The Story of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes and her incorrupt body. In 1858, in the small French town of Lourdes, a poor 14-year-old girl named Bernadette Soubirous experienced something extraordinary. While gathering firewood near a grotto called Massabielle, she saw a beautiful Lady in white, who appeared to her 18 times. The Lady, later revealed to be the Virgin Mary, asked Bernadette to pray, do penance, and tell the local priest to build a chapel. She also directed her to dig in the ground, wh