At Lourdes, prayer comes first. During the eighteen Apparitions of 1858, Bernadette Soubirous prayed the Rosary, and the “Lady” held one herself. The message received at the Grotto of Massabielle comes down to three words: prayer, penance, conversion. This section gathers simple guidance for praying with Lourdes, on site or from home. It is written for believers and for visitors who want to understand what pilgrims come to live there.
A message of prayer received in 1858
From 11 February to 16 July 1858, Bernadette Soubirous saw a “Lady” eighteen times at the Grotto of Massabielle. According to the testimonies gathered by Fr René Laurentin, the “Lady” asked for prayer for sinners, for penance and for a return to God. The Bishop of Tarbes recognised these Apparitions on 18 January 1862.
This message brings no new revelation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church recalls that private revelations “do not belong to the deposit of faith” (CCC § 67). They add nothing to the Gospel. They only help people live it more fully. To pray at Lourdes is therefore to pray as the Church prays everywhere, in a place marked by these events.
The Rosary, Bernadette’s prayer
At every Apparition, Bernadette prayed the Rosary. The Rosary is a simple prayer: the Hail Mary is repeated while meditating on the life of Christ, together with his Mother. The Catechism mentions it among the forms of Marian prayer (CCC § 2678).
This is why the Rosary remains at the heart of prayer at Lourdes. The Sanctuary prays it every day at the Grotto and broadcasts it for those who cannot come. Times are published on its official website, lourdes-france.org.
11 February, feast of Our Lady of Lourdes
The Church celebrates Our Lady of Lourdes on 11 February, the day of the first Apparition. It is an optional memorial in the General Roman Calendar. On 13 May 1992, Pope John Paul II made this day the World Day of the Sick, first celebrated on 11 February 1993.
Many of the faithful prepare for it with a novena, that is, nine days of prayer. It is traditionally prayed from 3 to 11 February. The page on Our Lady of Lourdes, her Apparitions and prayer explains this practice.
Praying from home
None of these prayers requires being at Lourdes. The Rosary, the novena and the invocation “Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us” can be prayed anywhere. Many parishes around the world bear the name of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Praying at Lourdes, or praying to Our Lady of Lourdes, guarantees no cure. The Church recognises unexplained cures after a long medical and canonical inquiry, but it promises nothing. Prayer remains, first of all, an act of trust.
What this section contains
This section opens with a first page: Our Lady of Lourdes: the Apparitions, the message and prayer. It tells the story of the eighteen Apparitions, explains the name “Immaculate Conception” and suggests simple ways to pray.
More pages will follow: the Rosary, the novena, the virtual pilgrimage and the prayer wall. For the history of the place, see also the section on the Grotto of Massabielle and the Sanctuary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need to Go to Lourdes to Pray to Our Lady of Lourdes?
What Prayer Did Bernadette Say at the Grotto?
When Is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes?
Sources and References
Magisterium
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, editio typica 1997 — § 67, § 2678
- John Paul II, letter to Cardinal Angelini establishing the World Day of the Sick, 13 May 1992
Official Sanctuary
- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes — lourdes-france.org
Bernadettine corpus
- Laurentin R., Lourdes, récit authentique des apparitions
- Laurentin R., Logia de Bernadette, vol. I-III