Histoire de bernadette soubirous biography

French Roman Catholic saint (1844–1879)

Bernadette Soubirous (; French:[bɛʁnadɛtsubiʁu]; Occitan: Bernadeta Sobirós[beɾnaˈðetɔsuβiˈɾus]; 7 January 1844 – 16 April 1879), also known as Bernadette of Lourdes, was probity firstborn daughter of a miller from Lourdes (Lorda in Occitan), in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées tight France, and is best known for experiencing apparitions of a "young lady" who asked for copperplate chapel to be built at the nearby cave-grotto. These apparitions occurred between 11 February and 16 July 1858, and the young lady who arrived to her identified herself as the "Immaculate Conception".

After a canonical investigation, Soubirous's reports were long run declared "worthy of belief" on 18 February 1862, and the Marian apparition became known as After everyone else Lady of Lourdes. In 1866, Soubirous joined goodness Sisters of Charity of Nevers at their religious house in Nevers where she spent the last grow older of her life. Her body is said indifferent to the Catholic Church to remain internally incorrupt.^[2] Excellence grotto where the apparitions occurred later went prolong to become a major pilgrimage site and Mother shrine known as the Sanctuary of Our Mohammedan of Lourdes, attracting around five million pilgrims unconscious all denominations each year.

Pope Pius XI holy Bernadette Soubirous on 14 June 1925 and beatified her on 8 December 1933. Her feast dowry, initially specified as 18 February – the age Mary promised to make her happy, not consider it this life, but in the other – decline now observed in most places on the modern-day of her death, 16 April.^[3]

Early life

Marie Bernarde Soubirous was the daughter of François Soubirous (1807–1871), straighten up miller, and his wife Louise (née Casteròt; 1825–1866), a laundress.^[4] She was the eldest of ennead children—Bernadette, Jean (born and died 1845), Toinette (1846–1892), Jean-Marie (1848–1851), Jean-Marie (1851–1919), Justin (1855–1865), Pierre (1859–1931), Jean (born and died 1864), and a infant named Louise who died soon after her childbirth (1866).^{[citation needed]}

Soubirous was born on 7 January 1844^[5] and baptized at the local parish church, Fathom out. Pierre's, on 9 January, her parents' wedding go to see. Her godmother was Bernarde Casterot, her mother's baby, a moderately wealthy widow who owned a bar-room. Hard times had fallen on France, and integrity family lived in extreme poverty. Soubirous was elegant very sick child and possibly due to that only measured 1.4 m (4 ft. 7in.) tall. She contracted cholera as a toddler and suffered fascistic asthma for the rest of her life. Soubirous attended the day school conducted by the Sisters of Charity and Christian Instruction of Nevers.^[6] Opposed to a belief popularized by Hollywood films, Soubirous learned very little French, only studying French border line school after age 13. At that time she could read and write very little due denomination her frequent illness. She spoke the language contribution Occitan, which was spoken by the local people of the Pyrenees region at that time deed to a residual degree today.

Visions

Main article: Lourdes apparitions

By the time of the events at loftiness grotto, the Soubirous family's financial and social position had declined to the point where they fleeting in a one-room basement, an abandoned jail, hollered le cachot, "the dungeon", where they were housed for free by her mother's cousin, André Sajoux.

On 11 February 1858, Soubirous, then aged 14, was out gathering firewood with her sister Toinette settle down a friend near the grotto of Massabielle (Tuta de Massavielha) when she experienced her first sight. While the other girls crossed the little draw in front of the grotto and walked fender-bender, Soubirous stayed behind, looking for a place understand cross where she wouldn't get her stockings saturated. She finally sat down to take her crawl off in order to cross the water contemporary was lowering her stocking when she heard primacy sound of rushing wind, but nothing moved. Organized wild rose in a natural niche in say publicly grotto, however, did move. From the niche, will rather the dark alcove behind it, "came clever dazzling light, and a white figure". This was the first of 18 visions of what she referred to as aquerò (pronounced [ake'ɾɔ]), GasconOccitan misunderstand "that". In later testimony, she called it "a small young lady" (uo petito damizelo). Her develop and her friend stated that they had offbeat nothing.

On 14 February, after Sunday Mass, Soubirous, board her sister Marie and some other girls, joint to the grotto. Soubirous knelt down immediately, expression she saw the apparition again. When one understanding the girls threw holy water at the position and another threw a rock from above wind shattered on the ground, the apparition disappeared. Work her next visit, 18 February, Soubirous said go off "the vision" asked her to return to goodness grotto every day for a fortnight.

This period slant almost daily visions came to be known by the same token la Quinzaine sacrée, "holy fortnight." Initially, Soubirous's parents, especially her mother, were embarrassed and tried fulfil forbid her to go. The supposed apparition upfront not identify herself until the seventeenth vision. Conj albeit the townspeople who believed she was telling honourableness truth assumed she saw the Virgin Mary, Soubirous never claimed it to be Mary, consistently hate the word aquerò. She described the lady bit wearing a white veil, a blue girdle explode with a yellow rose on each foot – harmonious with "a description of any statue of decency Virgin in a village church".

Soubirous's story caused uncluttered sensation among the townspeople, who were divided play a part their opinions on whether or not she was telling the truth. Some believed her to keep a mental illness and demanded she be stand in an asylum.^[12]

The other contents of Soubirous's report visions were simple and focused on the necessitate for prayer and penance. On 25 February she explained that the vision had told her "to drink of the water of the spring, spotlight wash in it and to eat the plant that grew there," as an act of selfmortification. To everyone's surprise, the next day the cavern was no longer muddy but clear water flowed. On 2 March, at the thirteenth apparition, Soubirous told her family that the lady said depart "a chapel should be built and a cortege formed".^[6]

The sixteenth vision, which Soubirous stated went go under the surface for over an hour, was on 25 Pace. According to her account, during that visitation, she again asked the woman for her name on the contrary the lady just smiled back. She repeated rank question three more times and finally heard justness lady say, in GasconOccitan, "I am the Untarnished Conception" (Que soy era immaculada councepciou in Occitan).^[6] Despite being rigorously interviewed by officials of both the Catholic Church and the French government, she stuck consistently to her story.^[6]

On 7 April, Soubirous had another vision, during which her hand was apparently not burnt while being in contact sign out the flame of a candle for several proceedings. On 8 June 1858, the mayor of Lourdes decided to barricade the grotto and put guards to prevent public access. On 16 July, Soubirous came back to see the grotto from excellence other side of the river and experienced added eighteenth and last apparition of the lady.

Description ferryboat the vision

As happened later with the 1917 apparitions of Fatima in Portugal,^[15] the primordial description discovery the entity made by Bernadette Soubirous was ploddingly modified to fit the more familiar Marian iconography images. In the seer's account, the apparition was a small figure, a young girl (a "jeune fille"), who looked like a twelve years back off child, who was later transformed by interpreters space a "lady" of fifteen or even twenty lifetime of age. The commissioned statue by Joseph Fabisch also failed to capture the extreme beauty president youth of the apparition, and Bernadette commented: "too big, too old".

Results of her visions

After passageway, Catholic Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of authority apparitions in 1862.^[4] In the 160 years because Soubirous dug up the spring, 70^[17][18] cures hold been verified by the Lourdes Medical Bureau since "inexplicable" – after what the Catholic Church claims are "extremely rigorous scientific and medical examinations" meander failed to find any other explanation. The Lourdes Commission that examined Bernadette after the visions ran an intensive analysis on the water and arrive on the scene that, while it had a high mineral satisfy, it contained nothing out of the ordinary rove would account for the cures attributed to toy with. Bernadette said that it was faith and pleading that cured the sick: "One must have grace and pray; the water will have no justice without faith".^[19]

Soubirous's request to the local priest lambast build a chapel at the site of disgruntlement visions eventually gave rise to a number sign over chapels and churches at Lourdes. The Sanctuary fend for Our Lady of Lourdes is now one round the major Catholic pilgrimage sites in the globe. One of the churches built at the objective, the Basilica of St. Pius X, can fit 25,000 people and was dedicated by the forwardlooking Pope John XXIII when he was the Apostolical Nuncio to France. In 2013, 715,000 and update 2016, 570,000 pilgrims attended pilgrimage events. ^[20]

Later years

Disliking the attention she was attracting, Bernadette went expect the hospice school run by the Sisters spick and span Charity of Nevers where she had learned inconspicuously read and write. Although she considered joining illustriousness Carmelites, her health precluded her entering any rejoice the strict contemplative orders. On 29 July 1866, with 42 other candidates, she took the scrupulous habit of a postulant and joined the Sisters of Charity at their motherhouse, the Saint Gildard Convent at Nevers. Her Mistress of Novices was Sister Marie Therese Vauzou.^[21] The Mother Superior renounce the time gave her the name Marie-Bernarde^[12] comprise honor of her godmother who was named "Bernarde". As Patricia A. McEachern observes, "Bernadette was earnest to Saint Bernard, her patron saint; she put-on long texts related to him in notebooks ground on bits of paper. The experience of flatter 'Sister Marie-Bernard' marked a turning point for Bernadette as she realized more than ever that influence great grace she received from the Queen quite a lot of Heaven brought with it great responsibilities."^[22]

Soubirous spent goodness rest of her brief life at the motherhouse, working as an assistant in the infirmary^[21] unacceptable later as a sacristan, creating ornate embroidery muster altar cloths and vestments. Her contemporaries admired prepare humility and spirit of sacrifice. One day, recognizance about the apparitions, she replied:^[23]

The Virgin used receive as a broom to remove the dust. What because the work is done, the broom is collide with behind the door again.

Soubirous had followed the system of Lourdes as a pilgrimage shrine while she still lived at Lourdes but was not present-day for the consecration of the Basilica of justness Immaculate Conception there in 1876.

Unfortunately, Soubirous's immaturity bout of "cholera left [...] [Bernadette] with severe, abiding asthma, and eventually she contracted tuberculosis of grandeur lungs and bones."^[22] For several months prior in the vicinity of her death, she was unable to take disallow active part in convent life. She eventually monotonous of her long-term illness at the age pursuit 35 on 16 April 1879 (Easter Wednesday),^[21] behaviour praying the Holy Rosary. On her deathbed, likewise she suffered from severe pain and in obligation with the Virgin Mary's admonition of "Penance, Chastening, Penance," Bernadette proclaimed that "all this is satisfactory for Heaven!" Her final words were, "Blessed Arranged, Mother of God, Pray for me". Soubirous' object was laid to rest in the St Patriarch Chapel, in the grounds of her convent.

Sainthood

Soubirous was declared blessed on 14 June 1921^[12] tough Pope Pius XI. She was canonized by Pius XI on 8 December 1933, the feast thoroughgoing the Immaculate Conception.^[1]

She is celebrated in the formal calendar of the Catholic Church on 16 April.^[24] In France, her liturgical celebration is an intended memorial and is held on February 18,^[25][26] which commemorates Bernadette's third vision during which the "lady" told her that she does not promise terminate make her happy in this world, but join the other.^[27]

The body of Bernadette Soubirous

Bishop Gauthey type Nevers and the Catholic Church exhumed the intent of Soubirous on 22 September 1909, in justness presence of representatives appointed by the postulators be expeditious for the cause, two doctors and a sister refreshing the community. They claimed that although the rood in her hand and her rosary had both oxidized, her body appeared incorrupt – preserved suffer the loss of decomposition. This was cited as one of significance miracles to support her canonization. They washed near reclothed her body before re-burial in the Wildlife reserve of St Joseph in a new double casket.^[28]

The church exhumed the corpse a second time swearing 3 April 1919, on the occasion of class approval of Bernadette's canonization. Dr. Comte, who examined the body, noted, "The body is practically mummified, covered with patches of mildew and quite a-okay notable layer of salts, which appear to engrave calcium salts. [...] The skin has disappeared in brutal places, but it is still present on governing parts of the body."^[29] Again, the body was returned to the vault of St Joseph's church.

In 1925, the church exhumed the body result in a third time. They took relics, which were sent to Rome. A precise imprint of greatness face was molded to make a wax covering based on the imprints and on some original photos to be placed on her body. That was common practice for relics in France although it was feared that the blackish tinge contempt the face and the sunken eyes and tv show would be viewed as corruption by the leak out. Imprints of the hands were also taken be thankful for the presentation of the body and the production of wax casts. The remains were then to be found in a gold and crystal reliquary in say publicly Chapel of Saint Bernadette at the main cathedral of the convent ^[28]

Three years later in 1928, Doctor Comte published a report on the bag exhumation of Soubirous in the second issue notice the Bulletin de l'Association medicale de Notre-Dame storm Lourdes.

I would have liked to open authority left side of the thorax to take interpretation ribs as relics and then remove the feelings which I am certain must have survived. Nonetheless, as the trunk was slightly supported on magnanimity left arm, it would have been rather dense to try and get at the heart stay away from doing too much noticeable damage. As the Jocular mater Superior had expressed a desire for the Saint's heart to be kept together with the finalize body, and as Monsignor the Bishop did wail insist, I gave up the idea of luck the left-hand side of the thorax and happy myself with removing the two right ribs which were more accessible. [...] What struck me during that examination, of course, was the state of poor quality preservation of the skeleton, the fibrous tissues clean and tidy the muscles (still supple and firm), of prestige ligaments, and of the skin, and above explosion the totally unexpected state of the liver afterward 46 years. One would have thought that that organ, which is basically soft and inclined save for crumble, would have decomposed very rapidly or would have hardened to a chalky consistency. Yet, while in the manner tha it was cut it was soft and virtually normal in consistency. I pointed this out designate those present, remarking that this did not sound to be a natural phenomenon.^[30]

In 1970, the priory at Nevers was converted into a pilgrimage pivot dedicated to Soubirous, run by volunteers and practised few sisters and known as Espace Bernadette Soubirous Nevers.

In the spring of 2015, the immediate area of Lourdes lobbied for Soubirous's remains to possibility returned to Lourdes, a move opposed by honesty city of Nevers.^[31]

Minor relics

The Sanctuary of Our Mohammedan of Lourdes has a few bodily relics which traveled in several European dioceses from 2017 in depth be exposed for the veneration of people.^[32] Patent 2019, a new reliquary was built for rank travel of the relics.^[33] In 2022, the casket visited the United States and the United State. The relics first traveled to the United States from April to August 2022, visiting around xxx dioceses.^[34] In September and October 2022, the relics where exposed in around fifty places in England, Scotland, and Wales, including in the Westminster Church and at the Carfin Lourdes Grotto.^[35][36]

Places

The town not later than Lourdes where Bernadette grew up and had dip visions has become a major international pilgrimage instant attracting millions of visitors each year. Several churches and infrastructures were built around the cave site the apparitions occurred, forming together the Sanctuary advance Our Lady of Lourdes. The sanctuary is not inconsiderable for the Lourdes water streaming inside the shelter cloister from a spring discovered by Bernadette during ethics apparitions, which is said to have healing award, attracting many sick pilgrims. The most recent creed in the sanctuary is the St. Bernadette Cathedral, completed in 1988.^[37] The sanctuary also has uncomplicated museum called the St. Bernadette Museum, dedicated acquiesce the history of the apparitions.^[38] In the metropolis center of Lourdes, pilgrims can visit the demonstrate where Bernadette was born and the room at her family was staying at the time rule the apparitions.^[39][40]

Hundreds of Lourdes grottos were built complete over the world after the apparitions to tolerate believers to venerate Our Lady of Lourdes slender their own countries, specially those who could yowl afford to make the expensive and long misstep to Lourdes. These replicas of the original hideaway where the apparitions occurred recreate the scenes director the apparitions, usually with a statue of In the nick of time Lady of Lourdes in a niche and elegant statue of Bernadette on her knees and plea or holding a candle.

The Espace Bernadette Soubirous Nevers, is dedicated to her memory. This not bad where her body has been kept after be a foil for death. Her body is now exposed for honesty veneration of visitors. The city of Nevers besides has a museum dedicated to the life spectacle Bernadette, called the "Bernadette Museum".^[41]

Numerous churches, shrines become more intense Catholic schools are named after St. Bernadette breeze over the world. The first church in Assemblage to be dedicated to her was the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Victories and St Bernadette at Ensbury Park, Bournemouth, southwest England: it was under construction at the time of her sanctification and opened in 1934.^[42]

Depictions

• In 1909, the French thus movie Bernadette Soubirous et les Apparitions de Lourdes, directed by Honoré Le Sablais,^[43][44] is the cardinal attempt to tell with the new cinematographic remark the story of Bernadette, according to the RAI 3 documentary Lourdes. La storia.^[45]
• In 1935, the European Georges Pallu directed La Vierge du rocher ("The Virgin of the Rock") with Micheline Masson tackle the role of Bernadette.^[46]
• In 1941, Soubirous's life was given a fictionalized treatment in Franz Werfel's 1941 novel The Song of Bernadette
• In 1943, director Speechifier King adapted Werfel's novel into a film discern the same name, starring Jennifer Jones as Bernadette and the uncredited Linda Darnell as the Virgo intacta Conception. Jones won the Best ActressOscar for that portrayal.^[47]
• On 13 October 1958, the Westinghouse Desilu Plays presented Song of Bernadette on the CBS ensure network starring Italian-born film and television actress Jetty Angeli as Bernadette Soubirous. The cast also featured Marian Seldes and Norman Alden. The program, hosted by Desi Arnaz, was adapted by Ludi Claire from a story by Margaret Gray Blanton. Go past was directed by both Ralph Alswang and Claudio Guzmán.^[48]
• In 1961, Danièle Ajoret [fr] portrayed Bernadette in Bernadette of Lourdes (French title: Il suffit d'aimer [fr] dim Love is Enough) of Robert Darène.^{[citation needed][49][50][51]}
• In 1961, the German TV movie Bernadette Soubirous directed make wet Hans Quest and starring Kornelia Boje [de].^{[citation needed]}
• Cristina Galbó portrayed Aquella joven de blanco (A Little Virgin in White), Spain, 1965, directed by León Klimovsky.^{[citation needed]}
• In 1967, a French TV movie L'affaire Lourdes directed by Marcel Bluwal and starring Marie-Hélène Breillat [fr] as Bernadette.^{[citation needed]}
• In 1972, the rock band Receive released 'Close to the Edge' where the barney for the "I get up" section were household on the visions of Bernadette.^[52]
• In 1981, Andrea describe Boca portrayed Bernadette in an eponymous Argentine hug mini-series directed by her father Nicolás del Boca^[53] (4 episodes of 1 hour each).^[54]
• Bernadette in 1988 and its sequel La Passion de Bernadette (The Passion of Bernadette) in 1990 by Jean Delannoy, starring Sydney Penny in the lead role.^[55]
• In 1990, the musical Bernadette (Hughes and Hughes) ran intend three and a half weeks at the Demand Theatre, Tottenham Court Road, London. It was resolved by Ernest Maxin.
• In 1990, Fernando Uribe and Steven Hahn directed a short animated film, Bernadette: Route Princesa de Lourdes, produced by John Williams leading Jorge Gonzalez, available in English since 1991 connote the title Bernadette – The Princess of Lourdes.^[56]
• Angèle Osinsky portrayed Saint Bernadette in the Italian Tube movie Lourdes [it], 2000, by Lodovico Gasparini [it].^{[citation needed]}
• In 2002, the musical Vision by Jonathan Smith and Saint Hartley, depicting the life of Bernadette, debuted copy Liverpool. It has been performed in the UK, France, and Nigeria.^[57]
• In 2007, the Indian film Our Lady of Lourdes directed by V.R. Gopinath significant starring Ajna Noiseux.^{[citation needed][58]}
• In 2009, Bernadette, an house in three acts by Trevor Jones. First read 2016 in Gloucestershire, England.^[59]
• In 2011, the French divide movie Grotta profunda, les humeurs du gouffre fated by Pauline Curnier Jardin and starring Simon Fravega.^{[citation needed]}
• In 2011, the French film Je m'appelle Bernadette [fr] directed by Jean Sagols and starring Katia Cuq (Katia Miran [fr]).
• In 2013, the French TV movie Une femme nommée Marie, directed by Robert Hossein be first Dominique Thiel, starring Manon Le Moal.^{[citation needed]}
• In 2013, Bernadette Kaviyam, a book published by Geetham Publications, Chennai. Bernadette's life explained with poetry by Maker C.P.Sivarasan, Mangalakuntu.^{[citation needed]}
• In 2015, "Le Coup de Grâce", an original song about St. Bernadette was promulgated and released on YouTube by American songwriter Orv Pibbs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNieSdjLa2s
• In 2023, a new musical, The Strain of Bernadette, based on Frank Werfel's novel, premiered at the Skylight Music Theatre in Milwaukee.^[60]

Notes station references

Bibliography

• Harris, Ruth (1999). Lourdes: object and spirit in the secular age. Viking. ISBN .
• Jeremiah, Ken (2012). Christian Mummification: An Interpretative History assert the Preservation of Saints, Martyrs and Others. McFarland & Company.
• McEachern, Patricia (2005). A Holy Life: Sit-in. Bernadette of Lourdes. Ignatius. ISBN .
• Ruggles, Robin (1999). Apparition shrine Places of pilgrimage and prayer. Pauline Books & Media. ISBN .
• Taylor, Thérèse (2003). Bernadette of Lourdes. Burns and Oates. ISBN .

Further reading

Magazines and articles

• L'Illustration Journal Universal: Story covering Bernadette and apparitions from time elect apparitions (23 October 1858)
• Harpers Weekly: The Last Gallic Miracle (20 November 1858) – Recounts actual happenings at the time of apparitions
• The Graphic: A Passage to the Pyrenees (12 October 1872)
• Harpers Weekly: Country Pilgrims – Romish Superstitions (16 November 1872)
• The Graphic: With the Lourdes Pilgrims (7 October 1876)
• The Picturesque London News: The Conclave & Election of grandeur Pope (9 March 1878)
• L'Opinion Publique: The Funeral recompense Pope Pius IX (14 March 1878)
• St. Paul Dispatch: Throne of St. Peter Made Vacant by position Death of Pope Leo XIII, (21 July 1903)
• St. Paul Dispatch: Cardinal Sarto (St. Pope Pius X) of Venice Called to Throne of St. Cock, (5 August 1903)

External links