1) Iconographic and Symbolic Elements:
Madonna of Lourdes sculpted with crown and Bernadette: Represents the apparition of the Virgin Mary to Saint Bernadette Soubirous. The crown symbolizes Mary's royalty.
Grotto of Lourdes: Place of the apparitions, symbol of divine revelation and healing.
Reference to Our Lady of La Salette: Connects the apparitions of Lourdes to a previous Marian event, emphasizing the continuity of the divine message.
2) Religious Meaning:
Madonna of Lourdes: Embodies the maternal and compassionate presence of Mary, bringing hope, faith and miracles. Her apparition to Bernadette is an invitation to prayer, penance, and conversion.
Crown: Symbolizes the regal dignity of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth, intercessor with God.
Bernadette: Represents humility and purity, vehicle of divine revelation. Her testimony is the foundation of devotion to Lourdes.
Grotto: Meeting place between the divine and the human, symbol of purification and spiritual rebirth.
Connection with La Salette: Highlights the continuity of the Marian message of warning and invitation to conversion, reinforcing the credibility of the Lourdes apparitions and their prophetic significance.