Betharram is an ancient shrine of Our Lady in the foothills of the French Pyrenees. It is by the same river which flows through Lourdes and is about eight miles downstream. The river is very dangerous at Betharram and legend has it that a young girl gathering flowers fell in and was swept away. The girl called to Our Blessed Lady who appeared holding her Son and held out a nearby branch for the girl to regain safety. Betharram in the local dialect, Bearnais, means "Beautiful Branch". It was at this shrine that St Michael Garicoits spent all his priestly life except for his first two years as curate at Cambo. Fr Michael’s love for Our Blessed Mother was well known. He started his day by saying the fifteen mysteries of the rosary. When St Michael learnt the facts of the apparitions at Lourdes from St Bernadette, he was overwhelmed with joy: "How good God is", he said, "He has filled our region with Blessings". St Michael visited the grotto several times.

Michael Garicoits was a Basque, from the French region of the Pyrenees. He was born on the 15 April 1797 in the hamlet of Ibarre.

Michael was ordained a priest on the 20 December 1823 and was appointed curate to the important town of Cambo not far from Bayonne.

It is interesting to note that while Michael was still studying for the priesthood the Bishop asked him to teach at the Junior Seminary at Larressore. Here Michael was much loved by the pupils and staff at the seminary. So it was not surprising that after two years as curate at Cambo Fr Michael was sent to Betharram to teach Philosophy.

Betharram, situated at the foothills of the Pyrenees, is an ancient shrine of Our Lady.

When in 1833 the Bishop closed his seminary at Betharram Fr Michael was left to care for the shrine and its many pilgrims. This allowed Michael to fulfil a dream, to start a Congregation of Priests and Brothers. The task of this congregation, which was dedicated to the Sacred Heart, was to evangelizes the people through missions and to teach the young a Christian way of life. The ideal Fr Michael placed before his congregation was the very programme of the Sacred Heart: when entering this world, He said, "Here I am, O God, to do Your will’. (Heb. 10: 5-7)

Betharram is eight miles from Lourdes and is situated on the same river. When Fr Michael learnt the details of the apparitions from Bernadette he immediately recognised their reality. This is in contrast to most bishops and priests of the area who did not recognise the apparitions for a long time. Despite his personal certainty Fr Michael remained discreet and prudent. He did not go on pilgrimage to Lourdes until the Bishop recognised the apparitions on the 18 January 1862.

Did Michael’s understanding of Our Blessed Lady’s designs at Lourdes come from his great love and devotion to Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother? Many times during the day Fr Michael could be seen saying a decade or so of the rosary. St Michael died on the 14 May 1863 at 3.00 o’clock in the morning. This was the time he use to start his day by saying the whole rosary of Our Blessed Lady.

Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified was born at Abellin in Galilee on the 5 January 1846 and at baptism was given the name Mariam meaning Mary. Her parents were George and Mary Baouardy who belonged to the Greek-Melkite Catholic Rite. Baouardy means a man of powder which was what her father manufactured

Mariam’s parents died before she was three years old. A paternal uncle who lived in Abellin took charge of Mariam and treated her as his daughter. At about the age of twelve Mariam moved with her uncle and family to Alexandria in Egypt. After many experiences she found work in Marseille, France, in 1863.

Four years later Mariam entered the Discalced Carmelites at Pau in France and was given the name Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified. She went with the founding group to establish the Carmel of Mangalore in India, in 1870. It was there in Mangalore that Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified made her profession. She returned to France in 1872. Three years later she went to the Holy Land where she built a monastery in Bethlehem and began the planning for another at Nazareth.

Before leaving for Bethlehem Sister Mary persuaded Mgr. Lacroix, Bishop of Bayonne, to send the rule of the Priests of Betharram to Rome for recognition, something he refused to do for St Michael Garicoits their founder. Sister Mary was also instrumental in obtaining the permission for the Betharram Community to work in the Holy Land and be chaplains to the Carmel at Bethlehem.

Noted for her supernatural gifts, her devotion to the Holy Spirit, a great love for the Church and the Pope, she died at Bethlehem in 1878.

Pope John Paul II declared Mariam Blessed on 13 November 1983.

The feast-day of Blessed Mariam is on 25 August.