As a side note, mainly so you don't mistake us Catholics as a bunch of weird idolaters...Catholic Saints are men and women who lived incredibly courageous and virtuous lives, who followed Christ to their utmost capacity as persons. We believe that because they lived so boldly and beautifully, that they are in Heaven and pray for us. Just like I might ask you to pray for me, we ask them to pray for us. We admire the Saints and hope to live as virtuously as they did, in whatever way we're called. And visiting these places of importance in their lives is one way to pay homage to their incredible faith in God.
the Basilica
the dome
the crypt! so pretty
and sweet Paul got us roses. awww.
"Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing." -St. Thérèse
On the train from Lisieux to Paris, we split a baguette paired with a healthy serving of peanut butter and nutella, of course. We barely caught our other train leaving for Nevers, France, but cutting it close on time was something we became rather accustomed to. Saint Bernadette, who saw the Virgin Mary on 18 different occasions as a little girl in Lourdes, has made Nevers famous. We stayed the night in the convent where she lived the rest of her beautiful life as a nun serving the poor, and where her body lies incorrupt...that's right, it hasn't decayed. I know, it's hard to believe, but our faith paves the way to trust.
Finished the night with a delicious 3-course dinner as a little exhausted pilgrim family, with more exhaustion and beautiful things to come (oh, if we only knew...)
chapel where Bernadette liked to pray
"I shall spend every moment loving."-St. Bernadette
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