(1858) On February 11, 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, aged 14, her sister Tionette aged 12 and their friend Jeanne Abadie aged 13 had gone out to hunt for wood. They had walked to Massabielle and saw a grotto in front of which there was a stream. So Bernadette Soubirous started to take off her shoes and socks to walk through the water. When she looked at the grotto, she saw in the upper most corner of the grotto, a beautiful lady, dressed in a white with a blue belt and a rose on each of her feet. The Lady asked Bernadette to pray with her the Rosary. She spontaneously grabs her rosary kneels down and tries to make the sign of the cross. The Lady, also made the sign of the Cross and they started to pray the rosary. The Vision lasts about 15 minuets after praying the rosary. Bernadette told her sister & her friend about it and thus the news is told to the mother of Bernadette. On one occasion, Mary instructs her to Go to the priest and asks a chapel to be built there. On the 9th Apparition, The Blessed Mother instructs her to drink from a spring of miraculous water nearby. On another occasion, Our Lady made a promise to her: "I promise to make you happy not in this world, but in the next." When she asked for her name, the Lady replied: "I am the Immaculate Conception." After 8 years, Bernadette entered the convent of the Sisters of Charity and live in Humility & Penance. She died on the year 1879, at the age of 35. Her body is still uncorrupted & she was declared a Saint of the Church.
