| Our Lady of Lourdes Fourth left window on the left side of the Church Lourdes, in the south of France, is the place of one of the most famous of Our Lady's apparitions. It's story was told in the famous film that many of us saw in our youth, "The Song of Bernadette." Mary appeared eighteen times to a young peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous, at a grotto in the little town of Lourdes not far from a swiftly flowing river in the year 1858. Bernadette simply described the person of the apparitions as the "Beautiful Lady" until Mary revealed her identity to the girl as "I am the Immaculate Conception". Bernadette was not readily believed by those around her in Lourdes and suffered many hardships and ridicule. Once again, proof was needed. Mary asked that Bernadette leave a lighted candle at the place where she knelt and that she begin to dig in the ground. To the surprise of all present, water sprang forth which later became the famous Miraculous Spring of Lourdes. Mary announced to the young girl that she had chosen Lourdes to be one of the greatest of her sanctuaries. Her presence is still tangible there today. The upper medallion of our window contains the image a lily surrounded by a crown of thorns and the words "Pray for Sinners" which recalls Mary's words to Bernadette "Penance, Penance". The main figure shows the young Bernadette at the grotto at Massabielle looking up at the "Beautiful Lady" who is dressed in white with a blue sash which flowed down all along her robe. The veil upon her head was also white and fell down in the back just below her waist. The Lady's feet were bare and upon each foot rested a golden rose. On her arm she carried a pearl-white rosary. The third medallion depicts the "Grotto of Lourdes" with images of the huge basilica, the gate to the Grotto, the miraculous baths, and the blue river flowing past the Grotto. The bottom shield contains the image of the "Sealed Fountain" a biblical figure appropriated to the Blessed Virgin because of her gift to mankind of the healing waters of Lourdes. The images are of a well, a pail and a ladle. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us |
