Nearly 150 years ago, the young girl pictured above was visited by the most beautiful lady the girl had even seen in her life. On the 16th visit, when asked if she could say who she was, the beautiful lady said:
"I am the Immaculate Conception."
Just 3 and a half years earlier, in the Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of 8 December, 1854, Pius IX pronounced and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin." ~ Catholic Encyclopedia
The Immaculate Conception of Mary became a dogma, something Catholics must believe.
The beautiful lady that visited the young girl in Lourdes, France 150 years ago was presumed to be the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Today is the Feast of Mary's Immaculate Conception.
The young girl pictured above (Saint Bernadette Soubirous) did not live long and her incorrupt body is shown to the right in a glass casket. If you visit her, you will see her looking like this photo, even though she has been dead for nearly 130 years.
Related Links: Saint Bernadette Soubirous, Immaculate Conception ~ Wikipedia
See also, Mr Tips' post : Mother of Man's Pilgrimage