Lourdes, France is one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world, drawing more than 6 million pilgrims annually from every continent
Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous 18 times between February and July 1858, and the Lourdes Medical Bureau has officially verified 70 miraculous cures since records began
The Lourdes experience centers on the grotto, the baths, the torchlight procession, and Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
Pilgrims with health concerns, families, and first-time visitors are all welcomed and well-accommodated at Lourdes
Lourdes draws Catholics from every country on earth. More than 6 million pilgrims visit the small town in the foothills of the French Pyrenees each year, making it one of the most frequented Marian shrines anywhere in the world.
The reason is straightforward. Something happened here in 1858. A 14-year-old girl named Bernadette Soubirous encountered the Virgin Mary in a rocky grotto along the Gave de Pau river, and the world has been coming to pray there ever since.
If you are considering a pilgrimage to Lourdes, here is what you need to know before you go.
The Story of the Apparitions
Between February 11 and July 16, 1858, Bernadette Soubirous reported 18 apparitions of a beautiful woman she initially called “Aquero” (the one, in local dialect) and who later identified herself with the words, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”
The apparitions carry significant theological weight. At the time, Bernadette had no formal religious education and would not have known the term “Immaculate Conception,” which Pope Pius IX had officially defined only four years earlier in 1854. That detail struck bishops and theologians as particularly meaningful.
During one apparition, Our Lady directed Bernadette to scratch at the ground, from which a spring began to flow. That spring now produces approximately 27,000 gallons of water per week and remains central to the pilgrimage experience at Lourdes.
The Church officially approved the apparitions in 1862. Bernadette herself became a religious sister, died in 1879, and was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1933.
“Bernadette’s witness was not of a visionary who sought attention,” says Dr. Sandra Zimdars-Swartz, author of Encountering Mary. “She was consistently reluctant, consistently faithful, and consistently credible to those who examined her.”
What Pilgrims Actually Do in Lourdes
The Baths
The most distinctive element of the Lourdes pilgrimage is the baths. Volunteers assist pilgrims in immersing themselves in the spring water as an act of faith, prayer, and openness to healing. The baths are not a guaranteed cure. They are an act of surrender.
The experience is described by many pilgrims as deeply moving regardless of whether any physical change occurs. The act of being lowered into cold water, praying for healing, and trusting God with the outcome carries its own spiritual weight.
The Lourdes Medical Bureau, established in 1883, evaluates reported healings through a rigorous scientific and medical process. As of 2024, 70 cures have been officially declared miraculous by the Church after investigation, according to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. Thousands of other unexplained improvements have been reported but not formally declared miraculous.
The Torchlight Procession
Each evening at Lourdes, pilgrims gather for the Torchlight Marian Procession, one of the most beautiful public expressions of Catholic faith you will ever witness. Thousands of pilgrims holding candles or torches walk together singing the Lourdes hymn.
The procession moves from the Grotto of Massabielle to the Rosary Square. The sight of thousands of lights moving through the darkness, accompanied by singing in dozens of languages, leaves most pilgrims visibly moved.
The Grotto of Massabielle
The grotto where the apparitions occurred remains the spiritual heart of Lourdes. Pilgrims kneel, pray, touch the rock face, and collect water from the spring. Mass is celebrated at the grotto daily.
Even on busy days, there is a prayerfulness to the grotto that visitors consistently remark on. People from different countries, different languages, and different walks of life are united in prayer at the same spot.
The Basilicas
Lourdes contains several magnificent churches built over the years to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Rosary Basilica below it, and the massive underground Basilica of St. Pius X, which can accommodate 25,000 people, all host Masses and services throughout each day.
The Sick and Suffering at Lourdes
One of the most striking aspects of Lourdes is the visible presence of the sick and suffering. Lourdes has welcomed the ill and disabled since Bernadette’s time. Volunteer organizations called hospitalité assist pilgrims with health challenges throughout their stay, pushing wheelchairs, helping with the baths, and accompanying patients with care.
The Catholic organization Malteser International reports that over 80,000 sick and disabled pilgrims visit Lourdes each year with the support of volunteer helpers.
This dimension of Lourdes teaches something important. The shrine is not primarily about miraculous physical cures, though those have occurred. It is about meeting God in suffering, about the witness of the sick whose faith does not depend on healing, and about the community of care that forms around them.
“Lourdes is not about cures,” says Fr. Bernard Dullier, chaplain of the Lourdes pilgrimages. “It is about the encounter between God and the human being in their most vulnerable state. That encounter changes people, whether a cure comes or not.”
Practical Information for Lourdes Pilgrims
Lourdes is a small town of approximately 15,000 residents that hosts millions of visitors each year. The sanctuary is well-organized and accessible. Most pilgrimage itineraries based in Lourdes also include visits to nearby Pyrenees sites and, frequently, Fatima as part of a broader Marian Shrines pilgrimage.
The peak pilgrimage season runs from April through October. The most significant celebrations occur around the Feast of the Assumption on August 15 and the anniversary of the first apparition on February 11.
A standard Marian Shrines pilgrimage that includes both Lourdes and Fatima typically runs 10 to 12 days, allowing meaningful time at each site without feeling rushed.
Summary
Lourdes is one of the most prayerful places on earth, and visiting it as a Catholic pilgrim is a genuinely different experience from visiting as a tourist. The combination of the grotto, the baths, the evening procession, and the visible community of the sick creates a spiritual environment that cannot be replicated anywhere else. Whether you come seeking healing, deepening faith, or simply the chance to pray where millions have prayed before you, Lourdes will meet you where you are.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lourdes water and what do pilgrims do with it?
The water at Lourdes flows from a spring that appeared during one of the apparitions to Bernadette Soubirous. Pilgrims drink it, bathe in it, and bring it home in small bottles. The water itself is not considered magical, but it is a sacramental connected to the Marian apparitions and prayed over by millions of pilgrims across more than 165 years.
Do I have to participate in the baths at Lourdes?
No. The baths are entirely voluntary. Many pilgrims choose to participate, but those who prefer to pray at the grotto, attend Mass, or simply walk the grounds of the sanctuary are equally welcome.
How long should I plan to spend in Lourdes?
Most pilgrimage groups spend two to three days in Lourdes, allowing time for the baths, the torchlight procession, Mass at the grotto, and quiet personal prayer. A combined Lourdes and Fatima pilgrimage typically runs 10 to 12 days total.
Is Lourdes accessible for pilgrims with mobility limitations?
Yes. Lourdes is one of the most accessible pilgrimage sites in the world. The sanctuary grounds are largely flat, wheelchairs are available, and the hospitalité volunteers assist pilgrims with limited mobility throughout their visit.
What language are Masses and prayers conducted in at Lourdes?
Lourdes hosts pilgrims from around the world, and Masses are celebrated in multiple languages throughout each day. The international Rosary procession typically involves prayers in several languages simultaneously. Most major celebrations include English.
Can I light a candle at the Lourdes grotto?
Yes. Candle lighting is a central devotional practice at Lourdes. Pilgrims purchase and light candles at the grotto as an act of prayer and intention. The candles burn continuously in large stands adjacent to the grotto.
Is Lourdes appropriate for children and families?
Yes. Families are welcome at Lourdes, and the experience of witnessing faith expressed so visibly can be genuinely formative for children. The evening torchlight procession, in particular, tends to leave a lasting impression on young pilgrims.
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