Other places of interest to pilgrims and visitors

Lourdes was constructed so that the whole world could come to pray and give thanks to the Blessed Virgin. As well, the places of worship, a large number of buildings and institutions, are all available to the pilgrims and the visitors to help them make a good pilgrimage.

Following St. Bernadette

‘In the Footsteps of Bernadette’ is a journey offered to pilgrims. It is an invitation to walk in the footsteps of Bernadette Soubirous to discover her message of faith.

The Museum of St. Bernadette

A few metres from the Sanctuary it retraces the life of Bernadette, the Message of the Apparitions and the development of the Sanctuary, through beautiful photographs and things belonging to this famous child of Bigorre.

The Birthplace of Bernadette (the Boly Mill)

Bernadette was born there on 7th January 1844. She lived there until 1854. Her parents, Louise and Francois, were the tenants of this mill. Bernadette spent a happy childhood in this ‘mill of happiness’. The failure of Francois Soubirous obliged the family to leave this comfortable house in June 1854. To-day the Boly Mill belongs to the Sanctuary and is looked after by the Daughters of the Church.

The Cachot

The Cachot was a former prison cell. It was a refuge for the Soubirous family after they left the Boly Mill. It was an insalubrious and damp hovel given to them by their cousin, Andre Sajous. It is the property of the Sanctuary and visited by large crowds of pilgrims during the season. The Sisters
of Charity of Nevers look after the building.

The Old Presbytery

At present, this is a public building, the Municipal Library. This is where Bernadette met the Parish Priest, Fr. Peyramale, to relay to the Church Authorities I the message of the Blessed Virgin. We can still see the door that Bernadette used on her visits to Fr. Peyramale.

The Church of the Sacred Heart

Built between 1875 and 1903, it retains many reminders of the old Parish Church of St. Peter that was destroyed. On the right hand side of the transept, is the Baptismal Font where Bernadette was baptised on 9th January 1844, as well as the statues of the Blessed Virgin and St. John the Baptist.

The Hospice of St. Bernadette

At the time of the Apparitions this was the Hospital-Hospice of ‘St. Roc’ administered by the Sisters of Charity of Nevers. The Sisters also opened a school for the daughters of the poor. Bernadette was accepted there as a pupil between 1858 and 1866. It was in this Hospital-Hospice of ‘St. Roc’ that Bernadette made her First Communion on 3rd June 1858. The present General Hospital is built on the site of the former Hospice

Bartres

This small village a few kilometres from Lourdes had an important role in the life of Bernadette. In November 1844 Bernadette was sent there to be wet-nursed by Marie Lagues. 13 years later she returned to the home of Marie Lagues. This time as a farm hand because Bernadette was one mouth too many to feed in a family where hunger was a daily reality. Her days were so full working on the farm, looking after the children of her foster-mother, looking after the lambs in the sheepfold, that Bernadette did not have the time to learn her catechism with the Parish Priest of Bartres. In the evening, Marie Lagues would teach her the Catholic Faith. The pupil had difficulty in retaining her lessons to the annoyance of her former wet-nurse. Finally, on 21st January 1858 Bernadette returned to Lourdes to prepare for her First Communion.

The pilgrim who visits Bartres today will find the sheepfold where Bernadette looked after the flock, the house of Marie Lagues (La Maison Burg) and the Parish Church.

On 26th March 2000, during the Bigorre Pilgrimage to Lourdes, Bishop Perrier, of Tarbes and Lourdes, opened the Path to Bartres. This pedestrian way was the one taken by Bernadette. It has been reopened for pilgrims
and visitors.

The Baths

In 2002, 378,702 pilgrims were immersed in the water of the Baths. This process is a response to the invitation of the Blessed Virgin to Bernadette on 25th February 1858 “Go drink of the spring and wash yourself there”.

The building itself is situated past the Grotto and was constructed in 1955 and upgraded in 1972 and 1980. There are 17 baths in total, 11 for women and 6 for men. Each section contains a smaller bath for children. The pilgrim is gradually immersed in the water. During the immersion the pilgrims are requested to present their intentions to Our Lady, the Sign of the Cross is made by the pilgrim at the moment of immersion then invocations to Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette.

The Supply of Water

The water of the spring is pure and drinkable. To wash with this water and to drink of it is to respond to the deeper meaning of the water of Lourdes written above the taps: “Wash your face, drink this water and pray God to purify your heart”. The water from the Grotto is pumped to a large reservoir of 2,000 m3. It is from this point that the taps, the baths and the dispatch point for sending the water of Lourdes throughout the world are supplied In the Rotondes, beside the Gave, on the Meadow, pilgrims celebrate a Communal Liturgy of Water with the Water from the Grotto.

The Water Walk

“My soul is thirsting for the living God” was the pastoral theme for 2002. Pilgrims will be invited to look at four things linked to the spring of the Grotto: Look deeper, wash, drink of the Spring, take home some water . For this the Sanctuary authorities wish the pilgrims to have direct access to the water. As well as the usual things (going to the Baths, drinking the water from the taps) pilgrims will find on the opposite side of the Gave bowls of water where they can wash their face. The water will come from the Spring, but like that of the Baths it will be recycled and not for drinking or taking away. At the same time the Youth Service will have a prayer vigil available for those who wish to avail of it.

The Museum of Precious Objects

This museum is in the former Reconciliation Chapel at the entrance to the Way of the Cross and across the road from the Upper Basilica. It was opened by Bishop Jacques Perrier, Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes on 24th. March 2001. A treasury is where one stores precious objects, vestments and relics, etc. The Museum reopened on 16th. March 2002. There is an entrance charge.

The Purpose

There are three main purposes:

  • to retrace the history of the Sanctuary and of pilgrimages in the spirit of the Message of Lourdes,
  • to show a more complete representation of the liturgical art of 19th and 20th centuries,
  • to invite pilgrims and visitors to enter into a pilgrimage process or to come to a deeper understanding of it.

Educational purpose

In order to attain the aforementioned objectives the educational purpose will be as follows:

  • beginning with the Message itself. “Go tell the priests to have a chapel built here and to have people come here in procession” and to set up the exhibition around this theme by showing how the heritage of the Sanctuary has been enriched by the development of pilgrimages,
  • to show how artists have contributed to the spreading of the Message of Lourdes,
  • to set the exhibits in the liturgical context of the past and present.

The Collections

The collections on show at the beginning will
be:

  • objects kept in the sacristies
  • archive photographs and sound recordings
  • other collections from the Bishop’s Residence, the Cathedral at Tarbes, Religious Communities in Lourdes, The town of Lourdes, the Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception (Garaison Fathers), Pilgrimage Collections.

The presentation of the Collections

  • to show the historical continuity of the Church and State in France,
  • to recall the great pilgrimages of the past.

The Pieta

From March 2001 until 2003, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes will host a wonderful exhibition of photographs of Michelangelo’s ‘Pieta’ by Robert Hukpa. The Pieta is one of the best known sculptures of the famous Italian artist. The exhibition will be held in the former Reconciliation Chapel across the road from the Upper Basilica. Bishop Jacques Perrier, Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes opened the exhibition on 24th March 2001.

The Services dealing with the Public

The General Secretariat

The General Secretariat is responsible for organisation and planning of pilgrimages, groups and travel Agency chains that come to the Sanctuary. They are linked with SNCF, the Accueils, the pilgrimage directors, Group leaders and presidents of Hospitalities. Together, they organise the reservations of places of worship and the meeting rooms. The Calendar Commission is made up of those in charge of the organisation of pilgrimages, the administrators of SNCF, the Accueils, and the General Secretariat with the Secretary General of the Sanctuary as chairman. They organise the logistics for pilgrimages to come to Lourdes.

The Reception and Information Service

They welcome, direct and inform all who arrives in Lourdes on their own about what is available by way of Masses, Processions and other activities of the Sanctuary.

The Organisation of Accommodation

The Youth Village
The Accommodation for the Sick

The Accueil Notre-Dame contains 904 beds for sick or disables pilgrims. The Accueil Marie Saint Frai has 400 more beds available. The bed capacity shows the commitment of the Sanctuary towards ensuring that the sick and disabled can make a pilgrimage in the best possible conditions.

The Bishop’s Residence (Chalet Episcopal)

This is the Bishop’s Residence when he is in Lourdes. Each year, the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes invites numerous bishops, coming on pilgrimage from around the world, to lunch at the Chalet. In 2002, Bishop Perrier invited 381 bishops to lunch and 98 people, including 47 bishops, were accommodated there.

The Chaplains’ Residence

Throughout the year , the Chaplains Residence welcomes thousands of priests and lay people who visit the Sanctuary. The building called ‘Les Espelugues’ is the place of accommodation for the Auxiliary Confessors the Pilgrimage Directors and member of Hospitality.

Maison Saint Pierre et Saint Paul

In 2002 the Grand Couvent saw many changes. It became the Maison Saint Pierre et Saint Paul. The archives of the Sanctuary was transferred there during the first quarter of 2002. The Maison Saint Pierre et Saint Paul is the accommodation for the seminarians and young priests working in the Sanctuary.

During their stay of 3 weeks, the seminarians live a community life of communal prayer and meals taken together each morning and evening. They also have opportunity of sharing experiences and making links with seminarians from other parts of the world. The seminarians staying there are not just French speaking but also seminarians of other languages like Italian, Spanish, English, German and Nederlands.

The seminarians that stay in the St. Peter and St. Paul Residence also have the opportunity of contact with the pilgrims who are on pilgrimage to Lourdes. Priority is always given to the pilgrims; because it is to help them that the seminarians come to Lourdes. After a time of special training the seminarians then have contact with the pilgrims through the many different Services of the Sanctuary: Youth, Hospitality, guiding pilgrims in the Sanctuary, Information Forum, Liturgy, Pavilions, Daily Pilgrimage Service, etc.

Fr. Regis-Marie de la Teyssonniere, Chaplain to Hospitalite Notre-Dame de Lourdes, is the chaplain in charge of the St. Peter and St. Paul Residence. Priests who assist the seminarians assist him. These priests look after the running of the house and also work with the pilgrims. In 2002, almost 250 Seminarians, some deacons and over 30 young priests came to help in Lourdes during the summer period.

Maison Marthe et Marie

Located near the Accueil Notre-Dame de Lourdes above the Quai Boissarie During the first quarter of 2002 members of Hospitalite Notre-Dame de Lourdes stayed in the building formerly occupied by the Maison St. Pierre et St. Paul as a place of accommodation and it later recovered its former name of Maison Marthe et Marie.

Hospitalet, Notre-Dame de la Sagesse and Villa de la Foret

The Association Ave Maria administers Hospitalet and Villa de la Foret. Villa de la Foret accommodates members of Hospitality and their families in the apartments. Hospitalet has 170 beds in twin-bedded rooms for members of Hospitality. Breakfast is also available there.

Those working in the Pavilions stay in Notre-Dame de la Sagesse across the road from the Carmelite Convent on the Route de Pau. 40 beds are available there in rooms and 30 more in dormitories. These are mainly used by young people. Those staying at Notre-Dame de la Sagesse are also provided with breakfast.

Catering

Two self-service restaurants are available to the employees of the Sanctuary, the members of Hospitality and the volunteers during the pilgrimage season. Hospitalite Notre-Dame de Lourdes manages the St. Michel Restaurant and the Association of the same name manages the Ave Maria. 251,479 meals were served there in 2002 (179,076 meals in Saint-Michel and 72,403 meals in Ave Maria).

Accueil Jean-Paul II

The ‘Asile Notre-Dame’ or Pilgrims’ Shelter, built in 1877, was originally intended to give shelter to pilgrims. It was extended in 1908, 1910, 1913, 1923 and again in 1954 to a total of 920 beds. After the construction of the Accueil Notre-Dame on the other side of the Gave, the old Accueil NotreDame took on a new function.

The Reconciliation Chapel was transferred to the original part in 1999.

The partial demolition of the old Accueil Notre-Dame began in January 2000. It was the last link of the renovation and restoration of the Accommodation for the sick to which the S.E.M. of the Accueil brought its special co-operation.

This reconstruction allowed for the organisation of the flow of pedestrians, to increase the reception of the crowds and to create anew link between the Accueil Notre-Dame and the Rosary Square.

The building that constituted the Accueil Notre-Dame in the past with the exception of the Reconciliation Chapel is now called: Accueil Jean-Paul II (The John-Paul II Centre)

Accueil Jean-Paul II contains the New location for Hospitality and the offices for the Hospitality of Our Lady of Lourdes which are now together in Accueil Jean Paul II. On the esplanade side, a large double glass door leads to the entrance hall. On the right are the on the left are the offices of ‘ Service Notre-Dame’ and further on the office of the chaplain General. On the first floor are the administration offices, a meeting room as well as the ‘ Formation’ area. On the second floor, above the Hospitality offices is the Chapel St. Cosmas and Damien with a capacity for 400 people.

In the rest of the building contains, on the ground floor, the Chapelle St. Maximilian Kolbe and the First Aid Post and, on the first floor, meeting Rooms (Paul VI Jean-Paul I, Frederick Oznam) and the Exhibition of the miraculously cured. On the second floor are the Medical Bureau and the Workshop.