Our Trip to Lourdes

Deb, John, all the students and I went to Lourdes today.  What a wonderful experience it was.  As many of you know, Lourdes is where Saint Bernadette saw the Virgin Mary for 18 days.  The site of the visits is now a shrine.  People from all over the world have had cures and there have been 67 recorded miracles involving Lourdes.
The grotto where Mary presented herself is still as it was those many years ago, but all around it are basillicas, churches, statues and other things.  There is also, of course, a huge tourist area. 

In the legend of Bernadette, Mary asked her to drink from the ground and eat the grass.   When Bernadette looked at the ground she just saw a wet area, with some mud, so she dug some dirt out with her hands and after 4 attempts, drank the water.  Since then water has been plentiful in this spot and is said to be Blessed by God.  From the water, there were baths made, and people come to those to be cured of moral and physical illnesses.  Some of the water has also been taken to other areas and shrines and people that haven't visited Lourdes, but bathed with or immersed themselves in the water claim cures and miracles.  It is really fascinating.

I am taking a little bit of the water home with me. 

The Basillica of Notre Dame of the Rosarie has beautiful mozaics throughout, and has several mosaics outside on its wall as well.  The were amazing.

The ride to Lourdes was 3.5 hours each way, so it made for a very long day.  It was well worth it.  I will have photos on Lourdes when we get to load them, so be watching!

                                                          The grotto at Lourdes

                          The Mozaic in the Notre Dame du la Rosarie (thanks, melanie for the pictures!)