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As a young girl in 1858, Bernadette Soubirous supposedly saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary near Lourdes. Interestingly, when pious witnesses followed Bernadette when she returned to see Mary, they saw nothing but Bernadette said that she did see the vision once again. The Catholic Church soon saw the commercial possibilities of these apparitions and aggressively marketed Lourdes as a place of pilgrimage. At first, there was no suggestion that miracle cures could be expected at Lourdes, but people of medieval and early modern times expected that wherever Mary's apparition was seen, one could expect the possibility of cures. With forceful marketing it became a place of pilgrimage for those hoping for a cure. .
Approximately 7000 people in more than a century have sought to have cures confirmed as miracles. In that time, only 68 have been declared as scientifically inexplicable by both the Lourdes Medical Bureau and the Catholic Church, a number so small as to suggest that these cases were likely to have been cured or gone into remission anyway. However, the real achievement is to create a centre for pilgrimage and tourism, receiving over 80,000 pilgrims a year, and their spending and donations provide a continuing revenue stream for the Church.
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Is Saint Bernadette the patron saint of Lourdes?
Yes, Bernadette is the patron saint of Lourdes, France.
Did Saint Bernadette have children?
Bernadette was a nun and had no children.
What was the name of the religious community that Saint Bernadette started?
Saint Bernadette did not start a religious community.
How old was Saint Bernadette when she died?
Saint Bernadette of Lourdes was 35 years old when she died.
When was Saint Bernadette College of Alabang created?
Saint Bernadette College of Alabang was created in 1983.
Is Saint Bernadette an angel?
No, she is a saint and not an angel.
What killed Saint Bernadette?
Bernadette died of tuberculosis of the bone.
Did Saint Bernadette pray?
Yes, Bernadette prayed almost constantly.
What religion was Saint Bernadette?
Saint Bernadette was a devout Catholic. She is best known for the Marian apparitions that occurred to her at Lourdes, France in 1858.
When is the feast day of Saint Bernadette?
April 16 is the feast day of Saint Bernadette except in France where is on February 18.
How old was Saint Bernadette when she had her first visions?
Bernadette was 14 years old.
How many visions did Saint Bernadette have?
Bernadette had a series of 18 visions in 1858.
