Millions of faithful who come every year on pilgrimage to Lourdes live a very intimate and silent personal prayer in front of the cave of the Marian apparitions, with the aim of obtaining a grace.
Apparitions cave
On the square in front of the Grotta di Massabielle processions take place, masses are held daily in all languages, community prayers are recited for the sick and the blessing ceremony of the children takes place periodically.
On the pavement two tiles mark the exact point where Bernadette was on the day of the first apparition, the pilgrims gather in front of the Statue of the Madonna, located at the point where the apparitions took place, inside a niche dug on the right side of the cave .
At the foot of the statue stands a burning bush consisting of candles, since 1858, following Bernadette's example, the faithful arrive at the cave with a candle, thus showing their being faithful to Christ who in the Gospel says "I am the light of the world".
Inside, on the right side of the cave, a rose garden planted in the rock is reminiscent of the sign requested by the parish priest of Lourdes, Don Peyramale, who requested that Our Lady make the cave's rose garden bloom.
To the left of the altar is the source discovered by Bernadette on February 25, 1858, visible under a glass plate, whose waters were captured and channeled to feed the fountains and pools, known for the many miraculous healing phenomena that occurred science has not been able to explain.
