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In Lourdes, France, the Blessed Mother appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous eighteen times between February 11, 1858 and July 16, 1858.

“I’m charged with telling you, not with making you believe.”

Saint Bernadette Soubirous

Dogma of the Immaculate Conception
In 1854, in an apostolic constitution called Ineffabilis Deus, Pope Blessed Pius IX defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. This teaching says that the Blessed Virgin Mary was freed entirely from the stain of sin by the singular grace and privilege of God. By the time of the apostolic constitution, it was already generally accepted and taught by the Catholic Church.
The Immaculate Conception is defined as follows:
“…by the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and Our own, We declare, pronounce, and define: The doctrine which holds that the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, has been revealed by God and therefore must be firmly and inviolably believed by all the faithful.”

Click here to read the translated Apostolic Constitution English.
Click here to read the original Apostolic Constitution in Italian.

First Apparition
February 11, 1858
Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to Saint Bernadette for the first time on February 11, 1858. Bernadette, her sister Toinette (age 11), and her friend Jeanne Abadie (age 12), went to Massabielle grotto to look for firewood for Bernadette and Toinette’s mother. Bernadette had been left behind while she was removing her socks when she heard a gust of wind like the sound of a storm. She looked towards the grotto where the only thing that moved was a rosebush. Suddenly, Our Lady of Lourdes appeared. Together, Saint Bernadette and Our Lady made the sign of the cross and began the Rosary in silence. When the Rosary ended, Our Lady disappeared.

A golden cloud came out of the cave and flooded the niche with radiance. Then a lady, young and beautiful, exceedingly beautiful, the like of whom I had never seen, stood on the edge of the niche. She smiled and smiled at me, beckoning me to come closer as though she were my mother, and she gave me to understand in my soul that I was not mistaken.
The Lady was dressed in white, with a white veil on her head, and a blue sash at her waist. A Rosary of white beads on a golden chain was on her right arm. On that cold winter’s day, her feet were bare, but on each foot was a golden rose radiant with the warmth of summer.
I went upon my knees and took my Rosary from my pocket The Lady took the Rosary from her arm and I began to cross myself. My arm could not move until the Lady herself made a beautiful Sign of the Cross.
The Lady let me pray the Rosary on my own. She passed the beads through her fingers, she did not say the words. She signed for me to come closer but I did not dare. She smiled at me, she bowed to me. She disappeared into the niche, the golden cloud faded, and I was all alone.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Second Apparition
February 14, 1858
A few days later, Saint Bernadette returned to the grotto and began the Rosary. When Our Lady appeared, Saint Bernadette sprinkled her with holy water. Scared, some people in the group ran to a woman named Madame Nicolau, who had her son, Antoine, carry Saint Bernadette to his home. Our Lady remained in front of Bernadette until she was carried into Antoine’s house.

A group of us went, I began my Rosary, and the Lady appeared in the niche and smiled at me. I sprinkled some Holy Water, saying, “If you come from God, stay. If you don’t, go away.” The more I sprinkled, the more she smiled. I knelt and gazed at her lovingly.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Third Apparition
February 18, 1858
The next apparition occurred when Saint Bernadette, Madame Millet, and Antoinette Peyret went to the grotto. Saint Bernadette began the Rosary and Our Lady appeared again. Saint Bernadette asked that she tell her what she wanted if she was from God. After refusing to reveal her name, Our Lady requested that Bernadette return for 15 days.

“Would you have the graciousness to come here for fifteen days?”

“Aoue era gracia” were her exact words, and I was astonished she should speak to me in patois and in a manner so gracious. “I will ask my parents’ permission,” I replied, “and I will come.”

She responded, “I do not promise to make you happy in this life, but in the next.” Then, “Go and tell the Priests that a chapel must be built here.” Her eyes rested on Antoinette for a moment, she smiled on her, and then she disappeared.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Fourth Apparition
February 19, 1858
The next day, Saint Bernadette returned with her mother. She heard evil voices telling her to leave, but with a look from Our Lady, they left. Our Lady thanked Saint Bernadette for coming and told her she had some revelations for her before disappearing.

I was not afraid to die, but I was terrified by the voices coming from the back of the grotto. They were evil voices clashing in a guttural, angry way. “Save yourself, get out of here,” they shrieked. The Lady raised her eyes, frowned at where the voices were,—and there was peace.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Fifth Apparition
February 20, 1858
Saint Bernadette and her mother returned, and Our Lady taught her a personal prayer.

Early next morning, my mother and I returned to the grotto, where the Lady taught me, word for word a prayer for myself alone. I have never revealed it to anyone, not even to my mother.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Sixth Apparition
February 21, 1858
The next day, hundreds of people had visited the grotto. Our Lady requested that Saint Bernadette pray for sinners. During the apparition, Doctor Dozous had taken Saint Bernadette’s pulse and noted that there was nothing to indicate nervous excitement.
During this day, Saint Bernadette was questioned by a police commissioner named Dominique Jacomet. However, her father intervened.

For a moment she looked out over my head, and sorrow overshadowed her. I asked her why? She answered “Pray for sinners.” She was surrounded by light as she disappeared, the glow faded, but its warmth lingered in my soul.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

During catechism class the next day, Saint Bernadette was shunned and humiliated by her classmates and the Sister Superior. After lunch, she went to the grotto, followed by a policeman. However, Our Lady did not appear.

Seventh Apparition
February 23, 1858
On this day, around 150 people were there, including Doctor Dozous. Our Lady revealed three secrets that were not to be revealed to anyone else. No one else could hear Saint Bernadette and Our Lady speaking though they were loud enough to be heard.

Aquero came and prayed with me for an hour. The anguish of yesterday vanished in the warmth of her presence. She told me three secrets for myself alone. I am never to tell anyone. They concern only myself, and they keep me prayerful, grateful, humble.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Eighth Apparition
February 24, 1858
Saint Bernadette went to the grotto with her parents and her Aunt Lucille. She prayed with Our Lady for an hour. During the apparition, Saint Bernadette bent down several times and kissed the ground.

Today the people did hear something I said while I was talking with the Lady. She spoke one word only. She spoke it slowly, sadly. She spoke it three times. “Repentance, Repentance, Repentance,” an my eyes filled up with tears.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Ninth Apparition
February 25, 1858
Saint Bernadette went to the grotto with her Aunt Bernarde. Our Lady requested that she drink at and wash in a muddy spot beneath a rock. Saint Bernadette threw the mud away three times, then washed in it, smearing her face with mud. This incurred anger and jeers from her aunt and the people at the grotto. However, she returned that afternoon with Eleanore Perard to find water bubbling from the hollow she had previously made. When Eleanore stirred the water, it flowed more and became crystal clear. The people there recognized it as a gift from God and obeyed the request of Our Lady. One of these people was Louis Bouriette who was experiencing deteriorating vision in his right eye from an injury. His daughter brought him some water, which he bathed his eye in, and the next day he was cured.

On Thursday, February 25th, Aquero came peacefully, prayerfully. Gently she said, “Go, drink at the spring, and wash in it.”

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

That evening, Saint Bernadette and her mother were questioned for hours by the Imperial Prosecutor until a cousin, Andrew Sajous, started banging on the shutters.

Tenth Apparition
February 27, 1858
Our Lady appeared silently.

Eleventh Apparition
February 28, 1858
Saint Bernadette was witnessed kissing the ground as a sign of penance.

Twelfth Apparition
March 1, 1858
Again, an increasing number of people were at the grotto. Our Lady healed Catherine Latapie, who had two paralyzed fingers, and instructed Saint Bernadette to use her own rosary beads, not those borrowed from Pauline Sans.

On Monday, March 1st, the Lady gave a grace to a friend and a lesson to myself Catherine Latapie had two fingers paralysed since an accident in 1856.
…
People climbed all over the grotto today, disturbing the rosebush where the Lady stood. I was afraid she might fall, but she kept on smiling at the people. She loved them, and she always seemed sorry to leave them.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Bennadette went to Father Peyramale to tell him that Our Lady wanted a chapel built at Massabielle. He told her to find out out Our Lady’s name and ask her to make the rosebush at the grotto blossom immediately.

Thirteenth Apparition
March 2, 1858
Our Lady again requested that the priests build a chapel and the people come to the grotto in procession.

On Tuesday, March 2nd, the Lady again requested me to tell the Priests to build a chapel, and to ask the people to come to the grotto in procession. Her requests were more like pleas than orders, and she, gave me tenacity tempered with tenderness for the, mission she entrusted to me.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Father Peyramale again denied her.

Fourteenth Apparition
March 3, 1858
Again, Our Lady requested a chapel and the procession.

Standing effortlessly on the little wild rosebush, she greeted me, she bowed to me, she made her wondrous Sign of the Cross. She asked for the chapel, the procession, and she disappeared.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Fifteenth Apparition
March 4, 1858
Thousands of people were at the grotto on the last of the fifteen days. They began the Rosary and at the second decade, Our Lady appeared. She and Saint Bernadette prayed together in the grotto for an hour along with Jeanne Videre.

Thursday, March 4th was the last of the fifteen days. It was market day. Eight thousand people gathered around the grotto. It seemed the Lady had got her procession already.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

During the next three weeks, Saint Bernadette and her family were harassed by the public, the police, and the public prosecutor. Yet many healings occurred.

Sixteenth Apparition
March 25, 1858
Saint Bernadette was roused from sleep with an urge to visit the grotto. Our Lady was there, and they said the Rosary together. Saint Bernadette asked Our Lady to reveal her name four times before Our Lady responded, “I am the Immaculate Conception” and disappeared. Saint Bernadette left her blessed candle lit at the grotto as instructed by Our Lady.

The Lady extended her hands towards the ground, swept them upwards to join them on her heart, raised her eyes, but not her head to Heaven, leaned tenderly towards me and said, “Que soy era Immaculada Conceptiou.” She smiled at me. She disappeared. I was alone.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Saint Bernadette went straight to Father Peyramale and told him what Our Lady had said, though she had no knowledge of the meaning. That night, Father Peyramale wrote to the Bishop in tears.
In the following weeks, Saint Bernadette was questioned and threatened with jail.

Seventeenth Apparition
April 7, 1858
On Easter Wednesday, Saint Bernadette went to the grotto and prayed with Our Lady, Doctor Dozous observed that while she was praying, the flame from the candle did not affect her.

Only later did I learn that during Mary’s visit, the flame of my candle had engulfed the fingers and palm of my left hand. To the doctor’s amazement, neither fingers nor palm had burned.
The explanation is simple. When ones soul is enraptured by the Mother of God, the fire of earth is cold compared to the warmth of Heaven.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

Monsieur Jacomet and the mayor attempted to have Saint Bernadette put into a mental institution, but Father Peyramale refused to consent, saying “[y]ou will have to fell me to the ground, pass over my dead body, and trample it underfoot, before you touch a hair of the child’s head.”

On June 3, 1858, on the Feast of Corpus Christi, Saint Bernadette received her First Holy Communion from Father Peyramale who noticed a halo around her head.

Eighteenth Apparition
July 16, 1858
On the Feast of Our Lady of Carmel, Saint Bernadette circumvented the barricade set up by Monsieur Jacomet and began her Rosary. Our Lady appeared to say goodbye.

I hastened to the meadow near the Gave. I knelt and lit my candle. I began my Rosary and my Lady stood in the grotto smiling at me. It was the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. She looked more beautiful than I had ever seen her.
This would be the last time I would see her on this earth. I knew, because my Lady had prepared my soul for Jesus, and she would give me now to Him with whom I had communed. I knew, because of the way she held her head as she said goodbye. She left heaven in my heart and it has been there ever since.

A Short Life of Bernadette by St. Bernadette

After the Apparitions
Twelve days after the last apparition, a commission was formed to investigate the apparitions. Doctor Dozous testified to the healings, but was accused of being obstinate. Napoleon III surprisingly vindicated him, ordered the barricade to be removed, and transferred Monsieur Jacomet.
Saint Bernadette was boarded with the Sisters in the hospice, where she learned to write and speak French.
On January 1862, the Bishop’s commission approved the validity of the apparitions and the building of the chapel. In 1907, Pope Pius X created the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes
Today, The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is a major pilgrimage site. Instead on one chapel, there are three basilicas: the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (the oldest), the Basilica of St. Pius X, and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. There are eucharistic processions and Marian processions daily from April to October. Visitors can find water from the grotto at the Grotto of Apparitions as well as various taps and baths. There is also a 1500-meter way of the cross with 115 figures made of cast iron and painted gold.

For more information on the apparitions, consider reading A Short Life of Bernadette.

Sources:
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/teachings/pius-ixs-ineffabilis-deus-defining-the-immaculate-conception-153
https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-ix/it/documents/18541208-costituzione-apostolica-ineffabilis-deus.html
https://lourdesvolunteers.org/the-apparitions/
https://www.lourdes-france.org/en/