Thanks to a housing reimbursement I received from the French government, I spent this past weekend in the beautiful little town of Lourdes. Nestled in the Pyrenees mountains, the town was the site where the Virgin Mary appeared to young Bernadette Soubirous, to become Saint Bernadette. While I would not call my trip a formal pilgrimage, walking around the Marian city of the sanctuary was a peaceful and life giving experience.
I arrived late Thursday evening, and thanks to the wonderful woman Delphine who ran the bed and breakfast I stayed at, I was picked up directly from the train station by a friendly local taxi driver named Stéphane. I was completely surprised when we got to the hotel and he handed me a welcome basket that had been prepared for me, with several post cards and a copy of the Magnificat for February. The shutters to my room were closed, and due to the howling wind I left them that way as I went to sleep. On Friday morning though, upon finally opening my window, I realized I could see the mountains from my room! It was a spectacular view. Deciding to just take the plunge to immediately see the town's biggest site, I went to find the sanctuary. Signs everywhere pointed towards the grotto, and after wandering a bit, thinking I had seen every flashing light statue of Mary there was to ever be seen, I look up and realized I was there. The sanctuary is built right beside a foothill of the mountain, so it really gives the impression that this magnificent church just comes up out of the wilderness. (When Bernadette had her apparitions in fact, this area was the wilderness.)
I then proceeded to spend the rest of the morning touring the sanctuary. You really feel like you are on some sort of campus, as first there is a bridge that pilgrims must cross, under which there is a large stream of rushing water. Small chapels are scattered around, which host masses in different languages throughout the day. Then you arrive at the large basilica, which I found simply stunning with the mosaics, marble and gold that lined the exterior. Off to the right of the basilica are fountains where pilgrims can fill bottles with the blessed water from the spring. Continuing back to the right is the grotto where Mary appeared to Bernadette. There is a large statue of Mary on one of the inlets that reads in the patois dialect of the area, "I am the Immaculate Conception." I saw many pilgrims simply kneeling and praying at the grotto each time I walked past. Continuing back to the right is an area for candles, and also the baths which have apparently been the site of miracles themselves. There are also two locations for the Stations of the Cross on the sanctuary site, designated as "high" and "low". At the recommendation of another language assistant who had visited in October, I walked the high stations of the cross. This was a trek! As you walked up the foothill next to the basilica, there are large wood carvings of the stations. It was quite moving as it was set in such a beautiful, natural environment. My favorite part was at the station for finding Jesus's tomb empty, in the trees above the tomb were hundreds of rosary beads, which pilgrims have hung over the years.
Other sites Lourdes has to offer include the old town fortress, various small museums at important places in town in the life of Bernadette, and an incline at Pic du Jer, a site near the end of town. I was so disappointed to find out that Pic du Jer was closed until this upcoming Friday, but that just means I need to come back sometime! (As Stéphane the taxi driver told me, I need to come back in the summer to go hiking) Touring the fortress though offered spectacular views of town and the mountains surrounding. I also enjoyed stopping in at two of the homes of Bernadette, where she was born and then the house where she lived when she had the apparitions. The latter home really consisted of just one, sparse room; her family was living in such desolate poverty. As I was leaving this house, the docent whispered to me, "Bon pèlerinage!" (Have a good pilgrimage!) I still hold that I wasn't a true pilgrim, but the sense of peace, holiness, and the hard work of the townspeople to welcome myself and others, is a gift to take from the trip.
I arrived late Thursday evening, and thanks to the wonderful woman Delphine who ran the bed and breakfast I stayed at, I was picked up directly from the train station by a friendly local taxi driver named Stéphane. I was completely surprised when we got to the hotel and he handed me a welcome basket that had been prepared for me, with several post cards and a copy of the Magnificat for February. The shutters to my room were closed, and due to the howling wind I left them that way as I went to sleep. On Friday morning though, upon finally opening my window, I realized I could see the mountains from my room! It was a spectacular view. Deciding to just take the plunge to immediately see the town's biggest site, I went to find the sanctuary. Signs everywhere pointed towards the grotto, and after wandering a bit, thinking I had seen every flashing light statue of Mary there was to ever be seen, I look up and realized I was there. The sanctuary is built right beside a foothill of the mountain, so it really gives the impression that this magnificent church just comes up out of the wilderness. (When Bernadette had her apparitions in fact, this area was the wilderness.)
I then proceeded to spend the rest of the morning touring the sanctuary. You really feel like you are on some sort of campus, as first there is a bridge that pilgrims must cross, under which there is a large stream of rushing water. Small chapels are scattered around, which host masses in different languages throughout the day. Then you arrive at the large basilica, which I found simply stunning with the mosaics, marble and gold that lined the exterior. Off to the right of the basilica are fountains where pilgrims can fill bottles with the blessed water from the spring. Continuing back to the right is the grotto where Mary appeared to Bernadette. There is a large statue of Mary on one of the inlets that reads in the patois dialect of the area, "I am the Immaculate Conception." I saw many pilgrims simply kneeling and praying at the grotto each time I walked past. Continuing back to the right is an area for candles, and also the baths which have apparently been the site of miracles themselves. There are also two locations for the Stations of the Cross on the sanctuary site, designated as "high" and "low". At the recommendation of another language assistant who had visited in October, I walked the high stations of the cross. This was a trek! As you walked up the foothill next to the basilica, there are large wood carvings of the stations. It was quite moving as it was set in such a beautiful, natural environment. My favorite part was at the station for finding Jesus's tomb empty, in the trees above the tomb were hundreds of rosary beads, which pilgrims have hung over the years.
Other sites Lourdes has to offer include the old town fortress, various small museums at important places in town in the life of Bernadette, and an incline at Pic du Jer, a site near the end of town. I was so disappointed to find out that Pic du Jer was closed until this upcoming Friday, but that just means I need to come back sometime! (As Stéphane the taxi driver told me, I need to come back in the summer to go hiking) Touring the fortress though offered spectacular views of town and the mountains surrounding. I also enjoyed stopping in at two of the homes of Bernadette, where she was born and then the house where she lived when she had the apparitions. The latter home really consisted of just one, sparse room; her family was living in such desolate poverty. As I was leaving this house, the docent whispered to me, "Bon pèlerinage!" (Have a good pilgrimage!) I still hold that I wasn't a true pilgrim, but the sense of peace, holiness, and the hard work of the townspeople to welcome myself and others, is a gift to take from the trip.