Every year, on 18 February and 16 April, the Catholic Church honours Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary from Lourdes to whom the Virgin Mary appeared in 1858. These dates are essential for the faithful and pilgrims who come together to pray and celebrate the humble and exemplary life of this French saint. The feast of 18 February corresponds to the date when, according to Catholic tradition, the Virgin promised Bernadette: "I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next". As for 16 April, it marks the anniversary of Bernadette's death in 1879 and is the official date of her liturgical feast.
The Life of Saint Bernadette Soubirous
Bernadette Soubirous was born on 7 January 1844 in Lourdes, into a modest family. Her life was marked by hardship, particularly poverty and illness. In 1858, when she was just 14, she received 18 Marian apparitions in the grotto at Massabielle. The Virgin Mary presented herself to her as the "Immaculate Conception", a dogma proclaimed four years earlier by Pope Pius IX.
After these apparitions, Bernadette entered the Sisters of Charity of Nevers in 1866 and spent the rest of her life there in prayer and service to the sick. She died of tuberculosis on 16 April 1879 at the age of 35. Her holiness was recognised by the Church, and she was canonised on 8 December 1933 by Pope Pius XI.
The Celebrations of the Feast of Saint Bernadette
The Feast of Saint Bernadette is celebrated with fervour at Lourdes and at other pilgrimage sites dedicated to the saint. In Lourdes, special masses are held in the basilica that bears her name, as well as in the grotto at Massabielle. Pilgrims come to pray before her statue, light candles and pray for her intercession.
A torchlight procession is often organised in her honour, recalling her role as witness to the Marian apparitions. In Nevers, where her miraculously preserved body lies, religious services and prayer vigils are held in the Saint-Gildard convent, where she lived as a nun.
Spiritual Significance and Influence
The Feast of Saint Bernadette is much more than a simple commemoration: it reminds believers of the importance of humility, faith and service to others. Bernadette, despite her young age and lack of education, remained faithful to the Virgin's message and accepted the sufferings of her life with courage and resignation.
Still today, her example inspires many of the faithful, especially the sick and the most disadvantaged. Lourdes has become a world-famous place of pilgrimage, attracting millions of pilgrims each year in search of healing, comfort and spirituality.
Conclusion
The Feast of Saint Bernadette Soubirous is an opportunity to rediscover the simplicity and depth of her faith. Through her apparitions, Lourdes has become a symbol of hope and miracles. By celebrating Bernadette, the Church reminds all believers that holiness is accessible to everyone, whatever their circumstances. This festival thus perpetuates the message of love, humility and prayer that made Bernadette a timeless figure of Christianity.
