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Article: Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.(Opinion & Editorial)
- Article from:
- Manila Bulletin
- Article date:
- February 11, 2007
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THE series of events that have made the names of Lourdes and Bernadette famous throughout the Christian world began on February 11, 1858, when Our Lady appeared in the grotto of Massabielle, near Lourdes in southern France, to a 14-year-old peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous.
Bernadette was a sickly child of poor parents. Their practice of the Catholic faith was little more than lukewarm. Bernadette could pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Creed. She also knew the prayer of the Miraculous Medal: "O Mary conceived without sin."
At first, Bernadette did not know who the Lady was. She described her as a beautiful woman, wearing a white robe ...