The Free Presbyterian Church abhors the present pilgrimage of the so-called relics of ‘Saint Bernadette’ that is currently taking place throughout Ireland during the months of September and October.
The Church of Rome claims that on the 11th of February 1858, Mary appeared to a fourteen-year-old girl, Bernadette Soubirous, at Lourdes in France, saying to her “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Rome further claims that Bernadette saw Mary a total of eighteen times, eventually resulting in Bernadette being canonised in 1933. St Bernadette has been described by Rome as ‘the Virgin Mary’s missionary’. Consequently, Lourdes is one of the most frequented pilgrimage sites in the world, with Roman Catholicism claiming that seventy miracles have taken place there.
Presently, during the months of September and October these relics, having been brought from Lourdes to Ireland, are being taken on a pilgrimage throughout this island. This relic pilgrimage around Ireland is being described by Rome “as an opportunity for people to have the experience of Lourdes in their own local area.” In other words, this two-month event is designed to focus attention on Mary as the object of worship and salvation, in keeping with Rome’s teaching that Mary is Co-Redemptrix or Mediatrix with Christ in the salvation of men.
For the Bible-believing Christian, this practice of a pilgrimage of relics is abhorrent for the basic reason that it contributes to an undermining of the teaching of Scripture that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and men. The very heart of the Biblical gospel is the sole mediatorship of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sinful men need a mediator between them and a holy God, to make sacrifice for sin and reconcile them to that holy God whom they have offended and whose eternal wrath they deserve. But Scripture categorically states in 1 Timothy 2:5 that “…there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
Christ alone is mediator. Through the miracle of all true miracles, the virgin birth of Christ, in His person He possesses two distinct natures, deity and humanity. Thereby He is both God and man, an indispensable requirement for the salvation of sinners. No other person, including Mary, is both divine and human. Christ alone is the Godman and is thereby qualified to interpose between God and men to save them from sin through His perfect obedience. Therefore, all other proposed and pretended mediators are excluded from interposing between God and fallen humanity. Because of His glorious person, Christ is the Redeemer of sinners. It is through His blood that there is redemption and the forgiveness of sin, Ephesians 1:7.
Rev. John Greer
Clerk of Presbytery
