Visions
Trip Start
Nov 01, 2006
1
67
80
Trip End
Aug 01, 2007
Lourdes, France
Monday, July 16, 2007
Lourdes is a town in the southwest of France, at the foot of the Pyrenees. It has been a major sight for Roman Catholic pilgrimage since 1858 when a young peasant girl, Marie Bernarde Soubirous (now St. Bernadette), claimed to have had a series of visions of the Virgin Mary. These claims were perceived true after Bernadette found a spring near the grotto, after being told by Mary, and the water having healing powers. Many people flock to this sight for many reasons, for us it was to walk in the footsteps of my fathers' parents, my grandparents, and to say a few prayers.
Having traveled now for almost 9 months, I have witnessed many religious events, all of which were amazing. This particular place was no less stunning than the others. We arrived in the early afternoon, but decided to get some chores (i.e. laundry) out of the way before heading to the sanctuaries. Around 9pm as the light was fading we walked a couple blocks to the entrance of the sanctuaries. Every evening there is a candle-lit vigil that takes place for all those who pilgrimage from afar to be blessed by the Virgin Mary and take home holy water to their loved ones.
For a while my father and I stood at the entrance, gazing down the half-mile walkway toward the cathedral and grotto. We watched as thousands of people holding candles walked by, or were being pushed in wheelchairs, around the walkway circling the front of the cathedral. It was a beautiful, touching sight to see, radiating in faith and prayer. Finally, we joined the procession and made our way toward the front of the cathedral where everyone was gathering. A mass pray was being said in many different languages for all those to take part in. Dad and I walked up the side ramp to the top to have a look down at the crowd and city below before circling around the back of the cathedral to the grotto where the visions happened.
No less astounding was the crowd hovering around the grotto. All were waiting in line to walk through this holy site and touch the flowing spring of miracle water. I could imagine this would go on late into the night, so we headed back to our hotel for sleep before rising early to come back and have our time in the sanctuary before our train to Spain.
Heading back to the sanctuary in the morning, the massive crowd remained, except now grouped in various locations all over the complex. Chapels were housed in every corner of this vast area, with a mass in every language, for all those visiting. Dad and I made our way to the chapel of St. Bernadette for mass in English. Just in time for communion we walked the line as the choir sang and then sat down till the end of the mass. We only had a couple hours to spend here before heading to the train station, so it was a quick walk through of all the chapels and cathedral because we wanted to spend some time at the grotto.
Reaching the grotto we realized another mass was going on, so we walked along the water listening to the music, watching people light candles, and wait in line for the baths of holy water. Nurses rolled up numerous older people from the nearby and distant hospitals all wanting to bathe in the pools of miracle water. Personally, this was a touching sight to see. Such faith in a person and belief in this spring filled me with such wonder. I have been to many religious ceremonies and sights, and only in Varansi did I witness this same belief. Another place where people believed that by bathing in these waters, they were going to be healed by something other than prayer. Maybe it's all in the prayer and not the water? So many questions and no answers, is that where the belief comes from? Perhaps.
Well, not wanting to miss our train, we once again threw our heavy bags on our shoulders and made for the station.
