Heated Lourdes water dismays pilgrims

Pilgrims enter the steaming baths

Millions of pilgrims to Lourdes have agreed with French author Emile Zola, who said of the Lourdes baths in 1892 that "the water was not exactly inviting." (See link below*) However, the recent decision by the Lourdes authorities to heat the water to 37C, has shocked many visitors.

"I've dreaded getting into the freezing water, but it was been an important penance to experience while visiting Lourdes" said Gerry Donnelly, a London pilgrim visiting the French shrine at Easter. "Bring back the freezing water" he demanded. "Bernadette was told to wash in the water by Our Lady" he continued "but Our Lady never said the water should be heated first."

At Our Lady's bidding, Bernadette scraped the ground at the back of the Grotto and unearthed the Lourdes water spring on 25 February 1858. The current baths were constructed in 1955, and upgraded in 1972 and 1980. There are seventeen separate bath cubicles, eleven for women and six for men. Each year about 350,000 people use them. The neck-high immersion lasts around a minute, during which time prayers are recited and veneration of a statue of the Virgin is encouraged.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emile.Zola