The Sleeping Saint of Nevers
Since the Blessed Virgin Mary graced the grotto of Lourdes with Her presence in 1858, it has been one of the most popular of the worlds' Marian shrines. Many people have knelt at the famous rock and prayed to Saint Bernadette, who saw the Immaculate Virgin on eighteen occasions. And yet many people do not know that the body of Saint Bernadette lies incorrupt in the chapel of the Convent of Saint-Gildard at Nevers, and that this convent is open to the public.
Today, the Convent of Saint Gildard carries on the message of Lourdes, praying for poor sinners and bringing God to mankind in the same way He Himself chose - through His Immaculate Mother, Mary. Many pilgrims visit the convent on their return from Lourdes, others come out of curiosity, perhaps disbelieving that Bernadette's body is indeed perfectly preserved. The air of reverence and silence follows closely on the realisation that this is fact rather than fantasy.
Bernadette died on 16th April 1879. Her body was buried in the small chapel dedicated to St.Joseph, within the convent grounds. In September of 1909, Bernadettes body was exhumed, as part of the process leading to her eventual canonisation. The hollowed-out tomb was extremely humid - her habit was very damp, the rosary held in her hands was rusted and her crucifix had turned green.
Yet despite this, the body itself was perfectly preserved. Two further exhumations (in April 1919 and April 1925) were carried out. At the third , the skin was found to have discoloured slightly in places, due probably to exposure to the air following the forty-six years of burial. Because of this, the firm of Pierre Imans in Paris made light wax coverings for the face and hands. By June of 1925, the Cateland workshop in Lyon had finished the gilt and crystal reliquary which was to be the final resting place of the saint; the light wax masks were placed on the face and hands and the body was placed in the shrine. The same month, Pope Pius XI beatified Bernadette - she could now be called "Blessed" and her remains could be publicly venerated.
In August, the shrine was ceremonially placed in the main chapel of the convent, and the long line of pilgrims began to visit the convent. In 1933 Bernadette was declared a Saint - appropriately, this took place on December 8th, feast of the Immaculate Conception.