Why Is Lourdes In France Such A Popular Place For Christians?

Lourdes is one of the largest Catholic pilgrimage locations in the world. It lies in the south of France near to the Pyranees and has a current population of around 17,000. In February 1858, a 14-year-old girl, Bernadette Soubirous, claimed she had a vision of the Blessed Virign Mary at a grotto. She alleged she received 18 apparitions in total over the next few months, in which the Virgin Mary performed miracles and gave Bernadette messages, presenting herself as the "Immaculate Conception". After initially being sceptical of the apparitions, the Catholic Church confirmed them as authentic and pilgrims from across the world began to visit the grotto. Bernadette suffered badly from asthma and cholera and died at the age of 35 as a nun in the Notre Dame order of Nevers. She was made a saint in 1933.

Since 1860, an estimated 200 million people have visited the shrine, which, to them, is a place of prayer and healing. It remains a popular place for pilgrimages, particualrly from March to October. The Catholic Church officially recognises 67 miracle healings as a result of vists to Lourdes.      

Lourdes is such a popular place for christians because people have claimed that there have been miracles and there were about 600 cases of where people have been claimed to be cured from a illness

It is lourdes and you fall down and break your head