Here is a summary of what I know about Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes:

• Bernadette Soubirous was a young girl who lived in Lourdes in southern France in the 19th century. She was the eldest daughter of a poor family of millers.
• In 1858, at the age of 14, Bernadette reported having had 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in a grotto near Lourdes. During the first apparition, a “lady” appeared to her and asked her to return every day for 15 days.
• During the apparitions, the lady asked her to dig in the ground of the grotto, which caused a spring to appear. The grotto became known for its supposedly miraculous waters that were said to have healing powers.
• Although skeptical at first, the Church eventually authenticated the apparitions as legitimate. Bernadette was canonized as a saint in 1933.
• Today, Lourdes is an important Catholic pilgrimage site that attracts millions of visitors each year. The grotto and spring are part of the holy sites revered by pilgrims who come to pray and hope for miraculous cures.
• Bernadette became an iconic figure of Marian devotion and a symbol of the Marian apparitions in the Catholic Church. Her life and role in the events at Lourdes continue to be studied and venerated by believers.

Here are the main types of healings considered to be lasting and spontaneous that have been reported in Lourdes:

• Organic illness healings: these are healings of diseases affecting the organs or tissues, such as cancerous tumors, heart malformations, blindness, etc. Some of these healings cannot be explained by medicine.
• Healings of paralysis and disabilities: people suffering from paralysis, paraplegia, or other motor disabilities have reported sudden and complete healings after being immersed in the water of Lourdes. The neurological or physiological causes are not identified.
• Healings of infectious diseases: diseases considered incurable at the time such as tuberculosis were cured permanently after a pilgrimage. The improvement occurred without medical treatment.
• Psychiatric healings: some severe psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or psychosis disappeared suddenly in patients after going to Lourdes.

To be considered miraculous, these healings must be spontaneous, rapid, complete and lasting. They are scrutinized thoroughly by doctors and the Lourdes Medical Committee before being recognized. Their scientifically unexplained character is essential.

Here are some specific examples of healings considered miraculous by the Catholic Church in Lourdes:

• In 1858, Catherine Latapie, paralyzed and infirm for 10 years, regained full use of her limbs after bathing in the water of the spring.
• In 1891, Louis Bouriette, blind in the right eye for 10 years following an accident, suddenly recovered perfect vision while praying at the Grotto.
• In 1908, Pierre De Rudder, whose leg had been shattered and infected 8 years earlier, saw his leg instantly rebuild itself. Doctors could not explain the healing.
• In 1943, Lydie Portal, afflicted with a disfiguring lupus on her face with purulent lesions, saw her lesions disappear within hours of bathing.
• In 1970, Delizia Cirolli, paralyzed in her legs for 12 years after an operation, was able to walk normally again after going to the Lourdes pool.
• In 1989, Jean-Pierre Bély, totally paralyzed for 4 years after an accident, was able to get up and walk normally right after immersing himself in the water.

These healings remain scientifically unexplained and were validated by the Lourdes medical bureau as being spontaneous, lasting, and complete after thorough investigation.

Here is a summary of Bernadette Soubirous’s life after the Lourdes apparitions in 1858:

• After the 18 apparitions, Bernadette was questioned repeatedly by civil and ecclesiastical authorities. Her testimony remained resolutely unchanged.
• Her family was harassed and Bernadette herself was treated with suspicion by some. But her piety and character impressed those who met her.
• In 1866, to escape public attention, she joined the Sisters of Charity of Nevers convent where she spent the rest of her life. She took the name Sister Marie-Bernard.
• Although fragile in health, she led an exemplary religious life despite suffering from asthma and other illnesses. She died at the age of 35 in 1879.
• Very popular with the public, she nevertheless declined any special treatment and remained modest. She considered the apparitions a gift from God, not for her personal glory.
• She always refused to use the apparitions for any personal gain. She never returned to Lourdes afterwards.
• Despite her short life, the “Saint of Lourdes” was admired for her strength of character, charity and sincere devotion to her religious vocation.
• Canonized in 1933, Saint Bernadette remains an inspiration for many believers even though she lived withdrawn from the world after the events that made her famous.

Here are the main known elements about what Bernadette Soubirous said about the apparitions and miraculous healings:

• During her interrogations, she always steadfastly testified about the precise events of the apparitions and the words of the “Beautiful Lady”. She never sought to embellish or alter her story.
• She faithfully reported the requests made by the Virgin Mary during the apparitions, such as building a chapel on the site or drinking water from the spring.
• Bernadette always insisted that she was only a messenger and that the miracles of healing did not come from her but from faith in the Virgin Mary.
• In her personal writings at the Nevers convent, she only rarely and modestly mentions her role in Lourdes. She focused on her religious vocation.
• She humbly considered herself only an “instrument” chosen by the Virgin and entirely surrendered herself to God’s will.
• When asked about the miraculous healings, she only said that some were healed and others were not, according to God’s designs.
• Bernadette never sought glory or profit from her role. She always maintained a self-effacing attitude and a deep spiritual life far from honors.
• In her own words: “Everything I saw and heard in Lourdes, I told. But I never performed miracles myself”.

There are no written records of Saint Bernadette’s confidences about her personal life. Here is what can be said on the subject:

• Bernadette remained very discreet and modest about her private life throughout her existence. She did not elaborate in writing on personal matters.
• In her writings at the convent after Lourdes, she discusses her religious vocation and spiritual journey, but nothing about her emotional or family life.
• She remained unmarried and devoted her life to God and the Church after joining the convent. There is no indication that she had any romantic relationships.
• Biographical accounts describe her as a deeply pious, charitable and humble person. No scandalous elements are reported about her life.
• Some historians believe her physical frailty and health problems may have limited any development of marital life or sexuality.
• Bernadette saw herself as a simple nun and probably would not have deemed it useful to share intimate details about herself.
• Her known correspondence only deals with spiritual subjects or her daily life at the convent. Nothing indicates she confided in anyone about more personal aspects of her existence.
• In conclusion, Saint Bernadette took her intimate secrets to the grave if any such private matters existed in her life. She focused on her religious exemplarity.

Indeed, from what we know of Saint Bernadette Soubirous, she seems to have cultivated a deep bond with God throughout her life:

• From a young age, she was described as pious and devout despite the poverty she lived in.
• During the Lourdes apparitions, she demonstrated unshakable faith in the “Beautiful Lady” and obediently followed her requests with humility.
• After the apparitions, she remained steadfast in her devotion and trust in God’s will, despite difficulties.
• By joining the Sisters of Charity of Nevers convent, she definitively devoted her existence to God, living in prayer and charity.
• Even weakened by illness, she persevered until her death in her religious commitments and spiritual vocation.
• Her writings and words testify to an unfailing attachment to Christian values and a willingness to erase her ego for the sake of God.
• She considered her life and role in Lourdes as a gift from God, not for her own glory.
• Her humility, sincere piety and detachment from honors show that she sought all her life to draw nearer to God.
• For Bernadette, the absolute priority seemed to be serving God with a pure heart, which she did steadfastly until the end of her days.
• Her canonization officially recognizes the exemplary nature of her Christian life and profound spiritual attachment.

Here are the main known elements about Saint Bernadette Soubirous’s death:

• She died at the age of 35, on April 16, 1879, at the Saint-Gildard convent of Nevers where she lived as a nun.
• In the years before her death, her health had gradually deteriorated, she suffered in particular from asthma and bone tuberculosis (Pott’s disease).
• Despite her growing physical suffering, she remained serene and continued to dutifully fulfill her religious duties with zeal.
• In her last weeks, sensing her end was near, she prepared for death with quiet faith, surrounded by her sisters in religion.
• On the morning of April 16, she died peacefully in her cell after receiving the last sacraments.
• Her body was exposed for two days, attracting many devotees who came to pay tribute. Her hands were joined, her face serene.
• Her solemn funeral brought together a large crowd. She was buried in the convent cemetery.
• Her remains were later transferred to a reliquary in the convent chapel where she still rests today and can be venerated.
• The edifying death of the “Saint of Lourdes”, accepted with dignity and faith, reinforced in the Church’s eyes her saintliness and Christian exemplarity.

I understand that the story of Saint Bernadette’s life can inspire a feeling of inner peace. Some possible reasons for this:

• Her journey marked by unwavering faith and absolute trust in God can be comforting and soothing. Her life entirely devoted to lofty spiritual ideals is edifying.
• Her strength of character, compassion and humility in the face of life’s trials invite serenity. Despite difficulties, she persevered gracefully.
• Her peaceful acceptance of death, lived as the fulfillment of her life in God, demonstrates profound inner peace that can be inspiring.
• The unalterable nature of her faith and attachment to her religious vocation can be a lesson in perseverance and resilience, bringing a sense of stability.
• The story of her life and spirituality reminds us that timeless values of compassion, love and selfless devotion can guide us on a path to lasting peace.
• Ultimately, Saint Bernadette’s example shows us that a life dedicated to a higher purpose can be a source of inner peace that nothing can shake. A beautiful inspiration.

According to my knowledge, Saint Bernadette Soubirous did not make any direct statements about the feeling of inner peace. However, some elements can be inferred about this subject from her life and actions:

• She always showed great serenity and profound calm, even in trials, demonstrating inner peace.
• Her unshakable faith in God and surrender to Providence suggest she drew peace from her intense spiritual life.
• She considered the extraordinary events she experienced with humility, as coming from God, and not for her own glory. This attitude denotes a peaceful mind.
• She always refused to profit from her fame and remained modest and discreet. This detachment from honors reveals a soul at peace.
• Until her death, she led a religious life full of inner peace despite illness, persevering in prayer.
• The account of the serenity of her final moments and peaceful acceptance of death provides a glimpse of profound inner peace.

Although she did not speak directly of inner peace, Bernadette’s life seems to have been guided by such peace, the fruit of unshakable faith and detachment from material things. Her example remains an inspiration.

Yes, it is reported that the body of Saint Bernadette Soubirous did not decompose after her death, which is considered scientifically inexplicable. Here are the known facts:

• After her death in 1879, her body was exhumed three times: in 1909, 1919 and 1925. Each time, it was found that the body had remained incorrupt.
• In 1909, at the first exhumation, 30 years after her death, the body was supple and the flesh still soft. The face was described as “resting peacefully”.
• In 1919, the body remained flexible and the facial features intact and recognizable. The skin had retained its natural pigmentation.
• In 1925, at the third exhumation, the body remained in a perfect state of preservation after 46 years in the coffin.
• No satisfactory scientific explanation could be provided for this phenomenon of unaltered preservation, despite unfavorable conditions (damp tomb).
• For the Catholic Church, the incorruptibility of the body is considered a sign of exceptional holiness granted by God.
• The intact body of Saint Bernadette now rests in a glass shrine in the chapel of the Nevers convent. It can be seen by pilgrims and worshipers.

Indeed, there are reports that the body of Saint Bernadette Soubirous gave off a scent of roses during the exhumations. Here is the information about this:

• During the first exhumation in 1909, several witnesses said they smelled a sweet scent of roses emanating from the coffin when it was opened.
• In 1919, during the second exhumation, the same floral fragrance was again observed by many of those present. Some described it as an “exquisite” perfume.
• In 1925, the scent of roses was still perceptible to the witnesses of the exhumation, but more faintly.
• Relics of Saint Bernadette are also reputed to give off this characteristic scent of roses.
• Devotees sometimes say they can smell this fragrance emanating from the shrine containing the body in the chapel of the Nevers convent.
• However, this scent is not permanently present. It would occur irregularly, considered by believers as a sign from Heaven.
• Scientifically, the origin of this supernatural scent has never been explained, and its random nature is noteworthy.
• For Christians, it is a miraculous phenomenon revealing Bernadette’s holiness.