Portsmouth Catholic cathedral ushers huge crowds for relics of St Bernadette on tour from Lourdes

Relics of St Bernadette have travelled from their shrine in Lourdes to Portsmouth, arriving with a Royal Navy escort to St John's Catholic Cathedral as part of the national tour.

Thousands of people have flocked to the cathedral in Bishop Crispian Way, which will be open for visitors overnight as it hold the relics until 9.30am on Friday.

The relics are part of the physical remains of St Bernadette, a French girl born into poverty in 1844 who claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary 18 times in a series of apparitions that took place in caves on the outskirts of Lourdes.

Visitors to the caves have claimed that waters found inside have healing properties.

Canon PJ Smith said the relics visiting Portsmouth was ‘hugely significant’ for those attending who would otherwise not be able to go to Lourdes.

He said: ‘Not everyone can visit Lourdes so it’s brilliant that a little bit of Lourdes can come here.

‘We believe that there could be healings and miracles here today.

‘It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.’

Attending were 48 Year 6 students from St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School in Farnborough,

Headteacher Peter Lynch said: ‘It’s lovely to be able to do this in our Diocese.

‘It’s something that has left them over-awed. It’s something they will remember for the rest of their lives.’

St Bernadettes Catholic Primary School student Macey Okah said it was an ‘amazing’ experience to see the relics.

The 10- year-old pupil said: ‘I never expected the relic to look like that – it was amazing to see how big it is.

‘And I was surprised by the number of people here.’

During September and October, St Bernadette’s relics will tour more than 20 churches and cathedrals to offer an opportunity for those who may not have been able to travel on pilgrimage.

The relics are due to move to the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface in Plymouth on Friday.