Eleventh Apparition
Sunday 28 February 1858
Bernadette arrived at the Grotto just before seven o'clock, together with her Aunt Lucille. In one hand she carried her ever-present Rosary, in the other, her blessed candle.
Monsieur Estrade estimated there to be approximately two thousand on-lookers at the Grotto that morning. The crowd was densely packed, so that during the vision, it proved difficult for Bernadette to move while performing her normal penances at the command of the Lady. Before she could move under the niche on her knees, the gendarmes present had to push back the crowd a little. This was by no means easy.
Several times the little one moved forward to the rock and back again, each time on her knees, each time kissing the ground at intervals. Her face and lips were mud-stained. But today no-one laughed at her.
The messages she received were of a personal nature and were not related to the assembled people. Her privacy in such instances was respected.
The large numbers present had caused the ground to become muddy and down-trodden. Only a few of the wild plants remained untrodden. Also, the constant coming and going had caused the water from the spring to run in several little streams towards the Gave. On this day, local workmen decided to dig a trough in which the water could collect.
After the vision, Bernadette and Lucille left the Grotto and went directly to Mass in the parish Church.
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Of significance is the crowd problem. The grotto (gave') area is beginning to look like a cow pasteur. It is muddied and the plants are trodden down. The police continue to protect Bernadette, which is getting ever difficult. She kisses the ground repeatedly near the spring as she is given to say her rosary, her face mud stained. The crowd does not laugh at this site as the did previously. The spring now flows in three streams, and local workers dig a trenc to collect the waters.
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