Being in Lourdes is equally an unbelievable dream-come-true. As a kid, I always looked toward the sanctuary of our chapel in Tamurong and I remember wondering all about that statue of a lady with stars in her head. I have prayed to Our Lady of Lourdes since I was a little boy, so being in the actual site where she appeared is a very awesome experience. As I enter the gates of Lourdes from the side, close to Hotel Saint Sauveur, I feel mesmesrized. Almost floating, like I stil need another one of these awesome religious experiences, after Santarem, Fatima, Santiago and Segovia. But I am here, and I am not going to refuse this blessing.

We spend some time for a good sit-down dinner at the Hotel, singing and chatting and having a good time, for as long as the situation permitted it. It is a good time, although the hotel setting did not permit a full-pledged shindig!

The first evening in Lourdes is a time of personal devotion, prayer and being-there. The evening is beautiful and many people were there, but not crowded enough to make it difficult to be very close to the grotto. The candles are lit, and people keep lighting them when they are blown out by the winds of Lourdes. There is a very visible feeling of being in a sacred place. My left foot feels worn, and very tired, the pain began in Salamanca and I still have it as I kneel on the ground right below the grotto and started praying the intentions that people asked me to bring to this shrine. People ask for many things, and different things, mostly for healing, or for conversion, or for protection of family and friends, but there are those that are very specific, like something for passing an examination or finding a good relationship. After fifteen minutes, I started to feel tired being in the awkward position that I had, so I decided to ease myself. I stand to sit down in one of the first pews in front of the sanctuary. The cool air blows and I feel the rush of cold in my spine, even as I feel like I am well layered for the evening. Immediately, as I make a step, I notice that my left foot is not aching anymore. I did not make a big out of it, and I just sit down, stamp my foot a couple of times to check if there is any pain at all, and when I find no pain, I smile and say “Thank you, God” and continue praying the intentions that I am reading one by one.

The full day in Lourdes the following morning begins with a good breakfast of croissant and fresh fruits, but I am not even interested in eating. I am ready to start venturing the place in the daylight.

The guided tour begins early but not many of us seem interested to join in it. Many of us go through the motions, and slowly start wandering around, taking pictures on our own, while others already fall in line in the bath. Whatever the interest it, my philosophy is, go for it.

I love the place, during the day, especially just sitting by the river that flows by the grotto. The water is crystal clear, and every now and then, a fish jumps out of the water, teasing the quietness of an onlooker. It is a shallow river and its riverbank is clean. Under this beautiful sky, it is in itself a source of spiritual inspiration. I can imagine the time when there was no cemented wall that separated the river from the cave where Mary appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous. This place is changed since then, and it is no longer that primeval quiet, unknown place in the outskirts of France. It is now a major pilgrimage destination, visited by thousands and thousands of people every year, for prayer, renewal, healing and devotion.

The visit to the church of the Holy Rosary below the basilica reminds me of the many churches I visited in Italy and Greece. The mosaics of the different mysteries of the holy rosary are phenomenal. Every piece is truly a work of sacred art.

We celebrate the last mass of the pilgrimage at the chapel of Saint Ann, inside the Basilica. It turns out to be a pretty emotional mass, many of the pilgrims shed tears. I emphasize the fact that after this trip, we are changed people. We are never the same when we go back to our lives in America. It should never be the same. Just like Mary, it is good to keep all these things that we see and feel, think and experience throughout the trip, in our hearts, and contemplate on them. It has been a wonderful trip. This mass sort of marks the end of the pilgrimage, and the afternoon is free for individual devotions or for doing shopping of souvenirs, or even packing, sleeping and eating.

To ensure that one gets a bath, it is important to be aware of the time. It is good to be there at least an hour before the bath opens. Ray and I are the first in line for the men’s queue. I make my confessions with Ray while we wait for the bath. What a perfect time to be healed and forgiven. It is a plus that we are here during the low season; otherwise, we would not be here at the first seats of the queue. It is very convenient to be here this time of the year, for many reasons, including the absence of a big crowd of people that want to be in the bath line as well. It also is a plus to be male, because there are more women pilgrims. [Well, I pray that more men come to these places for spiritual renewal, anyway.] I was told that one confirmation that can happen here is that once you get out of the water, you are immediately dry, but I do not look for that. I just know that as I came out of the water, there was this inexplicable peace within me. It is like being a child, like being cleansed completely, and the amazing peace came out of that is something that I will cherish for a lifetime.


It is fun to walk around Lourdes, even just to visit the shops. It’s true what some people say that the religious items in Lourdes are more expensive than Fatima, but I just obsessed over this one Swarovski Rosary that I kept going back to it until I just had to buy it. Of course, the water container is a common commodity in Lourdes; people fill jugs of water to take home and share with family. With faith, this water is supposed to aid in healing, and many people already claim this miracle.

In the evening, some pilgrims gathered for a procession of light. Pilgrims from other groups join in for the rosary. There are Filipino, American and Mexican groups, so the rosary was prayed in three languages. The entire trip we have been blessed with clear skies, good temperature and fine weather. On this final night, there are some showers, not strong enough to soak the pilgrims, but enough to know that the hair and shoulders are wet. Nobody takes this negatively at this point. I think of it as a sending forth blessing from the heavens. As we process slowly into the grotto, we realize that there is a French service going on. We slow down a bit and did a litany by the candles. As the other group finishes, we make our way to the grotto for a final blessing.

As I sit quietly to say goodbye to this holy place, I focus on the idea of how blessed I am. I have been given so much. I cannot ask for more. I cannot ask for more.