On February 11 1858, the Virgin Mary first appeared to Bernadette Soubirous. 14-year-old Bernadette saw Our Lady as she was gathering firewood in the Grotto of Massabielle.

30 years ago, Saint John Paul II instituted the World Day of the Sick on this solemnity of Our Lady of Lourdes. Lourdes has always been tied to healing, ever since the Virgin Mary asked Bernadette to dig in the ground and drink from the spring she found. Many people have been cured by drinking this water, making Lourdes a popular pilgrimage site for the sick.

In a message to pilgrims today, Pope Francis said “Mother, help us to be a community that goes out to encounter everyone.” He further explains that “encounter is not almsgiving, it is walking together, escaping solitude and isolation to be with others, with friends, with family, with the People of God, all together in prayer before Our Lady.”

Let us pray today for all of the sick, that they may find healing and repose in this life or the next. Let us also pray for all caregivers and healthcare workers who encounter and uplift the sick every day. May they always be supported by their community in their work.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!

To see a live stream of the Grotto in Lourdes, click here or watch below:

https://youtu.be/jPUCmOZcUkU