Kingdom of France and was baptized on January 9, her parent's anniversary. She was born into a time where France had fallen into sickness and poverty. Due to this, Bernadette was sick very often. When she was 14, Bernadette was getting firewood with her sister and a friend, Bernadette fell behind the other two and that was when she saw a vision of a dazzling light and a white figure that she later described a "a small young lady." This was the first of 18 apparitions of who is believed to be the Blessed Virgin Mary. Disliking all the attention that she was receiving, Bernadette went to a hospice school run by the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, Bernadette wanted to become a Carmelite Nun but, due to her failing health, she could not meet the strict conteplative orders of the group. Instead, she joined The Sisters of Charity on July 29, 1866.  Her sicknesses followed her to the nun's motherhouse though. Bernadette contracted tuberculosis of the lungs and bones which made her unable to even take part in her convent life. She died at the age of 35 while praying the Rosary with her final words being, "Blessed Mary, Mother of God, Pray for me." She was canonized by Pope Pius XI on the feast of the Immaculate Conception. She suffered all through life, never gave up on God, and we still talk about Our Lady of Lourdes to this day.

St. Bernadette Soubirous, Pray for Us!