Saint Marie-Bernarde Soubirous

Bernadette Soubirous, also known as Bernadette of Lourdes (religious name Marie-Bernarde), was a miller's daughter born on 7 January 1844 in Lourdes, Hautes-Pyrénées, France. She is best known for experiencing apparitions of the Virgin Mary between February and July 1858 at the nearby cave-grotto. These apparitions were declared 'worthy of belief' by a canonical investigation on 18 February 1862, leading to the Marian apparition becoming known as Our Lady of Lourdes. In 1866, Soubirous joined the Sisters of Charity of Nevers and spent her remaining years there. Her body is said by the Catholic Church to remain internally incorrupt. The grotto where the apparitions occurred became a major pilgrimage site and Marian shrine known as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, attracting millions of pilgrims annually. Pope Pius XI beatified Soubirous on 14 June 1925 and canonized her on 8 December 1933. Her feast day is observed on 16 April, the date of her death.