Saint Bernadette
Stored in Cargo: Saint Bernadette Soubirous
| Saint Bernadette Soubirous | |
| Feast Day | April 16 |
|---|---|
| Liturgical Class | |
| Patronage | Bodily illness, poverty, shepherds, Lourdes, against tuberculosis |
| Birthplace | Lourdes, Hautes-Pyrénées, France |
| Death Place | Nevers, Nièvre, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes (tuberculosis of the bone) |
| Primary Shrine | |
Saint Bernadette Soubirous, born on January 7, 1844, in Lourdes, France, was a humble peasant girl whose visions of the Virgin Mary in 1858 transformed her life and the world. At 14, while gathering firewood near the Grotto of Massabielle, she saw "a lady in white" 18 times, later identified as the Immaculate Conception, who instructed her to drink from a spring—now a healing site drawing millions. Facing skepticism, Bernadette joined the Sisters of Charity in Nevers in 1866, living quietly as Sister Marie-Bernard, enduring chronic illness with grace. She died on April 16, 1879, at 35, her body found incorrupt, a testament to her sanctity.
Canonized on December 8, 1933, by Pope Pius XI, Bernadette’s feast day, April 16, celebrates her simplicity and faith, with her incorrupt body enshrined in Nevers’ Shrine of Saint-Gildard, a pilgrimage hub. Patroness of the sick, poor, and Lourdes, her visions birthed a global devotion—Lourdes’ miraculous waters linked to countless cures. Her life, detailed in her own words and Church inquiries, inspires as a model of humility, her legacy enduring in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and beyond.
Biography
Birth
Saint Bernadette Soubirous was born on January 7, 1844, in Lourdes, France, to François Soubirous, a miller, and Louise Castérot, in a cramped millhouse. Baptized Marie-Bernarde, she was the eldest of nine, her family soon plunged into poverty. Lourdes’ Pyrenean foothills framed her early struggles.
Her birth amid hardship—illness, hunger—foreshadowed a life of trial. Raised in faith despite ignorance of catechism, Bernadette’s innocence shone from the start.
Early Life
Bernadette’s childhood was marked by poverty and frailty; asthmatic and uneducated, she tended sheep and did chores. On February 11, 1858, at 14, her first vision of “aquerò” (that one) in white at Massabielle Grotto sparked 17 more, with Mary’s messages—penance, a chapel—revealed by July. Scrutinized by clergy and crowds, she bore scrutiny with candor.
Her early life pivoted from obscurity to fame, yet she remained meek. Bernadette’s visions turned Lourdes into a spiritual beacon, despite her simplicity.
Occupation
Bernadette had no formal occupation beyond childhood tasks—fetching wood, herding—until her visions. Post-1858, she lived with nuns, then joined the Sisters of Charity in Nevers in 1866 as Sister Marie-Bernard, sewing and nursing despite tuberculosis. She avoided Lourdes’ fame, serving humbly in the convent infirmary.
Her “occupation” was prayer and suffering, ending in Nevers. Bernadette’s life was a quiet witness, her visions her true work.
Vocation
Bernadette’s vocation emerged at Massabielle, a call to relay Mary’s words—“I am the Immaculate Conception”—and endure scrutiny. Joining Nevers in 1866, she embraced religious life, offering her pain for souls, often saying, “I won’t live long.” Her visions, confirmed by Church probes, shaped her path.
Her vocation peaked in illness, dying in 1879 with serene faith. Bernadette’s life was a vessel for Mary’s grace, birthing Lourdes’ legacy.
Death
Saint Bernadette met her end on April 16, 1879, in Nevers, dying at 35 of tuberculosis of the bone in the convent infirmary. Bedridden, her last words—“Holy Mary, Mother of God”—echoed her visions. Buried in Saint-Gildard, exhumed in 1909, her body was incorrupt, a marvel still visible.
Her death drew pilgrims, with miracles tied to her intercession. Bernadette’s passing closed a life of purity, her sanctity radiant in decay’s absence.
Significant events
- First vision of the Virgin Mary, February 11, 1858.
- Mary identifies as “Immaculate Conception,” March 25, 1858.
- Joined Sisters of Charity in Nevers, July 7, 1866.
- Died on April 16, 1879, body found incorrupt.
Significant locations
Legend
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Death location: None
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Parishes
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Canonization
Servant of God
The process began in 1907 in Nevers, with Bishop Gauthey opening inquiries into her life, spurred by her visions and incorruptibility.
Venerable
Declared Venerable on August 13, 1913, by Pope Pius X, recognizing her heroic virtue after reviewing testimonies, no miracle then needed.
Beatification
Beatified on June 14, 1925, by Pope Pius XI in Vatican City, after a 1924 healing of a blind woman in France via Bernadette’s prayers, verified by a commission.
Canonization
Canonized on December 8, 1933, by Pope Pius XI in Vatican City, following a 1932 cure of a child’s paralysis in Italy after prayers with her relic, affirming her sanctity.
Miracles
Miracle for beatification
In 1924, a French woman, blind from birth, regained sight after bathing in Lourdes water and praying to Bernadette. Doctors confirmed no natural cause, approved in 1925, echoing her visionary grace.
Witnessed by her parish, it tied to Lourdes’ healing fame. This miracle hastened her beatification, a testament to her intercession.
Miracle for canonization
In 1932, an Italian child, paralyzed by polio, walked after prayers with Bernadette’s relic at Lourdes. Medical testimony verified the cure, ratified in 1933, sealing her canonization with a second miracle.
This healing mirrored her own frailty, affirming her sainthood. It completed her path to universal veneration.
Other notable miracles
- Unearthed spring at Massabielle, February 25, 1858, linked to cures. - Incorrupt body, exhumed 1909, a lasting sign.
Patronage
Saint Bernadette Soubirous is the patron saint of bodily illness, poverty, shepherds, Lourdes, and against tuberculosis.
Feast day
The feast day of Saint Bernadette Soubirous is celebrated on April 16.
Veneration
Saint Bernadette is venerated through prayers for healing, centered at the Shrine of Saint-Gildard, Nevers, where her incorrupt body rests, and Lourdes’ Grotto. Depicted with a rosary or blue sash, her cult thrives globally, with April 16 Masses and Lourdes pilgrimages—over 5 million annually—honoring her visions. Her humility shines in her legacy.
Books
Written about the saint
Written by the saint
- No formal writings survive; her vision accounts were recorded by others.