A relic of St. Bernadette Soubirous, to whom the Virgin Mary appeared in 1858 at Lourdes, France, is touring the United States for the first time and will be displayed in Los Angeles from July 31 - August 3, 2022. Each year, four to six million pilgrims from around the world visit the Shrine at Lourdes.
The relic is a fragment of one of St. Bernadette’s ribs, encased in a reliquary. The Sanctuary of Lourdes, which supervises the saint’s relics, has permitted its display during the last four months at more than 40 Catholic sites across the country.
“Millions of Catholics dream of making the pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, but not all are healthy enough nor can afford to make the long transatlantic flight,” said Deacon Dan Revetto of St. John Baptist de la Salle Church, a trained guide in Lourdes. “We are grateful to the Order of Malta, the Sanctuary of Lourdes, and the North American Lourdes Volunteers for bringing a relic of St. Bernadette to the Los Angeles area – home to more than four million Catholics.”
Three parishes within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will host the relic. From July 31 - August 1, the relic will be at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Baldwin Hills, followed by the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on August 2. St. John Baptist de la Salle Church in Granada Hills, the final stop of the US tour, will host the relic August 3. See parish websites for scheduled events.
Visitors will have the opportunity to:
- Touch a rock from the Lourdes Grotto
- Receive Lourdes water
- Participate in a candlelight procession, and
- Attend Masses at St. Bernadette Church and St. John Baptist de la Salle Church. The Masses will be concelebrated by Bishop of Lourdes Jean-Marc Micas, who will be traveling from France for the occasion.
The Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette, a 14-year-old peasant girl, 18 times. Among Mary’s messages was her request for the construction of a church at Lourdes, which has since become an international destination for pilgrims seeking spiritual and physical healing. The Catholic Church has officially recognized 70 healing miracles at Lourdes, the latest of which occurred in 2008 and was affirmed by the Church in 2018.
The US tour is co-presented by the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Order of Malta, and North American Lourdes Volunteers.
For more information about Los Angeles stops, visit https://lacatholics.org/relic-tour/
For more information about the relic tour of the US, visit www.stbernadetteusa.org
Photo credit © Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, Pierre Vincent
SCHEDULED EVENTS - St. Bernadette Relic Tour, Los Angeles
Sunday, July 31 - St. Bernadette Church, 3825 Don Felipe Dr., Baldwin Hills
3:30 pm Anticipatory Mass
4:30 pm Official Welcome
7 pm Candlelight Vigil Procession followed by Evening Prayer
Monday, August 1 - St. Bernadette Church, 3825 Don Felipe Dr., Baldwin Hills
6:30 am Morning Office followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
7 pm Mass Concelebrated by Archbishop Jose Gomez and Bishop of Lourdes Jean-Marc Micas
Tuesday, August 2 - Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple St., Los Angeles
10 am - 6 pm Relic will be displayed for veneration
Wednesday, August 3 - St. John Baptist de la Salle Church, 16555 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills
7:30 am Mass Concelebrated by Bishop Alex Aclan and Bishop of Lourdes Jean-Marc Micas
8:30 am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction, followed by Anointing of the Sick
9:30 am - 4 pm Silent Veneration of the Relic
2 pm - 3 pm Sacrament of Reconciliation
4 pm Stations of the Cross followed by Divine Mercy Chaplet
6:30 pm Candlelight Rosary Procession
7:30 pm Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience (experience Lourdes water, touch piece of Grotto, Benediction, Plenary Indulgence, and Farewell)