeated a phrase she didn’t even understand, yet it perfectly confirmed Church teaching.

3. A Spring with Healing Water.

On about the ninth apparition, Mary instructed Bernadette to dig in the dirt. A spring burst forth, and it still flows today. Pilgrims drink from it or bathe in it, with thousands reporting healings. The Church has officially recognized over 60 cures as miraculous.

4. Bernadette’s Poverty and Fragility.

Bernadette was born into a very poor family, the eldest of nine children. She suffered from chronic asthma and had little education. That Heaven chose her highlights the humility of God’s ways.

5. Millions of Pilgrims Come Each Year.

Lourdes is now one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world. Millions come every year for confession, prayer, and spiritual or physical healing.

6. Rigorous Medical Examination of Healings.

Not every reported healing is declared miraculous. The Lourdes Medical Bureau investigates rigorously, and only cures that have no natural explanation are recognized.

7. The Feast Day.

February 11 is celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, marking the anniversary of the first apparition. It is a day when Catholics recall Mary’s call to prayer, penance, and trust in God.

8. The Grotto Became a Sanctuary of Mercy.

The grotto of Massabielle, once a neglected site, was transformed into a great sanctuary with basilicas, chapels, fountains, and baths. It stands as a symbol of Mary’s maternal care and God’s grace.

9. Bernadette’s Hidden Life.

After the apparitions, Bernadette entered religious life with the Sisters of Charity at Nevers. She lived humbly, sought no glory, and suffered greatly from illness until her death at 35. Her incorrupt body remains a testimony to her holiness.

10. Mary’s Message of Penance and Prayer.

Above all, Mary’s call at Lourdes was simple but urgent: prayer, penance, and conversion. The miracles of Lourdes are signs pointing to the greater miracle — the return of hearts to God.