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      Edinburgh Lourdes

                                              Lourdes Story

Between 11th February 1858 and 16th July 1858, a young peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous experienced 18 visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Grotto of Massabielle in the small town of Lourdes, situated in the foothills of the Pyrenees in South-West France.  From this time, Lourdes has grown and is now a major site of pilgrimage with over 5 million people travelling to Lourdes each year.  The message of Lourdes is prayer, penance, peace and hope.  

During the 9th apparition, Bernadette was instructed by Our Lady to dig into the ground.  When she did this she uncovered the miraculous spring, which still flows today and supplies that taps and baths used in the sanctuary.  During the 12th apparition, the first of many miraculous healings took place, and at the 13th apparition, Our Lady asked for a chapel to be built and for people to come in procession.  People have come to Lourdes in procession from this time, to the present day.

You can read about the story of Lourdes in more detail on the sanctuary website www.lourdes-france.org

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes
Mary, you showed yourself to Bernadette in the crevice of the rock.
In the cold and grey of winter, you brought the warmth, light and beauty of your presence,

In the often obscure depths of our lives, in the depth of the world where evil is so powerful,
bring hope, return our confidence!

You are the Immaculate Conception, come to our aid, sinners that we are.
Give us the humility to have a change of heart, the courage to do penance.
Teach us to pray for all people.

Guide us to the source of true life.  Make us pilgrims going forward with your Church,
whet our appetite for the Eucharist, the bread for the journey, the bread of life.

The Spirit brought about wonders in you, O Mary :  by his power, he has placed you near the Father,
in the glory of your eternal Son.  Look with kindness on our miserable bodies and hearts.
Shine forth for us, like a gentle light, at the hour of our death.

Together with Bernadette, we pray to you, O Mary, as your poor children.
May we enter, like her, into the spirit of the Beatitudes.
Then, we will be able, here below, begin to know the joy of the Kingdom of Heaven
and sing together with you :  Magnificent !

Glory to you, Virgin Mary, blessed servant of the Lord, Mother of God, dwelling place of the Holy Spirit!                   Amen.           

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