In the footsteps of the seer
Mainroth believers follow in the footsteps of saint bernadette of lourdes on their parish pilgrimage. 18 years ago, the parish trip had already been to lourdes.
After an overnight trip, the group made a first stop at the hotel dieu, the hospital for the poor in beaune, burgundy. This magnificent ensemble with its glazed tile roofs was built in the 15th century. Built in the seventeenth century to help the neediest of the sick. The museum of the history of medicine, which is now located in the rooms, is a unique place.
The life and work of the priest jean-marie vianney was revealed during a visit to the basilica of ars-sur-formans. From 1830, peasants, intellectuals, workers, eager and curious people from all over france lined up for hours and days in front of the confessional, every year there were
20000 people.
After a service in the basilica, celebrated by priest kosma rejmer in front of the glass shrine with the intact body of the saint, this unforgettable day came to an end.
The next day the group arrived at the pilgrimage site of lourdes in the pyrenees. During bernadette’s lifetime, the bigorre was one of the poorest areas in france. Even today, lourdes is a small town with about 15,000 inhabitants, but it has become one of the great spiritual centers of christianity.
Endless stream of pilgrims
Pilgrims come inexorably to this place inseparably linked to the girl bernadette soubirous, to whom the mother of god appeared 18 times. Bernadette left her home in 1866 and moved to nevers, 800 kilometers away, where she lived as a religious.
Although she missed her family and the grotto, she never returned to lourdes. She died, only 35 years old, after a long period of suffering on 16. April 1879. Her unharmed body rests today in a glass shrine in the monastery of st. Mary. Gildard in nevers.
During the four-day stay in lourdes, the pilgrims had the opportunity to participate in the international mass in the largest underground basilica in the world, which can accommodate 25,000 faithful.
Every day everyone took part in the solemn procession of lights. Many took advantage of the opportunity to bathe in the waters of the spring and offer their personal prayer requests.
During the tour of the city, the most important stations of the life of st. Bernadette were visited. The german-language eucharist at the grotto, at which father kosma was the main celebrant, will remain unforgotten.
On the fifth day of the journey, after a visit to bartres, where bernadette had spent part of her childhood, we bid farewell to lourdes. The journey continued to agen. Since the world youth day in colombia, when a group from agen visited mainroth, the parish has maintained friendly ties with the local diocese. This friendship was deepened during an overnight stay of the young people from agen on their way to the world youth day in krakow. Therefore, the joy was great on both sides when the group arrived in the city on the garonne river.
Special friendship
After a guided tour of the cathedral in the center of agen, there was a franco-german service in a suburb with the main celebrant, bishop hubert herbreteau, who gave the travelers a very warm welcome.
Afterwards, in the courtyard of the local parish center, this special friendship was celebrated with a joint dinner.
Saturday’s itinerary included nevers, one of the oldest towns in burgundy. The last resting place of saint bernadette was visited in the chapel of the monastery of saint gildard. At the german-language service, which P. Two groups of pilgrims from germany also took part in the celebration of the eucharist at kosma.
The next day the journey continued past besancon to colmar in alsace. The city is famous for its well-preserved architectural heritage dating back six centuries and for its museums. In the unterlinden museum the travelers saw the world-famous isenheim altar. The paintings on two fixed and four rotating altar wings are the main work by matthias grunewald, created between 1512 and 1516.
After a tour of colmar it was time to say goodbye. After eight days full of unforgettable impressions, the travel group set off on its journey home. Ingrid kohles