In The Footsteps Of Bernadette

I'm almost back to normal after the Pilgrimage: I didn't go to bed quite as early as I should (but, due to the time-difference between France and the UK, earlier than every other night last week) and was out for the count. I nearly didn't make it up in time for Mass this morning, but following my usual Saturday routine is good discipline. As a result, I have a glorious afternoon ahead of me in which I shall experiment with my photos, some CDs and YouTube...

...but while you're waiting, I thought you might like the following little snippet, as a sort of apéritif.

On my way back from the baths on Tuesday morning, I passed the grotto. Normally the place is packed out at that time, and I was preparing to find a corner of a bench by the river wall on which to sit, contemplate and pray. However, I happened to glance back towards the statue of Our Lady in the niche of the rock. At the same time, the crowd seemed to thin and move away, exposing the plaque in the ground which shows the spot where St. Bernadette was kneeling when Our Lady appeared... This was just too good an opportunity to miss, so I moved forward to take a photo...

...and just for good measure, I took a photo of the niche where Our Lady appeared as seen when actually standing on the plaque... obviously, it would have been better to have knelt there, but that's not an option for me. A Hail Mary was duly prayed in thanksgiving.