BernadetteApparitions9

Bernadette spoke again. "But sir, the Lady did not tell me that She wanted a procession to come to the Grotto immediately - She only said, 'I wish people to come here in procession'. And if I understand Her rightly, She was speaking of the future and not of the present."

"We'll do better than that - we shall give you a torch and you shall have a procession all to yourself. You have many followers - you have no need of priests!" retorted Peyramale.

"But monsieur le cure, I never say anything to anyone. I don't ask them to come with me to the Grotto".

Peyramale was silent for a moment to collect his thoughts. A moment was all he needed. "Ask the Lady Her name once more. When we know Her name, then She shall have a chapel - and I promise you, it won't be a little one either!" Bernadette left the house. Now she smiled - despite her fear of the priest, she had carried out the task given to her by the Lady. She had given Abbe Peyramale the full message. Now it was up to him.

That morning there were around three thousand people present when Bernadette arrived at the Grotto at seven in the morning, accompanied by her mother. The child knelt and began her prayers as usual. But her face - although sweet - did not take on the radiance of other mornings. The Lady had not appeared. One onlooker, Monsieur Clarens of Lourdes, wrote to the Prefect of Police at Tarbes two days later - "The vision failed the little girl and this seemed to cause her deep distress. It is important to note this point, for it might not perhaps seem to favour the hypothesis of an hallucination".

The point of that statement was perfectly clear to many people present that day. Amongst them was the relative who allowed the Soubirous family to live rent-free in the Cachot, Andre Sajous. Seeing the child's bitter sadness (she believed the Lady had not appeared because she had failed in her first visit to the priest the preceding day), he offered to go back to the Grotto with her. Her face lit up and she agreed. An hour and a half later (at nine in the morning) they were in front of the rock. It was quieter there at that time, with only a few believers present. The remainder had departed once Bernadette had left earlier. The Apparition took place in the same manner as before, with the Lady and her prot�g� joined in prayer. After the Apparition, Bernadette went once more to see Abbe Peyramale. The Lady had asked once more about a Chapel. But this time the priest was a little less gruff in his approach, asking what was the purpose of the visit. The young girl replied that she had told the Lady about the priest's request of the previous day - "She smiled when I told Her that you were asking Her to work a miracle. I told Her to make the rose bush, which She was standing near, bloom; She smiled once more. But She wants the Chapel".

Asking if Bernadette had money with which to build a chapel, the girl replied that she did not. "No more have I! Ask the Lady to give you some!" responded the priest.

Later that day, more relatives of Bernadette arrived; the next day was the last day of the fifteen days and perhaps some great miracle would occur. Her cousin, Jeanne Marie Vedere, said to the child - "I hear you did not see your Lady this morning", to which Bernadette replied - "But I did see Her during the day!" Jeanne Marie asked her cousin why it had taken two visits to the Grotto before the Lady arrived; Bernadette said she had asked the Lady the same question and had received the following reply from Her lips - "You did not see me this morning because there were some people there who wanted to see what you looked like in My presence - they were not worthy of this honour; they spent the night at the Grotto and they dishonoured it".

The whole of France was aware that Thursday 4th March was to be the last of the fifteen days during which Bernadette Soubirous had promised the mysterious Lady that she would be present at the Grotto of Massabieille.

What would happen today?

If the visions were a fraud, would all this nonsense cease? If real, would the Lady perform a great miracle to prove Her existence and presence? Who was the Lady? A soul from Purgatory? The Blessed Virgin Mary? The evil one in disguise? Perhaps today all would become clear.

Since early the previous evening, pilgrims had been arriving from all over France. They had travelled by horse, in carriages and on foot. Throughout the night torches had remained alight in front of the Grotto. Hymns were sung to the Queen of Heaven - surely this was the mysterious Lady of the visions? By morning, there were twenty thousand pilgrims in and around the Grotto of Massabieille.

Also present were a large number of gendarmes. Jacomet had felt the need for a strong police presence to prevent any of the trouble which always follows a large crowd. Consequently, he had called in extra police from the Garrison, all of whom were armed.

The night before, Jacomet - together with two colleagues - had undertaken a minute search of the Grotto, the niche and the entire rock of Massabieille. The niche was empty - no person, lamp, or any suspicious item was found within it. The same was true of the large vault beneath the niche - the only items found were a few coins, a small bouquet of flowers and a Rosary.

In the early hours of the morning, the search was repeated. Again, nothing suspicious was found.

Bernadette was present in the parish church for early morning Mass at six o'clock. After communion, she felt herself impelled to go to the Grotto - she left immediately. Her cousin - who had accompanied her to the Mass - ran after her once she noticed the little one had slipped quietly out of the Church, somewhat irritated at not having been told of the departure. Bernadette said she had not thought to tell her.