Lourdes

This morning was another early one. We woke up at six in the morning in order to take a taxi to the train station and catch the early train to Lourdes. Unfortunately, we missed the first train, so we walked to a cafe. It ended up being great because we drank some coffee/ hot chocolate and ate crescents while watching the sunrise over the Pyrenees. A guy came up to us after hearing us speak English and asked if we wanted to take his graduate level Thanksgiving quiz. It was amusing and we did pretty well on it. (Especially the ones about modern day Thanksgiving customs :P)

After that we caught our train and upon entering found out that it had compartments, just like in Harry Potter. I liked having the privacy of it; we could be our loud American selves without shame. haha

When we arrived, the first thing we did was buy some bottles into which we could put the healing water. Then we walked to the basilica which was built over the spot where Saint Bernadette saw Mary and dug the spring. It is huge and beautiful. At the front there is a spot which contains the many crosses that pilgrims have brought from all over the world.

The church is like three churches built on top of each other. Inside the first there are beautiful mosaics of all the stations of the cross. The second story has the crypt/ chapel and the third is another church. Also, the walls on all the floors are covered in bricks that have inscriptions on them, all thanking Marie and Bernadette for the blessings of Lourdes.

Next we walked to the area where they have prayer candles. They have HUGE wax candles and smaller ones as well. I bought one to light for some prayer requests.

Then to the best part! The cave where Mary appeared to Bernadette and the spot where the spring originated.

This is where Mary appeared!

The original spot where she dug is now covered by glass, but the springs have been tapped into faucets so that more people can access it more efficiently. You can bath in the very cold mountain water as well for healing, but in the summer months you will wait on average of four hours to do it.

Next we went to the underground church where they hold the international masses. The building is just plain cement, but it can fit 15,000 people in it! It kind of reminds me of a large parking garage, only a church... As we headed back to the train station we stopped at a Boulangerie so that Sheridan could try a baguette while she was in France and then we stopped in to see the church where Bernadette was baptized. It was pretty, but they had a mass or service of some type going on, so we didn't wander around.