"Thank you, Mary, for my freedom, thanks for life". With these words, Ingrid Betancourt voiced her gratitude to the Virgin Mary in front of the grotto in Massabielle, in her pilgrimage in Lourdes on Saturday 12th July, with her mother and her children Mélanie and Lorenzo. In her prayer as written in an article published yesterday 14th July on the daily paper "La Croix" , she also mentioned the other hostages that are still in the hands of Farc and who "need your strength, your hope, your light". Betancourt was welcomed to the grotto by the bishop of Tarbes Lourdes, mgr. Jacques Perrier. "We wanted to protect her wish for meditation and we respectfully received the testimony of her faith", stated the bishop to the French Catholic newspaper. "What impresses me most about this woman he added is the consistency between her fiery faith, her love for her family and her work at the service of others". Ingrid Betancourt thanked bishop Perrier for the prayer that was made for her at the sanctuary on 21st March, Holy Friday, considering her release is "a miracle".
