148th Anniversary of the Feast of our Lady of Lourdes

The ninth apparition occurred around 5:00 a.m. of February 25, 1858 where the aunts of Bernadette Sobiroux, Bernarde and Lucille, and some 300 other people gathered at the Massabielle Grotto.

The invitation to penance given by the apparition to Bernadette the previous day was taken a step further. Not only was she to walk on her knees and kiss the ground, but also to eat grass. It is this ninth apparition, which explains the origin of the spring of water.

Bernadette explained: "The vision told me to go and drink from the spring. Since I couldn't see it, I went to drink from the river. She told me it wasn't there I was to drink and with her finger pointed under the rock. I went there and found only a little brackish water. I put my hand into it but was unable to take any. Then I dug with my hands and so was able to take some. Three times I threw the water away since it was dirty: then, the fourth time, I managed to drink. She made me eat some of the grass which grew around the spring."

On the evening of the 25th of February, Bernadette was interrogated by Jacques Vitale Dutour, the Imperial Procurator at Lourdes. She was threatened with prison if she didn't promise not to return to the grotto. Bernadette would give no promise.

The day is Friday of February 26, 1858, the Lady did not appear. But on the 27th of February 1858, by contrast, the Apparition occurred as 800 people looked on. Bernadette repeated the same penitential gestures as on the ninth apparition and then took her usual place and began the Rosary. This is the tenth apparition.

At around 7:00 a.m. of February 1858, the 11th apparition occurred. Nearly 1,100 people were there, among whom was Commandant Renault who had been sent by the Prefect of Tarbes-Massy to report on the "extra-ordinary events." This day is the second Sunday in Lent where there was an unpleasant surprise in stored for Bernadette - a policeman invited her to accompany him to appear before M. Ribes, the examining Magistrate. Jacomet, the Commissar of Police and Latapie, the bailiff, were present for the interrogation.

This is Bernadette's third questioning were she responded to their usual threats of prison with serenity and firmness.

On March 1, 1858, the 12th apparition came at 7:00 a.m. Bernadette's parents were there with some 1,300 people. For the first time, Fr. Abbé Antoine Dezirat, a priest from Bordes, and Ossen Mayor Jean Vergez, had come to the grotto to witness Bernadette's ecstasy. The following day, March 2, 1858, Bernadette's aunts and about 1,600 people were at the grotto. The 13th apparition occurred, the Lady asked that a Shrine be built and that the grotto become a place of pilgrimage.

"She told me to go to the priests to build a Shrine there. I went to the parish priest to give him the message. (Fr. Abbé Peyramale) He stared at me for a moment and then spoke to me reassuringly," Bernadette said.

"What is this Lady's name?" the priest asked. Bernadette narrated she did not know the name so that Fr. Peyramale instructed her to ask for the Lady's name. When Bernadette asked the Lady's name, the Apparition only smiled.

Fr. Peyramale, the parish priest of Lourdes, took a dim view of the seer. His uneasiness about the events at the Massabielle provoked him to a few rather unkind words. Bernadette got nervous and afraid and forgot to tell him the second half of the message - the desire to make the grotto a place of pilgrimage. Bernadette went back to see the parish priest that evening of March 2. Dominique Cazenave, Bernadette's confidante arranged the meeting, and she accompanied her to the priest's house. Peyramale heard her out and then said: "Ask this Lady's name and when we know it, we shall build the Shrine and organize a pilgrimage." This was all that the priest said since he was afraid of losing his temper once again (To be continued). - From the book "Lourdes"