The first of the eighteen apparitions of the Blessed Virgin
Mary to the humble Bernadette took place at Lourdes on
February 11, 1858. On March 25th, when Bernadette asked the
Beautiful Lady her name, she replied: “I am the Immaculate
Conception.” The last took place 16 July, of the same year.
Bernadette often fell into an ecstasy. The mysterious vision she
saw in the hollow of the rock Massabielle was that of a young
and beautiful lady. “Lovelier than I have ever seen,” said the
child. But the girl was the only one who saw the vision,
although sometimes many stood there with her. Now and then
the apparition spoke to the seer who also was the only one who
heard the voice. Thus, she one day told her to drink of a
mysterious fountain, in the grotto itself, the existence of which
was unknown, and of which there was no sign, but which
immediately gushed forth. On another occasion the apparition
bade Bernadette go and tell the priests she wished a chapel to
be built on the spot and processions to be made to the grotto.
At first the clergy were incredulous. It was only four years
later, in 1862, that the bishop of the diocese declared the
faithful “justified in believing the reality of the apparition”. A
basilica was built upon the rock of Massabielle by M.
Peyramale, the parish priest. In 1873 the great national French
pilgrimages were inaugurated. Three years later the basilica
was consecrated and the statue solemnly crowned. In 1883 the
foundation stone of another church was laid, as the first was no
longer large enough. It was built at the foot of the basilica and
was consecrated in 1901 and called the Church of the
Rosary. Pope Leo XIII authorized a special office and a Mass,
in commemoration of the apparition, and in 1907 Pius
X extended the observance of this feast to the entire Church; it
is now observed on 11 February.

(Taken from “Recent Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary” by Stephen
Breen published by The Scapular Press in 1952.)