Our Lady of Lourdes, ora pro nobis!

If you are looking for some nice desktop wallpaper of the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, check out this website.    
http://www.lourdes-france.org/index.php?goto_centre=ar&contexte=en&id=867&name=Wallpapers#






Between February 11th and July 16th 1858, St. Bernadette experienced eighteen apparitions of the Virgin Mary at the Grotto of Massabielle.

1st Apparition
Thursday February 11th 1858 : The Meeting
Accompanied by her sister and a friend, Bernadette went to Massabielle on the banks of the Gave to collect bones and dead wood. Removing her socks in order to cross the stream, she heard a noise like a gust of wind, she looked up towards the Grotto : "I SAW A LADY DRESSED IN WHITE, SHE WORE A WHITE DRESS, AN EQUALLY WHITE VEIL, A BLUE BELT AND A YELLOW ROSE ON EACH FOOT." Bernadette made the Sign of the Cross and said the Rosary with the lady. When the prayer ended the Lady suddenly vanished.

On Thursday 25th February 1857, Bernadette explained; "Aquéro" ("that thing there" the word in local dialect that Bernadette used for the Lady) told me "go drink at the spring and wash yourself there." Not seeing any water nearby, I went to the Cave. But she made a sign to me, with her finger, to go underneath the rock. There I found a little muddy water, so little that I had difficulty in getting it into the hollow of my hand. Three times I threw it away because it was so dirty. I was only able to draw it up the fourth time."