Director: The story of St Bernadette is still relevant today

Rome - To mark the Holy Year, the musical "Bernadette of Lourdes" will be performed in Rome in the coming weeks. The director has now spoken about his fascination with the saint. He describes himself as a non-believer.

Published on 09.01.2025 at 14:12 –

The director of the musical "Bernadette de Lourdes", Serge Denoncourt, sees St Bernadette as a representative of many children. "I wanted to tell the story of a stubborn little girl who saw something, but nobody believes it," said Denoncourt according to the Italian daily newspaper "Messaggero" (Wednesday).

Bernadette's story reflects the experience of many children and young people who lack the support of adults. "A normal story, a human story that makes you cry and laugh," said the director, who describes himself as a non-believer.

Musical in the Vatican programme

The story of Bernadette goes beyond religious faith and tells of the courage and bravery of those who live on the margins of society. The musical is the first cultural highlight in the Vatican's Holy Year programme. It will be performed for a month from 16 January in a theatre on Via della Concilazione.

The French play tells the story of Bernadette Soubirous, who as a 14-year-old girl reported apparitions of the Madonna in her home town of Lourdes. Lourdes has since become one of the largest pilgrimage sites in the world. (KNA)