The Context of the Apparition

In a context of poverty and suffering, Bernadette Soubirous, a young girl of 14, regularly went to the grotto of Massabielle. That day, while gathering wood with her sister, she felt a divine presence. It was then that the Virgin Mary appeared for the fourth time, enveloped in a radiant light, affirming her message of love and compassion.

The Virgin's Message

In this apparition, the Virgin Mary asks Bernadette to pray for sinners and to indicate that the spring that will spring from the grotto will be a sign of healing and purification. She also reveals her identity by introducing herself as the "Immaculate Conception", a statement that resonates deeply with Catholic doctrine. This reiterated message of repentance and healing had a lasting impact on pilgrims, attracting throngs of the faithful in search of spiritual solace.

The Impact and Legacy

The fourth apparition reinforced Lourdes' reputation as a place of miracles and healings. Since that event, millions of people have visited the shrine, hoping to find relief and hope. Testimonies of inexplicable cures and spiritual transformations continue to nourish the faith of believers and attract new pilgrims every year.

Lourdes, through this fourth Marian apparition, reminds each of us of the importance of faith, prayer and compassion. Bernadette's encounter with the Virgin Mary is an invitation to open our hearts to the spirituality and beauty of faith, a heritage that endures down the generations.