Bernadette, a little peasant girl in 1858 France, has a vision of "a lovely lady" in the city garbage. She never asserts otherwise, but the townspeople unanimously believe it is the virgin Mary. The pretentious government officials believe she is insane and make every effort to suppress the girl and her supporters, while the church is apathetic about the whole situation. However, as Bernadette's fame grows, the phenomenon engulfs the entire town, transforming everyone's life.