Saint Marie-Bernarde Soubirous (1844)
Soubirous was a French peasant girl who claimed to see the Virgin Mary in apparitions at a grotto near Lourdes, her home, in 1858. The authorities, skeptical of her visions, subjected her to severe examinations. After years of scrutiny, she was allowed to enter the convent of Notre-Dame de Nevers, where she remained in seclusion until her death at 35. The grotto at Lourdes is now a pilgrimage site, and its waters are reputed to have healing powers. How many pilgrims visit Lourdes each year? More…
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