The Mariale Procession.

Tonight after tea I sat quietly thinking on the river’s edge feeling like something wonderful had happened to me today, I don’t know what but also felt like it was lost. It wouldn’t be too long before the start of the Mariale procession would start so I continued to sit and watch the lighted candles shine out of the grotto into the night.
The thing that I have enjoyed the most about being at Lourdes, apart from sitting by the river and watching the world pass by, is taking part in the Mariale processions.

The procession started at about 9pm with a multilingual speech over speakers. This was an amazing feeling, hearing the different languages really made me realise that we were all here together, we were all the same no matter from which part of the world we came from we were all here for the same reasons. I felt comforted being in the middle of it. The procession set off very slowly, it seemed ages before I actually moved. This was a bit upsetting and frustrating as I felt that I may be missing out on something or not get to experience the whole procession. Some time after the procession started a rosary was said (the Rosary is a series of prayers and meditations on the life of Jesus Christ and his mother, the Virgin Mary. Devout Roman Catholics take the Rosary very seriously and use it as a means of meditation, as well as an intercessory prayer). Along the way there was singing which was calming and gave me that feeling yet again of closeness and being loved. Most people walking the procession were holding lit candles, and standing by the procession the spectators were praying and singing holding their lit candles. After I had been part of the procession I felt an incredible warmth and peace afterwards. It was very emotional and not like anything I have experienced before. The morning after, I still felt that peace, almost as if I had been touched by God.