Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal.
The Apparition of The Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes.
Feast Day 11 February.
Greater-Double.
White Vestments.
Deutsch: Frankreich: Lourdes, Basilika der unbefleckten Empfängnis,
Rosenkranzbasilika und Krypta in Lourdes.
English: Basilica of The Immaculate Conception, Lourdes, France.
Photo: 2005.
Source: Own work.
Author: Milorad Pavlek.
(Wikimedia Commons)
On 25 March 1858, she said to the little shepherdess of fourteen years of age: "I am The Immaculate Conception". Today's Feast therefore recalls Mary's triumph over the serpent (Tract), which the Septuagesimal Liturgy has in mind.
Stained-Glass Window from Bonneval Church
showing the Vision of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes.
Photo: 17 July 2009.
Source: Own work, adapted from
Bonneval Eglise Notre-Dame vitrail 3.JPG.
Author: Xandar.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Like the women seen by Saint John, "clothed in the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars over her head" (Epistle), the Virgin of Lourdes "is clothed in a robe and veil, as white as snow, she wears a blue girdle and on her bare feet rests a golden rose," all symbolic of her virginal love.
She exhorts to Penance the unfortunate children of Eve who have not been, like herself, preserved from sin. On the day of the Annunciation, she declared her name to us, to manifest that it is on account of the Incarnation (Collect) that God has vouchsafed to her "not to be tainted with the original stain" (Tract).
Remembering that Mary is "the Ark of the new Covenant" (Epistle), let us go with confidence to her, who, "full of Grace" (Offertory), "visits our Earth to multiply in us the gifts of her riches" (Communion).
