The Grotto of Massabielle

The grotto of Massabielle is a Catholic pilgrimage site located in Lourdes, France (Hautes-Pyrénées). It is where Bernadette Soubirous saw 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1858 and where, on the directions of the Virgin, she discovered a water source now reputed miraculous.

Geography

The cave is located in the space of the sanctuaries in front of the gave de Pau. The toponym "Massabielle" is a francization of the word massavielha, literally meaning "old mass" or "old rock" in gascon occitan mountain.

Topography

The grotto of Massabielle measures 3.80 meters in height, 9,50 meters deep and 9,85 m wide. It corresponds to a crevice in a rock partition of 27 meters high. The wall is smooth and wet in places, and you can see the karstic resurgence passing in the direction of the gave de Pau by a hole in the rock. The cave is a simple limestone cavity with a morainic block stuck in gut and some stalagmites.

Hydrology

A water source flows near the cave: it is one of the 7 or 8 resurgences Karst (underground delta) of water coming from the synclinal of Batsurguere - Prat d'Aureilh and which feed the gave de Pau.

This spring, flowing near the cave since the ninth appearance on the 25^th of February 1858, had miraculous powers. Bernadette Soubirous stated that the lady told him: "come drink at the fountain and wash yourself there." The source was captured in 1949 and was developed in 1974 (covered with a plate of glass, it is illuminated), the water being channeled in a tank under the basilicas. Since then, the pilgrims drink this water at 10 ° C. They were able to collect from taps placed to the left of the cave (the work undertaken as a result of the floods of the River in 2012 and 2013 have moved this collection, found to be noisy and not conducive to meditation, further). They can also bathe in pools (built in 1882) located further to the right of the source, the square in front of the pools being surmounted by a large awning of naturalistic inspiration.

History

Before the apparitions, the place was regarded as an unclean place called "The Tute to pigs" because it leads the pigs. Many beliefs or superstitions have however always been attached to the caves, especially in mountainous areas.

In 1858, Bernadette Soubirous Chronicles recounts eighteen apparitions of a young girl called Aquerò ('this' in the local dialect).

The Bishop of Tarbes, Bishop Bertrand - Severe Laurence bought the cave to the commune in 1861.

A statue of the Virgin in marble of Carrara, carved by Joseph-Hugues Fabisch (his name was clearly visible on the pedestal), placed at the top right of the cave at 2 meters in height, in a secondary cavity of the rock, called niche of the apparitions. It was inaugurated on the 4^th of April 1864, during the first officially organized procession by the Church which brought together more than 10,000 people. At the foot of the statue is inscribed in an arc the phrase in patois "Que soy era Inmaculada Counceptiou" (I am the Immaculate Conception) that would have pronouced the Virgin to Bernadette, this mention dating only from 1913. Dressed in a white veil, in a white robe held by a blue belt, falling into two broad ribbons, she has a rose gold color that flourishes on each foot. A rosary chain of gold and white grain falls from his hands. The statue was restored in 1996. Bernadette was never fully satisfied with any representations of the Virgin that had appeared to her, especially this statue.

A first altar was laid in 1866. It was successively replaced in 1874, 1907, then in 1958. In the 1950s, the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes Pierre-Marie Johnson made to redevelop the site as part of the celebration of the centenary of the apparitions. The sacristy built in 1874 and which hid the cave from a part of the Grotto to a part of the assistance was demolished to be replaced with a smaller buried in the rock on the right. In the same way, very high grids, the monumental pulpit and ex-voto (crutches, corsets, Cannes, orthopedic devices, evoking the healings) suspended on a steel cable are removed.

Above the cave is built from 1866 to 1871 a double Basilica on two levels, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception of Lourdes. The former bed of the Gave was filled in 1877 with the aim of creating an esplanade, sufficient to accommodate thousands of pilgrims. In 1878, the boulevard of the Grotto was pierced, the Grotto Street no longer sufficient to channel the pilgrims.

The popularity of 'events' and the place was particularly used by some form of Militancy, or even activism, of the Catholics, who saw, under the Second Empire and until the first world war, an opportunity of revenge or reconquest of faith ('re-Christianization'), after the revolutionary and anticlerical episodes since 1789.

While many parishes restoring or rebuilding their Church having damaged (sometimes simply due to negligence and lack of Finance) and that of many 'mission' calvaries are erected throughout the country, a significant number of Commons see the installation of a replica of the grotto of Lourdes. This is the sign of a particular fervor.

The stone of the cave became smooth at the height of the hands, after more than a century of pilgrimage. Similarly, the excavation became black and gray, charred over the years by the smoke from the candles.

Following the devastating floods in the month of October 2012 and June 2013, which led to the flooding of the cave, the site was redeveloped. 75% of the financing was covered by insurance payments and 25% of donations. The path, a wooded area bordered by 32 ash trees, leads to the sacred site. The ground floor is a mixture of cement to the Arudy stone. A second sacristy was implemented and installed new furnitures.

Pilgrimages

The Massabielle grotto is a passage obliged for any visitor to the sanctuaries of Lourdes, whether it is a simple visitor or believer. The visit to the cave is done in silence, most of the people touch the cave wall with fingers out of respect or to make a wish or a prayer. Processions are also held for the infirm pilgrims.

It is a tradition to come to the cave with a blessed candle then turn it on in front of it in memory of this gesture performed by Bernadette at the first appearances of the Virgin. Pilgrimages can be followed live on youtube.com

Source: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotte_de_Massabielle