|
16. Thursday
25th March: The Vision finally reveals her name, but the wild rose bush,
on which she stood during the apparitions, does not bloom. Bernadette
recounts: "She lifted up her eyes to heaven, joined her hands as
though in prayer, her hands that were held Out and open towards the
ground; and said to me: QUE SOY ERA IMMACULADA CONCEPCIOU The
young visionary leaves the Grotto running and repeating continuously the
words that she did not understand. The word troubled (and convinced?) the
brave Parish Priest. Bernadette herself was ignorant of the that this
theological expression was assigned to the Blessed Virgin four years
earlier when Pope Pius IX declared it a truth of the Catholic Faith.
17. On Wednesday 7th April. Miracle of the candle. During this Apparition
Bernadette kept her candle alight. The flame licked along her hand
without burning it. A medical doctor, Dr Douzous, immediately recorded
his witness to this fact.
18. Thursday 16th July. Last Apparition. Bernadette received the
mysterious call to the Grotto, but her way was blocked and closed off by a
barrier. She arrived on the other side of the river Gave, in the meadow
across from the Grotto. "I felt that I was in front of the grotto, at
the sama distance as before I saw only the Blessed Virgin, never was she
more beautiful"
1858 Meanwhile on Wednesday 3rd June Bernadette at last made her First
Holy Communion in the Chapel of the Hospice of Lourdes.
1858 July 21st Bishop Laurence of Tarbes constituted a
court of enquiry into the happenings of Massabielle.
1860 February 5th Bernadette was confirmed (nearly two years
after the first Apparition, and at the age of 16). In July Bernadette
became a boarder at the hospice of Lourdes run by the Sisters of Nevers.
1862 January 18th: Bishop Laurence acknowledged the authenticity of
the Apparitions of the virgin Mary at Massabielle.
1862 April 28th. Bernadette become very ill with pneumonia and
received the Sacrament of the Sick.
1864 April 4th. Unveiling of the statue of Our Lady at the grotto.
The rector of Lourdes and Bernadette were not present on account of
illness.
1866 May 19th. Consecration of the Crypt chapel by Bishop Laurence.
Bernadette was there and saw the first stage of Our Lady's request for a
Chapel fulfilled.
May 21st. First Pontifical Mass offered at the grotto. |
|
