Bernadette of Lourdes Musical Brings Saint’s Story to American Stages
Catholic audiences across America have plenty to celebrate this year. The Bernadette of Lourdes musical, already beloved in France, is finally reaching American screens and stages. At the same time, an entirely separate but equally moving tour is unfolding: the actual relics of Saint Bernadette Soubirous are travelling across the United States. Together, these two events are sparking fresh interest in one of the Church’s most cherished saints.
Saint Bernadette’s Feast Day Falls on 16 April
The universal Church honours Saint Bernadette Soubirous on 16 April each year, marking the date of her death in 1879. In France, however, many Catholics also observe 18 February, the anniversary of her final apparition at Lourdes. This year’s American tour timing connects closely to another milestone: the 100th anniversary of her beatification, which the Church marked with special commemorations in September.
Why the Bernadette of Lourdes Musical Matters
The Bernadette of Lourdes musical features lyrics by Lionel Florence and Patrice Guirao, set to music composed by the French artist Gregoire. Performed at the Robert Houssein Hall in Lourdes between 2019 and 2022, the show became a regular feature for pilgrims visiting the shrine. Its emotional retelling of Bernadette’s apparitions clearly resonated, since producers eventually decided to bring the production across the Atlantic.
On 28 and 29 September, American cinemas showed a filmed version of the production, performed in French with English subtitles. Fathom Events and Pathé Live organised the screenings, timed deliberately to coincide with the beatification anniversary. Young performer Eyma Scharen, who has portrayed Bernadette since she turned fifteen, expressed hope of eventually mastering English well enough to perform the role on Broadway.
From Screen to Stage: What Comes Next
Although the recent screenings featured the original French-language performance, plans are already underway for a full English-language American tour next year. This shift matters significantly, since it will allow English-speaking audiences to experience Bernadette’s story without relying on subtitles. Many American Catholics currently know her story mainly through the 1943 film The Song of Bernadette, based on Franz Werfel’s novel and starring Jennifer Jones. The new musical offers a fresh, contemporary way to encounter the same powerful narrative.
The Separate Relic Tour Adds to the Excitement
Interestingly, the musical’s American debut arrives alongside a completely different pilgrimage: the physical relics of Saint Bernadette are also touring the United States during 2026 and 2027. Housed in a 132-pound reliquary, these relics include fragments of her ribs, kneecaps, and muscle tissue, all authenticated through canonical records preserved in Nevers, France.
The relic tour officially opened with celebrations from 18 to 20 September at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Organisers plan stops at roughly 140 locations nationwide, including Cathedrals, Seminaries, Hospitals and Catholic universities. This builds on the success of an earlier 2022 relic tour, which drew hundreds of thousands of faithful across the country.
Father Jim Phalan, the Lourdes Sanctuary’s English-speaking chaplain, noted that Bernadette’s humility and unwavering trust in God still resonate strongly with modern audiences. Given both the musical and the relic tour happening simultaneously, this year offers American Catholics multiple ways to deepen their connection with her story.
The Full Relic Tour Schedule Is Now Online
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes has published the complete route on its official tour website and organisers continue updating it as new stops get confirmed. The journey runs from September 2026 through fall 2027, divided into four regional legs.
The East Coast leg ran from September to December 2026, opening in Washington, D.C. and closing with several stops across Florida. The Central South leg begins in January 2027, though organisers are still finalising exact cities. The Central North and West Coast legs will follow later, with dates to be announced closer to each region’s turn.
Parishes hoping to host the relics can submit a request directly through the tour website, and the organisers post upcoming and past stops as the pilgrimage progresses. Anyone wanting to track the journey should bookmark the official relic tour map for the latest confirmed dates.
Bernadette’s Enduring Story, Told Through Music and Faith
Born in 1844, Bernadette Soubirous reported eighteen apparitions of the Virgin Mary near Lourdes, France, beginning in 1858. Despite widespread scepticism at the time, she never wavered from her testimony. Pope Pius XI canonised her in 1933 and her incorrupt body remains on display at the Convent of Saint Gildard in Nevers.
The Bernadette of Lourdes musical captures this steadfastness through song, particularly emphasising her simple but profound message that “between high and low, another world is there.” According to Scharen, portraying such conviction remains genuinely challenging, since audiences immediately sense authenticity or its absence on stage.
Looking Ahead for American Catholics
Whether through song or sacred relics, Saint Bernadette’s presence in America this year offers something meaningful for believers and newcomers alike. For official tour dates and updates, Catholics can also consult OSV News’s original coverage of the musical’s American debut.
As both the Bernadette of Lourdes musical and the relic pilgrimage continue unfolding, they offer a timely reminder of why this humble French peasant girl still captivates hearts nearly two centuries after her birth.
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