Saint of the day (16 April 2024): Bernadette Soubirous

Bernadette Soubirous born to Lourdes, among the Pyrenees, in 1844, by a poor miller. On February 11, 1858, the house ran out of wood and it rained too hard to go into the woods. He then goes to the cave of Massabielle, where the shepherds piled up the dry branches. A rustling in the trees makes her look up towards the cave and she sees one Lady with a bright and smiling facedressed in white with a blue ribbon at her hips, her bare feet with two yellow-gold roses, her right arm bearing a rosary crown with white beads with yellow-gold thread like the roses. “Who are you?” He asks simply. She returns several times before having the name: “I am the Immaculate Conception“. From the miracle of the first apparition which entailed moments of absolute ecstasy for Bernadette, 17 more appearances follow until July 16, 1858. After the apparitions, Bernadette seems to disappear into the shadows. After spending six years at the Lourdes institute, belonging to the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, she was admitted to the novitiate. Her arrival was thus prolonged due to poor health. At her religious profession she takes the name of sweat Maria Bernarda. Bernadette died at the age of 35, on 16 April 1879. On 8 December 1933 Pius XI elevated her to the honors of the altars.