Saint Bernadette, born on January 7, 1844, in Lourdes, France, is best known for her visions of the Virgin Mary. At the age of 14, she experienced a series of apparitions in a grotto near the town, where Mary identified herself as the "Immaculate Conception." These events led to the establishment of the Lourdes Sanctuary, a major pilgrimage site. Bernadette became a nun and spent her later years in the convent of Saint-Gildas in Nevers, France. She died on April 16, 1879, and was canonized as a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1933. Her feast day is celebrated on April 16.