Queues of parishioners gathered outside St Mary’s Church on Chapel Lane in Belfast to see the relics of St Bernadette as they arrived in the city for the first time.
The sacred relics of Bernadette, who became a saint in 1933, arrived in the Republic of Ireland on September 4 and are now touring all 26 dioceses across the island until November 5.
Saint Bernadette is said to have witnessed the Blessed Mother in Lourdes and it is claimed the Virgin Mary appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, in Lourdes, France, in 1858.
Born at foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains in 1844, Bernadette died in 1879 and was canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1933.
Bernadette’s body was exhumed on April 18 1925 for her beatification and was found to be uncorrupted.
It was then decided to place it in the chapel of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers where it is usually on display.
The relics were opened to the public in Belfast from noon but queues started to form shortly after 9.30 yesterday morning.
Hundreds of people queuing to visit the relics of St Bernadette at St Mary’s Church in Chapel Lane following its arrival in Belfast as part of a pilgrimage across the island of Ireland. (Liam McBurney)
Jeannette McClarnon was among those queuing to see the relic with her daughter Jenny and her grandson Arlo.
She felt it was important for them to visit the relics as a family, adding: “It’s a little bit of Lourdes in Belfast.”
“I know we have Knock and things, but it doesn’t have that connection to St Bernadette, this does,” she added.
The family came from Randalstown to see the relics and were pleased to see how many people had turned out to St Mary’s.
“This is a once in a lifetime thing for some people, there are some people who want to visit Lourdes but can’t because they are sick so this is a great opportunity for them,” Jeanette said.
She believes the huge crowds outside St Mary’s show the strength of the Catholic community’s faith.
“People are living in hope that today will make a wee bit of a difference in their lives. I think people will make the journey,” she said.
Jeannette McClarnon with grandson Arlo
Mary Kelly from Templepatrick travelled to Belfast and described a very personal and spiritual connection to St Bernadette, having always been eager to visit the relics.
“I always prayed to St Bernadette since I was a little girl in school, I had a picture of her up in my bedroom and I chose her for my Confirmation name, so I always had that connection to her.
“Even as I got older I would have prayed to her. A couple of years ago I was sick and I had a picture of St Bernadette beside my bed in the hospital and it stayed there for the seven months I was in hospital,” she said.
Mary said she wasn’t surprised by the crowds of people that had turned out at St Mary’s.
“Catholics here have a strong faith and we never lost that, even with everything during the Troubles, we never lost that,” she said.
Mary Kelly
Eilish McKee travelled from Magherafelt to Belfast to visit the relics.
“I have got the free bus pass and I had nothing else to do so I thought: ‘Why not?’,” she joked.
Eilish has previously seen the relics in Lourdes but didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see them again.
“This is the first time they have been in Ireland so I thought I would touch base just to strength the faith,” she said.
Eilish said she was pleased to see so many people waiting to see the relics.
“I wasn’t really expecting a queue but I knew there would be a lot of people here. We just have that strong sense of faith here, people are here to strengthen that faith,” she said.
Mary McCaffrey with granddaughter, Ciara and great granddaughter, Clodagh
Mary McCaffrey was excited to visit the relics with granddaughter, Ciara and great granddaughter, Clodagh.
Mary regularly visits Lourdes so she was excited for her family to see some of the most well-known relics.
“I’ve been to Lourdes a lot of times. I’d prefer it to a sun holiday, everywhere I go I take my Lourdes (Rosary) beads with me,” she said.
Mary feels the relics are a great way for parishioners to show their love for St Bernadette. “It’s such a lovely story of Lourdes. I’ve been to the place where Bernadette lived with her parents, it’s nice to see the story being brought to here,” she said.
Tommy McCormack
Tommy McCormack from Belfast said he hopes visiting the relic can strengthen his faith.
“I wouldn’t have the strongest of faith but I would come into St Mary’s on my own sometimes and light a candle and I’m hoping that being here today can just strengthen the faith a wee bit,” he said.
Tommy was impressed to see so many different people visiting the relic.
“You have so many people here, you have all different cultures and ages from older ones to wee children in prams and it’s great to see the big interest,” he said.