11/02/2026
Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes | Feb. 11, 2026
The Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes recalls the Marian apparitions witnessed by Saint Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 in the small town of Lourdes, France. Appearing to a poor and humble young girl, the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception and called the faithful to prayer, penance, and conversion of heart. From this place of simplicity and suffering, Lourdes would become one of the greatest pilgrimage sites in the world and a powerful sign of God’s mercy at work through Mary’s maternal care.
Central to the devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes is the spring revealed during the apparitions, whose waters have since become a source of healing and hope for countless pilgrims. While not all who come are cured physically, many testify to profound spiritual healing — a renewed faith, inner peace, and strength to carry their crosses. Lourdes thus stands as a reminder that healing is not only the restoration of the body, but also the consolation of the soul and the grace to endure suffering with trust in God.
The memorial is closely linked with the care of the sick and the vulnerable, which is why it is also observed as the World Day of the Sick. On this day, the Church turns her gaze to those who suffer from illness, loneliness, and infirmity, and calls the faithful to see in them the suffering face of Christ. Like Mary, who stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross, Christians are invited to accompany the sick with compassion, patience, and loving presence.
The Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes reminds the Church that God chooses the lowly to reveal his glory, and that faith flourishes even in weakness and pain. Through Mary, Health of the Sick, the faithful entrust their wounds, hopes, and fears to the Lord, confident that no suffering is forgotten and no prayer unheard. May Our Lady of Lourdes continue to lead hearts to her Son, the divine physician, who heals, strengthens, and saves.
𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘴, 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴.