Bernadette, << `bur` nuh DEHT, >> Saint (1844-1879), is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. She was born Bernadette Soubirous, on Jan. 7, 1844, in Lourdes, France. When she was 14, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to her 18 times at Lourdes saying, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Lourdes became a popular pilgrimage center for people seeking cures for diseases or other infirmities. Bernadette joined the Sisters of Charity in 1866. She died on April 16, 1879. Bernadette was declared a saint in 1933. Her feast day is April 16. See also Lourdes .
