Grot van Massabielle te Lourdes c. 1860 - 1880

Provost Père et Fils captured this stereo card of the Grotte of Massabielle in Lourdes using photography. It gained significance in the mid-19th century due to reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary to a young peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous. These visions occurred against a backdrop of social inequality and religious fervor. Bernadette, a poor and uneducated girl, claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary multiple times, who identified herself as the "Immaculate Conception." This declaration became a focal point for the Catholic Church amidst debates about papal infallibility and the role of women in religious experience. The Grotte became a site of pilgrimage, drawing people from various social classes seeking healing. In the image, people gather to experience the sacred space. It encapsulates a moment of shared faith, yet also hints at the social dynamics inherent in religious devotion.