The Interrogations
As the growing crowds attracted to the previously desolate area of Massabielle raised concerns among local authorities, police presence was increased. A town meeting was convened, where divergent opinions regarding the apparitions were expressed.
Bernadette faced intense scrutiny from various institutions, including the medical profession, the clergy, and the police. The Procureur Imperial, Monsieur Dutour, initiated the investigation, followed by Dominique Jacomet, the local Police Commissioner. They subjected Bernadette to questioning, threats, and ultimately obtained assurance from her father that the entire matter would end and that she would cease visiting Massabielle.
Despite the pressure, Monsieur Dutour was persuaded to officially prohibit Bernadette’s return to the Grotto, even threatening to incarcerate her. However, Bernadette remained unperturbed by this ultimatum, asserting that she could not commit to refraining from visiting the Grotto as she had promised the beautiful Lady to do so.
These were intense periods for Bernadette. She was alone and without the presence of her parents or family. She was manipulated, deceived, tricked, and threatened by those in official and entrusted positions. But the determined young girl never allowed this to affect her accounts: “I fear nothing because I have always told the truth”.
When officials constantly refused to believe her accounts, Bernadette made one of the most renowned statements attributed to her: “I am entrusted with telling you the truth. I am not entrusted with making you believe it.”
The Build Up
On a frigid winters day, Bernadette and her family - now destitute - resided in impoverished conditions within a former Lourdes jail.
Mid-afternoon on February 11th 1858, their mother exhausted the supply of firewood. A friend of Bernadette’s, Baloum, proposed that they venture to the hilltop forest to procure more wood. Bernadette suffered from chronic asthma and had recently recovered from a severe bout of cholera, so her mother was initially apprehensive for her to go but eventually relented, warning her to exercise caution.
Bernadette, her sister Toinette and Baloum proceeded towards Pont Vieux with the intention of going up into the forest. But at the bridge, the girls encountered a distant relative of the Soubirous, referred to as ‘Pigouno.’ She suggested they explore the Savy Mill meadow instead. Monsieur Lafitte, who owned it, had been engaged in the felling of trees and the meadow was abundantly stocked with wood.
Bernadette harboured concerns regarding trespassing and stealing. Only recently her father had been unjustly accused of stealing wood and spent a short time in jail. Nevertheless, Pigouno persuaded her to venture to the Savy Mill meadow situated by the River Gave, and so the three girls changed direction.
As they approached the Savy Mill, Bernadette experienced a momentary hesitation and proposed that, rather than take wood from the meadow, they cross to the far end and locate wood that had been washed up on the riverbank instead; that wouldn’t be stealing, she thought.
The girls followed Bernadette’s advice (as she was the eldest) and walked through the meadow. They reached the confluence of the Savy Canal and the Gave de Pau and here, they discovered a grotto…
'A beautiful Lady'
Concerned that they would be reprimanded for stealing wood from the Savy Meadow, Bernadette and the two girls proceeded past the mill and towards the Savy Canal’s terminus, where it merged with the main Gave de Pau. They intended to continue their journey but required to cross the shallow yet freezing water.
Toinette and Baloum did not hesitate; they removed their shoes and stockings and crossed the canal. They instructedBernadette to remain where she was for the benefit of her weakened health and then followed the path along the Gave de Pau’s course. Feeling somewhat alone and vulnerable, Bernadette searched and discovered a suitable spot where she felt she could cross and follow them. She took a seat in front of the hollow grotto known locally as Massabielle, aformer ‘pig sty’ where farmers used to bring their animals.
As Bernadette removed her first shoe, a sound like a gust of wind swept through the valley. She turned towards the Savy Meadow; the trees remained motionless. She resumed her task, removing her stocking, only to hear another gust of wind. This time, she noticed the swaying of rose bush brambles in a niche above the grotto in front of her. In the darkness of the niche, she perceived light… and the smile of a girl (or lady).
Dressed in a white gown adorned with a blue sash and yellow roses on each foot, matching rosary beads over her right arm, the girl looked at Bernadette. She bowed and smiled, slightly extending her arms to welcome her.
Despite her apprehension, Bernadette remained still, resisting the urge to flee. She rubbed her eyes, hoping to dispel the illusion that it was a dream, but the vision persisted.
Bernadette faltered when attempting to make the sign of the cross, but the figure performed it for her, after which she managed to do it herself. Bernadette retrieved her rosary beads and commenced praying whilst the vision passed her own beads through her hand, remaining silent.
Following the rosary, the girl smiled again, bowed, and vanished.
Holy Water
Following the accounts Bernadette had shared with her parents of the first apparition, they were against her return to the grotto, possibly fearing ghosts. However, two days later, her father reluctantly granted permission for a brief period of “one-quarter of an hour.”
After obtaining holy water from the parish church, Bernadette set out with a group of girls. They followed the same route as on the Thursday, reaching Pont Vieux. However, due to the canal being in full flood, they were compelled to take the forest path to Massabielle. Bernadette descended the zig-zag hillside with remarkable ease and speed, leaving the other girls behind. Those who followed her were more cautious, clinging to bushes as they carefully made their way down.
Upon reaching the bottom, Bernadette knelt before the niche and began praying. She instructed the girls to take out their rosaries and pray. As they approached the second decade, Bernadette’s countenance changed to pale, and her eyes remained fixed on the niche. She informed the girls that the apparition was present and asked if they too could see “the Lady”. They could not. Bernadette sprinkled the holy water over the apparition and the figure smiled.
Suddenly, a loud noise erupted. A large stone descended the hill and struck the rock where Bernadette was kneeling. Despite the impact, Bernadette remained motionless and did not remove her gaze from the niche. The other girls screamed in fright and retreated. They attempted to persuade Bernadette to leave, but she refused. It transpired that the stone had been thrown from the other group of girls who were perched on the hill overlooking Massabielle. Annoyed by Bernadette’s impatience for not waiting for them, Baloum had hurled the stone.
Toinette and the others had fled in fear to the Savy Mill. Recognising the urgency of the situation, the young miller Nicolau offered his assistance in attempting to rescue Bernadette from the grotto. Through his efforts, he was able to successfully extricate her, and in his account, he described Bernadette as possessing an ‘unparalleled beauty’ during the apparition.
The Lady Speaks
Rumours of apparitions at Massabielle were now spreading through the town. Following early Mass and with her mothers’ permission, Bernadette was accompanied by two local women to the Grotto: Jeanne-Marie Milhet and Antoinette Peyret.
Soon after Bernadette began praying, her face once again turned white. At the request of her two senior companions, Bernadette had brought pen and paper to the grotto and, during the apparition, inquired of the Lady, “What is your name, and what is your request from me?”
The Lady smiled and, for the first time, addressed Bernadette. She spoke in the local dialect, Bigourdan,and conveyed three significant messages:
“It is not necessary.”
“What I have to say does not need to be written down.”
“Would you be so kind as to come here each day for fifteen days?”
Bernadette was astounded. It was the first time that anyone had addressed her in such a formal manner. No explicit reason was provided for the request, but a firm commitment accompanied it. Our Lady responded:
“I promise to bring you happiness; not in this world, but in the next.”
Bernadette describes these words and adds that the Virgin gazed at her “as one person looks at another.”
Sinister Voices
On February 19th, early in the morning, Bernadette and her mother departed their home on Rue des Petits Fossés and sought out Bernadette’s aunt and godmother, Bernarde. They all proceeded towards the Gave. Several neighbours recognised them and followed.
A small group of approximately seven or eight local individuals arrived at the grotto around the same time as the Soubirous. Bernadette knelt, raised her rosary, and made the sign of the cross.
Instantly, Bernadette’s perception of reality ceased, and her soul was enveloped in a state of overwhelming ecstasy. A radiant light illuminated her face, and she was consumed by an intense sense of heavenly joy.
Bernadette’s mother and aunt had been told of Bernadette’s customary habits at the grotto, but the extraordinary nature of this experience far surpassed their expectations. Witnessing the child’s transformation, they were filled with trepidation, and the mother implored, “O God, please spare my daughter.”
Bernadette remained in this state of ecstasy for approximately thirty minutes. Upon emerging from her trance, Bernadette was overwhelmed with a sense of happiness. She turned to her mother and aunt, who embraced her with reverence. These women were astounded by the vision that Bernadette had experienced.
During their return journey, Bernadette informed her mother and aunt that the Lady had expressed satisfaction with her promise to visit the grotto and would reveal further revelations in the future. She also described a peculiar phenomenon that transpired during her vision…
While engaged in prayer, sinister voices emanated from the bowels of Massabielle, engaging in a series of questions, contradictions, and interruptions reminiscent of a quarrelsome crowd. One voice, dominating the others, issued a dire command, “Escape!”
Bernadette described that upon hearing this, the Lady raised her head and frowned, directing her gaze towards the Gave River. The voices immediately ceased, dispersed, and ultimately dissipated. This Lady, whoever she was, had great power and influence.
'Unrecognisable"
On her fifth visit to Massabielle, the number of attendees grew to approximately one hundred. Bernadette arrived around 6:30am with her mother. She exhibited neither surprise nor concern regarding the size of the crowd that had gathered.
As it became evident that the apparition had commenced, an extraordinary display of grace transformed Bernadette. She was overwhelmed and experienced a state of ecstasy. Her mother, Louise, remarked that she “did not recognise her daughter.”
The Lady of the apparition taught Bernadette a prayer on this day, word by word, for personal use. Bernadette is said to have recited this prayer daily for the remainder of her life.
She never disclosed the prayer to anyone, stating that it was entrusted to her for private prayerful intentions.
"Pray for Sinners"
Doctor Dozous was the physician of Lourdes; an exceptionally intelligent individual with no discernible Christian inclination. He was present at the sixth apparition and closely observed Bernadette.
As he waited at the grotto for Bernadette, he anticipated witnessing a child with a nervous disorder and believed that a few stern words from him would suffice to dispel the fantastical occurrences at the grotto that were causing such uproar in the town.
Upon Bernadette’s arrival, unperturbed by the crowd, she knelt before the niche and began passing her rosary beads through her hands. Holding a lit candle, a strong gust of wind blowing along the Gave that morning repeatedly extinguished it. When it did, Bernadette passed it to her closest companion, who re-lit it for her.
In her ecstasy, Bernadette fixed her gaze upon the niche, fully communing with the apparition. Doctor Dozous approached Bernadette and meticulously observed her breathing and pulse rate, seeking any signs of extraordinary phenomena. Dozous recorded in his notes:
“I closely monitored all the movements of Bernadette and sought to ascertain the state of circulation of the blood and respiration. I grasped one of her arms and placed my fingers upon the radial artery. The pulse was regular and tranquil, while the respiration was effortless. Nothing indicated any nervous excitement in the young girl.”
Witnesses reported that later during the apparition, Bernadette’s usually radiant face grew somber, and tears descended from her eyes. Subsequently, Bernadette stated, “The Lady, briefly glancing away from me, directed her gaze distant, above my head. Then, looking down upon me once more, as I had enquired about the source of her sadness, she said, ‘Pray for sinners.’”
At conclusion, Bernadette, as she always did, retired with the utmost simplicity and modesty.
Despite his initial skepticism, Doctor Dozous eventually came to believe that Our Lady had indeed appeared to Bernadette and subsequently became a devout apostle to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
1858
The Apparitions
The Secrets
Bernadette arrived at the grotto, knelt, and reverently began her rosary. She performed this act without any sense of discomfort from the admiring crowd; it was as if she were at the parish church.
Suddenly, an expression of astonishment illuminated her face, and she appeared to be reborn. A radiant light emanated from her eyes, and she smiled.
Following the initial euphoria, Bernadette became an attentive listener. Her movements and gestures indicated that she was engaged in conversation. She smiled, nodded, and leaned forward to approve or pose questions. She made the sign of the cross and later, witness J.B. Estrade, asserted that if the sign of the cross is made in heaven, it must be performed in the manner Bernadette did.
The ecstasy lasted for an hour, during which Bernadette rose from her prayer spot and knelt below the wild rose tree, concentrating as if worshipping. She kissed the earth and returned to her knees until the apparition finished.
When asked about the Lady’s words during the seventh appearance, Bernadette revealed that she had been entrusted with three secrets, but these secrets pertained solely to her. She never disclosed them to anyone, not even her confessor. Inquisitive individuals attempted various methods to obtain the secrets from her, but all of their efforts were unsuccessful.
Bernadette carried these secrets to her grave.
"Penance"
By the eighth apparition, strangers from all over France flocked to the grotto, whilst the local crowd grew larger than ever.
Arriving at her usual time, Bernadette knelt on her designated stone, a spot reserved for her by the crowd. Although their interactions until now had appeared personal in conversation, the Queen of Heaven had broader intentions.
Bernadette fell to her knees, this time tears streaming down her cheeks. The crowd watched on as she ascended the slope, placing her lips against the dirty earth with each step. Beneath the wild rose tree, she prostrated herself, raising her head towards the opening as if to receive a command. Now ecstatic, she turned to the onlookers, tears streaming down her face, and uttered three times,
“Penitence, Penitence, Penitence” (also translated as “Penance”)
Returning to her designated spot, Bernadette experienced another ecstasy.
Discovery of the Spring
Bernadette arrived at Massabielle, assumed her angelic pose, and meditated. After a few minutes, she rose and approached the grotto closer, clearing aside the branches of the wild rose tree to kiss the ground beneath the rock. She experienced another ecstatic state.
A few moments later, appearing embarrassed, Bernadette turned towards the Gave. She paused, looked behind, and listened to words emanating from the rock. She made a sign of ascent and proceeded towards the left corner of the grotto. After travelling three-quarters of the way, she stopped and surveyed the surroundings. She raised her head, addressed the Lady, and bent down to scratch the earth.
The crowd were watching Bernadette’s every move, wondering what was happening.
All of a sudden, a cavity Bernadette had dug, filled with water. The young girl drank it - the crowd gasped… then shewashed her hands and her face with the filthy water. Bernadette’s face was covered in mud and the crowd were in uproar, proclaiming, “Bernadette is insane!”
Undeterred, she cleansed her face as directed by the apparition and resumed her contemplation, experiencing a profound sense of happiness.
The hour of admiration had passed and Bernadette’s prestige had diminished. As the crowd dispersed, Bernadette remained tranquil and reflective, praying beneath the gaze of her beloved. When the vision dissipated, she made the sign of the cross and returned to the town past sniggering and jeering townspeople.
It was some time before anyone would understand the true meaning of what Bernadette had discovered that morning…
The Spring
Bernadette was unaware of the spring in the Grotto but followed the advice of the apparition in unearthing it on February 25th, 1858. Witnesses concluded that the spring appeared on this day.
However, shepherds claimed that the spring had been visible and flowing before the apparitions. They explained that its visibility or invisibility depended on the level of the Gave de Pau during inundations.
Some would not accept this explanation and doubted the shepherds’ honesty. They argued that even if buried, the spring’s abundant flow could not have reached the Gave without showing itself.
This disagreement persisted for over twenty years until Abbé Richard, a renowned hydrogeologist, studied the site and declared that the Massabieille spring, although miraculous in its discovery and effects, was not miraculous in its existence.
Abbé Richard’s words were accurate. The spring is now constantly visible due to excavation works in the grotto and it produces up to 122,000 litres per day; pilgrims from across the world flock to Lourdes to drink it, wash and bathe in it and take samples home.
There have been hundreds of thousands of healings attributed to this water since Bernadette’s discovery; to date, only 71 have been authenticated by the Catholic Church.
Details of the 71 healings can be found here: https://www.lourdes-france.com/en/miraculous-healings/
"For sinners"
Upon arriving at the grotto, Bernadette knelt at the spot where she had scratched the earth the day before. She discovered the newly emerging spring and partook in a cleansing ritual by drinking and washing herself there. After drying her face, she returned to the stone for private prayer and commenced reciting her rosary with fervent devotion.
Suddenly, the apparition addressed her, uttering the words, “Kiss the earth for the sinners.”
Undeterred by any sense of propriety, Bernadette lowered her head and kissed the ground. Subsequently, she prostrated herself before the apparition, extending an invitation to all to join her in the act of reparation.
Bernadette turned to the assembled crowd and commanded everyone to bow their heads to the ground. As if the apparition had spoken directly to them, the crowd responded by bending their knees and touching the soil of the grotto. Those who were unable to bow deeply kissed specific portions of the rock.
"Tell the priests to build a chapel"
Bernadette’s ecstatic contemplations were unusually prolonged on this day. After their conversation, Bernadette describes that the Lady appeared deeply engrossed in thought. Upon emergence, she said to Bernadette, “Tell the priests to build a chapel here”.
Bernadette was apprehensive about addressing the parish priest, Father Peyramale. He was a surly, stern and authoritative figure in the town. Bernadette had expressed to friends her trepidation towards the venerated pastor;despite his goodness, she harboured a great fear of him – “moreso than a policeman” she said.
Bernadette took courage and walked to the presbytery. She conveyed to Father Peyramale that the Lady of the grotto had expressed desire for a chapel to be built at Massabielle.
His reaction at this stage was unfavourable and he sent Bernadette away.
Although initially skeptical, Father Peyramale’s demeanour became more receptive after Bernadette meticulously recounted her visions, acknowledging her sincerity and supernatural knowledge.
Private Promises
Over two thousand people gathered around the Massabielle rock, eagerly awaiting the seer’s arrival. Bernadette, dressed in her Sunday clothes, arrived with her youngest aunt, Lucile. Bernadette’s angelic face reflected the heavenly glory of the hidden Lady of the rock. The rock itself was solemn, silent, and sublime, with all eyes fixed on it.
In the crowd, a mountaineer cried like a child, a labourer twisted his stick until it broke, an artisan used his vocabulary to express his wonder, and an educated gentleman tried to recall forgotten prayer formulas.
Bernadette, in ecstasy, wished to make her usual reverence beneath the wild rose tree but the dense crowd blocked her path. Two soldiers, sightseers from the Fort, forced a way through and pushed back the spectators. “Make room!” they cried.
The apparition of February 28th was private and personal. Bernadette kept silent about its revelations, and everyone respected her. After the ecstasy, she went directly to the parish church for Sunday Mass, accompanied by her aunt and townspeople.
That same morning, workmen present for the apparition made a zigzag path up the hill behind the grotto. Unlike it is today, the path began at the foot of the hill and rose vertically in narrow, short, and broken lines to the top of the slope.
Rosary Beads
During the Apparitions at Lourdes, a devotee entrusted Bernadette with a set of rosary beads, requesting their use at the grotto. Bernadette readily accepted this request. On March 1st, she arrived at the grotto, knelt down, and retrieved the rosary from her pocket. As she raised it to her forehead, her hand was arrested, and the Lady inquired about the origin of the rosary beads. Bernadette lifted her arm to demonstrate the rosary in her possession.
“This rosary is not yours” the Lady declared.
Bernadette reached into her pocket and retrieved her own rosary, which she offered to the Lady. The Lady confirmed its authenticity, and the seer commenced her prayers.
The crowd emulated her piety, praying and kissing the ground in her presence.
The Goodbye
The heavenly Lady of the rock invited Bernadette to the grotto for fifteen days, promising to meet her there during that time. However, after the fortnight, the believers realised they hadn’t reached the end of the Massabielle story. The Virgin appeared again on March 25th and crowned her work with the immortal term “I am the Immaculate Conception.”
To gradually accustom her protégée to separation, the Mother of Heaven returned to the grotto on April 7th and July 16th.
Bernadette, now living with the nuns and having taken her first Holy Communion, was praying in the parish church on the day of the final apparition, when she heard the Virgin’s voice calling her to the grotto.
Bernadette asked her aunt Basile to join her, but entry to the grotto was forbidden. Instead, they went to the opposite bank of the Gave and knelt there.
As Bernadette looked towards the rock, the light of ecstasy transformed her face. She cried, “Yes, there she is! She welcomes us and smiles upon us across the barriers!”
The Virgin and Bernadette shared a beautiful spiritual communion, like a light current between their souls. During Bernadette’s beatitude, she seemed to try to detach herself from the earth and fly to her heavenly Mother.
As the Virgin prepared to leave the grotto, she didn’t say or do anything to prepare Bernadette for the separation. Instead, she chose to be silent rather than make her child’s heart unhappy.
Throughout the vision, Bernadette remained gracious and smiling.
As the sun set and night crept over Massabielle, the Virgin cast a long look of love upon Bernadette and disappeared. Bernadette would never see the Mother of God again, except in heaven.
"Come in Procession"
The apparition of February 27th tasked Bernadette with delivering a message to the parish priest. Today, Bernadette had a new message to deliver to the presbytery. How would it be received by the stern curé?
Bernadette informed the curé that the Lady had instructed her to reiterate her desire for a chapel to be constructed at Massabielle and on this apparition, she further expressed her wish for people to ”come in procession” to the site.
The curé’s face darkened, and he remained unconvinced. He inquired of Bernadette how she believed such a feat was possible.
Fr. Peyramale requested that Bernadette convey a message back to the Lady. He instructed her to enquire if the Lady was indeed from God and, if so, to request that the rose bush in the grotto bloom in March.
Bernadette agreed to transmit the message but clarified that she did not believe the Lady intended for the chapel to be built and people to come immediately. If her understanding was correct, she believed the Lady intended for it to be at some point in the future.
Later on, it was noted that Fr. Peyramale expressed his optimism to one of his colleagues, stating, “I am more optimistic than you may think; I have no doubt that both chapel and procession will occur at Massabielle.”
There are conflicting opinions on whether an apparition occurred on this day, as translations between documented evidence are inconsistent. Having critically examined numerous notable works, we presume the following:
On March 3rd, Bernadette performed a devout prayer at the grotto, devoid of her customary ecstasy. The Lady did not make an appearance. Bernadette prostrated herself on the ground, bowed her head, and returned to her customary position. Without fixating on the rock, she crossed herself and rose. The crowd inquired if the Lady had appeared. Bernadette responded, “The Lady has not made an appearance today.” Another individual inquired about the possibility of future appearances and Bernadette stated, “I am uncertain, but the fortnight has not concluded. I intend to return tomorrow.”
Bernadette never engaged in pretence regarding the events that transpired at the grotto. She accepted the occurrences as they unfolded. She consistently demonstrated submissiveness and truthfulness.
The Mayor of Lourdes requested that the Army captain assemble the military personnel at the town hall the following morning due to the anticipated large crowds on market day - the last day of the fortnight.
On the eve of this day, from various regions of France, particularly nearby towns and villages, small groups of pilgrims embarked on their journey towards Massabielle. On the outskirts of Lourdes, along the roads from Pau, Tarbes, Bagnères, and Argelès, these human streams peacefully converged at Lourdes and descended the Massabielle rock.
The morning of 4th March, the grotto was filled with 15-20 thousand people. While such crowds are commonplace today, at that time, the area was highly unsuitable for such an influx of people ; it, afterall, was a muddy meadow besides a canal and a former pigsty. Although not adherents to religious beliefs, the authorities demonstrated a commendable level of concern and vigilance in managing the event.
Bernadette emerged around 7:15am and joined the crowd without uttering a word. Two gendarmes, armed with swords, provided her with protection.
At the Massabieille plateau, Bernadette observed a young blind girl weeping. Moved by the child’s plight, she embraced her and then went on to commence her prayer. As Bernadette prayed, the valley fell into a state of profound silence. Heads turned, and knees bent in reverence.
Held in awe, hearts pounded with emotion. They anticipated a divine manifestation at the grotto on this, the last day of the fortnight.
In her ecstasy, Bernadette shed tears, and it appeared that the heavenly apparition was departing, but her countenance was illuminated with hope. What was the nature of their intimate conversation?
The details remain unknown. Bernadette was in a state of ecstasy for nearly an hour. Upon its conclusion, allBernadette said was, “I will continue to come here, but I am uncertain whether the Lady will reappear.”
Despite the touching spectacle, those who believed in the apparitions were left with a sense of only partial fulfilment. Some held onto the hope that the Lady would manifest by blooming the rose tree and revealing herself to the crowd. Others envisioned her performing both actions.
Intelligent individuals offered prayers for the Lady’s presence, but their efforts yielded no tangible results. Many harboured concerns that the Virgin’s influence was waning.
Undeterred, the Lady of the rock refused to leave the mystery unresolved. In a few days, a profound revelation would elucidate the enigma and dispel any lingering fears.
The Last Day of the Fortnight
“Que soy era Immaculada Councepciou”
On the eve of the 25th March - the Feast of the Assumption - Bernadette had heard the voice of her ‘faithful messenger’; the one who had always announced to her the coming of the Lady at the Grotto.
Bernadette passed a sleepless night and at the first light of dawn, she arose from her bed and set for Massabielle. To her horror, as she arrived, she found the niche in the rock already ablaze with light: the Lady was waiting for her, looking down on the already gathered crowd like a loving mother.
In Bernadette’s words (translated from later notes):
“When I was on my knees before the Lady, I begged her pardon for being late. Always good and gracious, she made a sign to me with her head to tell me I need not excuse myself. Then I spoke to her of all my affection, all my respect and the happiness I had in seeing her again. Then I took up my rosary. As I was praying, the thought of asking her name came before my mind with such persistence that I could think of nothing else. I feared to be presumptuous in repeating a question she had always refused to ask and yet something compelled me to speak.
The words fell from my mouth and I begged the Lady to tell me who she was. The Lady stood above the rose tree in a position similar to that shown on the miraculous medal. Her face became serious and she seemed to bow in humility. Then she joined her handstand raised the, to her breast… she looked up to heaven… then, slowly opening her hands and leaning forward towards me, she said in a voice vibrating with emotion:
“I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION”
I lowered my head and repeated the Lady’s gesture.”
The Candle (penultimate apparition)
The Lourdes physician, Doctor Dozous, was once again present for the 17th apparition and described a phenomenonthat other witnesses later said had happened on more than one occasion.
As Bernadette knelt in her ecstasy, in deep prayer with who everyone now knew as the Queen of Heaven, her left hand passed through the flame of the candle she was holding. The flame seemingly had no effect on Bernadette’s skin. Dr.Dozous was astonished and made sure nobody got near Bernadette while he observed.
Her hand constantly went through the burning flame. Dr. Dozous writes in his notes that he took out his pocket watch and timed for fifteen minutes this miracle. At the end, as Bernadette was about to leave the grotto, he inspected her hand thoroughly and found no trace whatsoever of burn or injury. He relit the candle and attempted to put it close to Bernadette’s skin… she said instantly “stop, you’re burning me”.
Doctor Dozous, and other witnesses on the day, detailed this event in note form.
"What struck me was the joy, the sadness reflected in Bernadette's face ... Respect, silence, recollection reigned everywhere. Oh, it was good to be there. It was like being at the gates of paradise”.
- Pere (Fr.) Dezirat, Lourdes, 1st March 1858