Today is the 150th anniversary of first apparition at Lourdes

A teenage girl, Bernadette Soubirous, had the first of her 18 apparitions on February 11th 1858. The appearances were in a grotto near the town of Lourdes, in southern France. 

The last apparition was on March 25th, when the lady  said "I am the Immaculate Conception."

Of course Bernadette is now St. Bernadette in the Catholic Church. (Today Lourdes is a place of pilgrimage [six million people visit every year] and miraculous cures.*)

And the strangeness continued, even after Bernadette’s death in 1879. Her body has never corrupted, although she was buried for 31 years before being exhumed as her cause for canonization proceeded. Here’s that part of the story and pictures –

Saint Bernadette

This is a photo from 1997 –

* Go here for a discussion of one Lourdes miracle

Lourdes ‘miracle’ is official: World: News: News24

If you’re a skeptic about the whole thing, and want reinforcement of your skepticism, go here

Lourdes miracles get a little easier | World | The Observer