<P> Soubirous was later canonized as a saint in 1933 . </P> <P> The veracity of the apparitions of Lourdes is not an article of faith for Catholics . Nevertheless, all recent Popes visited the Marian shrine at some time . Benedict XV, Pius XI, and John XXIII went there as bishops, Pius XII as papal delegate . He also issued an encyclical, Le pèlerinage de Lourdes, on the one - hundredth anniversary of the apparitions in 1958 . John Paul II visited Lourdes three times during his pontificate, and twice before as a bishop . </P> <P> Many Marian apparitions, although they may occur in different ages and cultures, share similarities . Soubirous's visions took place against a cultural backdrop of apparitions and other supernatural events that bear some resemblance to Soubirous's experiences . It is likely that Soubirous would have known of, and may even have been influenced by, such events, which were woven into the fabric of her society . </P> <P> In nearby Lestelle - Bétharram, only a few kilometres from Lourdes, some shepherds guarding their flocks in the mountains observed a vision of a ray of light that guided them to the discovery of a statue of the Virgin Mary . Two attempts were made to remove the statue to a more prominent position; each time it disappeared and returned to its original location, at which a small chapel was built for it . </P>

Who did our lady of lourdes appear to