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Lourdes Jubilee 2008
150 th anniversary of the apparitions of the Virgin.
As part of the 150th anniversary of the apparitions many festivities are held in the town of Lourdes.
Visitors from around the world are expected to celebrate this event, so remember to book now your hotel room at Lourdes or in the surrounding towns:
Where to stay in Lourdes?
Download the official program of Jubilee 2008
Bernadette Soubirous appearances
One who later became St. Bernadette is famous for having reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary in a cave in his hometown, Lourdes.
Bernadette is the elder of a modest family of Lourdes, in her youth she knew hunger and disease, she can barely read and write. Attainment of asthma, Bernadette has a fragile health.
Not knowing little about the catechism, Bernadette still feels a strong religious sentiment.
The 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary
The first appearance in place Thursday, February 11, 1858. With his sister Marie, and Jeanne Abadie, a friend, Bernadette travels along the Gave. Because of his fragile health, it is reluctant to cross the Gave, jelly, as his sister and her friend. That's when she was surprised by a noise and raises his head to the grotto of Massabielle.
"I saw a lady dressed in white: she was wearing a white robe, a whiteout also, a blue belt and a yellow rose on each foot" Bernadette testified.
The rumor is widespread appearances around the grotto of Massabielle and grow a variety of increasingly important to accompany Bernadette. At the sixth appearance, a hundred people follow Bernadette, during appearances following: 150, 300, 800, 2000, 3000 and even 8000 people at the 15th appearance!
At the seixième appearance, the woman appeared to Bernadette in Occitan and said: "Que soi er'immaculada concepcion". Bernadette retains those words, she does not understand, and the court said the priest, who is troubled: four years earlier, Pope Pius IX made of the term Immaculate Conception dogma and said Bernadette ignore it designates the Virgin.
It will not be enough to the Virgin that eighteen visits to the girl (between February 11 and July 16, 1858), so that a small source of the Pyrenees, flashing a river of prayers and miracles do know the small village Lourdes throughout the world.
Recognition by the Catholic Church
On July 28, 1858, twelve days after the last apparition, the Bishop of Tarbes, convenes a commission of inquiry to establish whether the Church should be providing credit to the assertions of Bernadette Soubirous.
The committee is required to verify the validity of miracles announced by collecting various testimony and the opinions of scientists or people from church.
Meanwhile, the crowd of pilgrims coming to see the cave and ask for help to Mary is growing, it has people from all over Europe and further evidence of miracles accumulate.
On January 18, 1862, the bishop gives his opinion: "We believe that the Immaculate Mary, Mother of God, actually appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, February 11, 1858 and the following days, the number of eighteen times, the grotto of Massabielle, near the town of Lourdes; that this occurrence is all characters from the truth, and that the faithful are based on the degree of belief. We humbly submit our judgment on Judgment of the Supreme Pontiff, who is responsible to govern the universal Church".
The appearances are recognized by the Catholic Church.
Bernadette Soubirous was beatified on June 14, 1925 and canonized on December 8, 1933.
Lourdes today
Thus, Lourdes, modest capital of the Pyrenees has quickly become the one of the largest place of pélerinnage of the Catholic world.
With about 230 hotels in Lourdes, the city is the second largest city hôtelière de France. Located at the foot of the Massif des Pyrénées, Lourdes could also be an excellent starting point for trips or stay in the mountains.
Faced with the strong influence expected for the Jubilee period of Sainte Bernadette and the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, the team of Federal Hotel invites you to book your hotel now to benefit from preferential tariffs and greater choice hotel. http://en.federal-hotel.com/hotels_lourdes_38367.htm
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