Lourdes is a small town nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains in France near the border of Spain. An interesting and colorful history makes for the setting of the story of Lourdes. The fortress perched high above the town and the River Gave was built by the Romans about the time of Christ and was later taken by the Turks whose leader was miraculously converted proclaiming surrender to the Queen of Heaven to Charlemagne. For the following thousand years the area remained under the protection of the Virgin when the Mother of the Christ appeared in Lourdes to confirm Her Immaculate Conception to a humble young shepherdess, Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.

During these visits from Heaven, Bernadette was directed to an underground spring of water now famous the world over for many extraordinary miracles. The message of Lourdes is the Good News the Gospel message of prayer, penance and poverty. After four years of investigations, the Catholic Church proclaimed the apparitions at Lourdes in 1858 as valid and pronounced this site a place worthy of pilgrimage.

Today Lourdes receives over six million pilgrims every year from all over the world. This little city of miracles is mostly dormant in the winter season, although pilgrims travel to bathe in the Grotto year round and the Sanctuary remains open every day of the year to receive each person making a pilgrimage.