In the extreme south-west of France, separated from its southern counterpart by imposing barrier of the Pyrenees Mountains —which is more open here as if to encourage communication between the two regions— the Northern Basque Country (...)
Bernadette Soubirous was born at Boly Mill in Lourdes on January 7, 1844. After a happy childhood, she was struck by hardship, illness and poverty. But it was nonetheless this poor girl to whom, in 1858, Our Lady delivered her message during her 18 apparitions at the Massabielle Grotto. They were authenticated by Monseigneur Laurence, Bishop (...)