Dadizele (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Bernadette of Lourdes relic travels to Dadizele. The holy relic dedicated to Mary will appear in every diocese of our nation throughout this month. The relic will present itself to viewers in Poperinge at the end of this month. The Church officially declared Bernadette Soubirous a blessed person during a ceremony exactly one hundred years ago.
During the Marian month, a national tour begins with the Lourdes relic of Saint Bernadette Soubirous being placed at Dadizele. Relic fragments from Saint Bernadette Soubirous’s remains will be displayed for the entire religious territory of Belgium across all dioceses until it reaches Poperinge in May. The present year holds special meaning because it marks the 100th anniversary since Bernadette received beatification status.
“She was a very simple and poor girl, but she still saw perspective in her life and she became a religious person. She herself had many health problems, but despite those problems, she had a big heart for sick and injured people. She has become a concept and a model in Lourdes.”
“We come to Dadizele every May, it is an annual tradition. Sometimes we even come twice. The fact that the relic is here now makes it extra special.”
Who was Bernadette Soubirous, and why is her relic touring Belgium?
Bernadette Soubirous arrived in this world as a French child in 1844 in Lourdes and followed Mary through eighteen visions of the Virgin Mary at the Grotto of Massabielle in 1858. During these visions, the “lady” identified herself as the “Immaculate Conception” and requested that a chapel be built at the site, as reported by VRT..
Webster’s accounts of religious experiences were first ignored until his testimony grew respected, thus establishing Lourdes as a globally important Catholic travel destination known for its sacred water and holy site. Bernadette spent her life praying and serving others after becoming a Sister of Charity in Nevers until she died there in 1879 at the age of 35. The Church selected Bernadette to become a saint under the leadership of Pope Pius XI in 1933.
The relics of Bernadette maintain religious importance to Catholics because they connect them directly to her faith and the events at Lourdes. Relics of Bernadette Soubirous are toured across different countries as part of an established Catholic practice, which brings saintly spiritual relics to places that cannot travel to Lourdes. These tours enable religious followers to unite with Bernadette’s narrative and find spiritual peace while joining collective prayer sessions and contemplation.
The relics that toured the United Kingdom and Ireland previously generated public interest through large-scale visits, created venues for religious veneration and healing experiences, and strengthened religious commitment.
Pilgrims and residents of Belgium obtain a distinct opportunity to revere St. Bernadette during this occasion while contemplating her message of spirituality and dedication, and deepening their religious connection to Lourdes.
