Marian Apparitions

1. Marian Apparitions

2. The whole Bible is the transcript of one apparition after another. Every Mass includes Christ’s apparition among us —in the appearance of bread and wine. If it’s crazy to believe in apparitions, then every Jew and every Christian who ever lived would have to be crazy

3. "Apparition" just means that a heavenly being —Christ, Mary, another saint, or an angel— makes himself known to human senses. That being the case, pick up your Bible and check: Look at the Apocalypse, in which John describes his vision of the whole heavenly Jerusalem. Genesis, the first apparitions were to Adam and Eve, when God walked with them in the cool of the garden. Then have a look at Exodus, when God appeared to Moses and spoke to him in the burning bush. Carry it through to the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Resurrection.

4. Apparitions don’t just come to exceptionally holy people. Marie Lataste (1822–1847) started life as a remarkably obnoxious little girl in Dax, France, but then Christ started appearing to her almost routinely after her first Communion. Her vices disappeared, her virtues grew, and those around her felt an abiding sense of joy, just from her presence, although she never went out of her way to impress them. (The surprising thing was that she wasn’t surprised at all of this; evidently she thought that’s the way religion works.) Melanie Matthieu, was practically a feral child before the apparition at La Salette in 1848, her teachers described her afterwards as a complete savage. She later became a vagrant, running all over Europe denouncing the Church for refusing to pay her saintly honors during her lifetime. Bernadette was a remarkably sweet-natured child before Mary appeared to her, and she got even better afterwards, but at the time she was totally ignorant of her catechism and not unusually pious. God picks up his tools as he will (Judg. 6:15, Matt. 9:9–13, Acts 9:1–4)

5. Genuine apparitions come, invariably, to people who didn’t want them before they happened, who later wish that they hadn’t had them, or who don’t want them at all, ever. The modesty of their conduct contrasts sharply with the posturing of the fakes and the deluded.

6. Belief even in events like Lourdes or Fatima is only enjoined, never required. No such event is necessary for salvation or for the business of the Church; like Christ’s own miracles, they only help bring people’s attention back to the faith (John 3:1–21).

7. A Marian apparition is an event in which the Virgin Mary is purported to have supernaturally appeared to one or more persons, typically Catholics, in various settings. • They are often given names based on the town in which they were reported, or on the sobrique which was given to Mary on the occasion of the apparition. • They have been interpreted as psychological (pareidolia), and as religious phenomena, occasionally as theophanies. • Apparitions sometimes recur at the same site over an extended period of time. In the majority of Marian apparitions only a few people can see Mary. The exception to this is at Zeitoun, where thousands claimed to have seen her over a period of three years.

8. According to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, the era of public revelation ended with the death of the last living Apostle. A Marian apparition, if deemed genuine by Church authority, is treated as private revelation that may emphasize some facet of the received public revelation for a specific purpose, but it can never add anything new to the deposit of faith. At most, the Church will confirm an apparition as worthy of belief, but belief is never required by divine faith. The Holy See has officially confirmed the apparitions at Guadalupe, La Salette, Paris (Rue du Bac, Miraculous Medal), Lourdes, Fatima, Pontmain, Beauraing, Nanneux, and Knock (Ireland).

9. In 1978 the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued "Norms of the Congregation for Proceeding in Judging Alleged Apparitions and Revelations“

10. Criteria for evaluating apparitions • The diocesan bishop can initiate a process on his own initiative or at the request of the faithful to investigate the facts of an alleged apparition. • The bishop may refrain from looking into it if he chooses, especially if he thinks that not much will come of the event. • The national conference of bishops may intervene if the local diocesan bishop refers it to him or if the event becomes important nationally or at least in more than one diocese. • The Apostolic See can also intervene at the request of the local bishop himself, at the request of a group of the faithful, or on its own initiative.

11. The steps in the investigation are mandated as follows: • An initial evaluation of the facts of the alleged event, based on both positive and negative criteria. • After this initial investigation, if the occurrence meets the criteria, positive and negative, an initial cautionary permission can be granted that basically states: "for the moment, there is nothing opposed to it." This permits public participation in the devotion in regard to the alleged apparition. • Ultimately, a final judgment and determination needs to be given, giving approval or condemnation of the event.

12. Positive Criteria • moral certainty (the certainty required to act morally in a situation of doubt) or at least great probability as to the existence of a private revelation at the end of a serious investigation into the case • evaluation of the personal qualities of the person in question (mental balance, honesty, moral life, sincerity, obedience to Church authority, willingness to practice faith in the normal way, etc.) • evaluation of the content of the revelations themselves (that they do not disagree with faith and morals of the Church, freedom from theological errors) • the revelation results in healthy devotion and spiritual fruits in people's lives (greater prayer, greater conversion of heart, works of charity that result, etc.)

13. Negative Criteria • glaring errors in regard to the facts • doctrinal errors attributed to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or to the Holy Spirit in how they appear • any pursuit of financial gain in relation to the alleged event • gravely immoral acts committed by the person or those associated with the person at the time of the event • psychological disorders or tendencies on the part of the person or persons associated

14. Papal Marian apparitions It has been claimed that apparitions were experienced by a number of popes, including Pope Leo XIII in 1884, Pope Pius XII at various stages during his papacy, and Pope John Paul II in 1981, while he recovered from an assassination attempt which occurred on the anniversary of the Fatima apparition. (He allegedly saw changes in the sun reminiscent of the Fatima sun miracle.)

15. John Paul II's particular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary was indicated in his coat of Arms, which contains a large letter "M," representing Mary at the foot of the Cross, as well as his motto "Totus Tuus," ("Totally yours"), dedicated to Mary. He also visited many of the most famous apparition sites, notably Guadalupe, Fatima, Lourdes, and Knock, and may have experienced another visitation on his last visit, to Lourdes in 2004, when he lost his balance and said: 'I feel with emotion that I have reached the end of my pilgrimage'.

16. Many Christians, including some Catholics, as well as nonbelievers, regard claims of Marian apparitions as being hallucinations encouraged by superstition, and occasionally simply as lies and deliberate hoaxes to attract attention. Many such apparitions are reported in economically depressed areas, attracting many pilgrims who bring trade and money into the region.

17. Possibly the best-known apparition sites are Lourdes and Fatima. The so-called Three Secrets of Fatima received a great deal of attention in the Catholic and secular press. Over sixty spontaneous healings, out of thousands reported at the Lourdes Spring, have been classified as "inexplicable" by the physicians of the Lourdes Bureau, a medical centre set up by the Church in association with local medical institutes to assess possible miracles.

18. A photostatic copy of a page from Ilustração Portugueza, October 29, 1917, showing the crowd looking at the miracle of the sun during the Fátima apparitions (attributed to the Virgin Mary)

19. Supposedly spontaneous healings reported at apparition sites such as Lourdes are disputed by some scientists. Most such healings are reportedly far from spontaneous, often taking place some time after the visit or over a period of weeks or months (rather than being instantaneous, as required by the Lourdes Bureau for a miraculous healing). Other scientists have claimed that a handful of unexplained cures have occurred;

20. The Lourdes Bureau will not review cases of claimed healing involving illnesses known sometimes to go into remission by themselves, such as multiple sclerosis or cancer, or incomplete healings, or those which take place gradually. In fact, the rate of "spontaneous healing" at Lourdes is far lower than the remission rate for modern medicine.

21. List of Marian Apparitions This is a list of some of the more publicized Marian apparitions. Only those marked with an “*” have been fully approved by the Catholic Church.

27. Our Lady of Guadalupe Altogether 25 popes have officially honored Our Lady of Guadalupe. His Holiness John Paul II visited her Sanctuary four times: on his first apostolic trip outside Rome as Pope in 1979, and again in 1990, 1999 and 2002.The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12th. In 1999, Pope John Paul II, in his homily from the Solemn Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, during his third visit to the sanctuary, declared the date of December the 12th as a Liturgical Holy Day for the whole continent. During the same visit Pope John Paul II entrusted the cause of life to her loving protection, and placed under her motherly care the innocent lives of children, especially those who are in danger of not being born.

28. Our Lady of Kazan Our Lady of Kazan, also called Theotokos of Kazan, is a holy icon venerated by the Russian Orthodox Church. It has been considered a palladium of Russia for centuries. Two major cathedrals, in Moscow and in St Petersburg, are consecrated in her name. Her feast days are July 21 and November 4 (which is also the Day of National Unity). The icon was discovered on July 8, 1579, underground in the city of Kazan, after the Blessed Virgin Mary herself reportedly revealed its location to a little girl

29. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal The story begins on the night of July 18, 1830. A child (perhaps her guardian angel) awakened Sister (now Saint) Catherine Labouré, a novice in the community of the Daughters of Charity in Paris, and summoned her to the chapel. There she met with the Virgin Mary and spoke with her for several hours. During the conversation Mary said to her, “My child, I am going to give you a mission.”

30. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Mary gave her this mission in a vision during evening meditation on November 27, 1830. She saw Mary standing on what seemed to be half a globe and holding a golden globe in her hands as if offering it to heaven. The vision then changed to show our Lady standing on a globe with her arms now outstretched and with the dazzling rays of light still streaming from her fingers. Framing the figure was an inscription: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

31. Our Lady of La Salette Mélanie and Maximin, the two children privileged to see Mary in 1846, came from the town of Corps near Grenoble, in a poor part of south-eastern France. Maximin Giraud was eleven years old at the time and Mélanie Calvat fourteen. On Saturday 19 September, they were looking after their employer's cattle, high up on the pasture above La Salette, a village near Corps, when they saw a wonderful apparition of Mary. A globe of light opened to reveal a resplendent woman seated on a stone with her head in her hands.

32. Our Lady of La Salette The children later described her as very tall and beautiful, wearing a long, white, pearl studded, sleeved dress, and a white shawl, with some sort of tiara or crown on her head. Hanging from her neck was a large crucifix adorned with a small hammer and pincers, with a brilliantly shining figure of Christ on it. The whole effect was as if she was made of light.

33. Our Lady of Lourdes The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France is the most visited pilgrimage site in the world -- principally because of the apparent healing properties of the waters of the spring that appeared during the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to a poor, fourteen-year-old girl, Bernadette Soubiroux. The first apparition occurred February 11, 1858. There were eighteen in all; the last took place July 16, of the same year. Bernadette often fell into an ecstasy during these apparitions, as was witnessed by the hundreds who attended the later visions, though no one except Bernadette ever saw or heard the apparition.

34. Our Lady of Knock On August 21, 1879, Margaret Beirne, a resident of Cnoc Mhuine, was sent by her brother to lock up the church for the evening. When she was ready to leave, she noticed a strange brightness hovering over the church. Around the same time, another member of the Beirne family, Mary, was leaving from a visit to the church's housekeeper, and stopped with the housekeeper at the gables, where they could see the church. Mary replied: " Oh look at the statues! Why didn't you tell me the priest got new statues for the chapel? "

35. Our Lady Queen of Ireland The housekeeper responded that she knew nothing of the priest getting new statues. So, they both went for a closer look, and Mary Beirne said: " But they are not statues, they're moving. It's the Blessed Virgin!" Thirteen others also came and saw the beautiful woman, clothed in white garments, wearing a brilliant crown. Her hands were raised as if in prayer. All knew that it was Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Queen of Angels.

36. Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Fatima is the title given to the Virgin Mary by Catholics and others who believe that she appeared monthly, for several months, to three shepherd children at Fátima, Portugal, in 1917. The title of Our Lady of the Rosary is also used in reference to the same apparition; the children related that the apparition specifically identified herself as "the Lady of the Rosary".

37. Our Lady of Beauraing In 1932 on November 29th Albert Voisin, along with four other children, saw the Mother of God in Beauraing, Belgium. That evening Albert (age 11) and his sister Fernande (age 15) were on their way to the Sisters’ Academy to meet their sister Gilberte (age 13) to walk home with her. On the way they stopped for two friends, Andree Degeimbre (age 14) and her sister Gilberte (age 9). They proceeded to the school ringing doorbells of houses as a prank and then running away. While waiting at the door of the convent the children saw Our Lady. As Gilberte Voisin came out she too saw Our Blessed Mother. This was the first of thirty-three apparitions to these five children of Beauraing.

38. Virgin of the Poor On January 15, 1933, Mariette Beco saw a lady 'made of light' with a Rosary on her right arm outside of her home around 7pm in the evening. The lady bid her come out, but her mother only saw a white form and fearfully made her daughter remain inside. On the evening of the 18th she was outside and saw the Virgin descend from the sky speaking, briefly to her and having Mariette drink from a spring near a ditch. On six additional evenings the Virgin returned to the same place where Mariette was praying. She was told that Mary was the 'Virgin of the Poor' and announced that the spring was for healing.

39. Our Lady of Zeitoun Our Lady appeared in Zeitoun hovering above Saint Mark's Coptic Church, a shrine dedicated to the Holy family, which according to tradition rested in that place during their stay in Egypt. The apparitions, ( hundreds in number ) took place at night, and Our Lady was always surrounded by light. The Coptic Church celebrates 32 feast days in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The last day falls on 2 April, and commemorates Our Lady under her title, Our Lady of Light.

40. Brilliant rays began to shine from the Tabernacle in a Northern Japanese convent on June 12, 1973. • On the 28th, a bleeding, painful cross-shape wound appeared on the hand of Sister Agnes. • On July 6, blood began to drip from the hand of a statue of the Blessed Virgin carved from a native Katsura tree and the Sister received the first of three messages in which she was advised to fervently pray the prayer of the Handmaids of the Eucharist as well as for the Pope, Bishops and priests. • The wound on the statue's hand remained, bleeding on several other occasions. • On September 29, the wound in the statue disappeared but sweat-like moisture appeared. In 1975, the statue began to weep and did so on over 100 occasions for the next six years.

41. Our Lady of Sorrows Kibeho is a small town in south Rwanda, famous for various reports of sightings of the Virgin Mary and Jesus between 1981 and 1989. The Virgin Mary and Christ reportedly appeared to teenagers, and these visions were accompanied by intense reactions: crying, tremors, and comas. On August 19, 1982, those who saw the visions reported gruesome sights (rivers of blood, sliced heads, etc.) which some today regard as an ominous foreshadowing of the Rwandan Genocide, particularly in that specific location.

42. Our Lady of Immaculate Purity Beginning in August 1990 and on every first Sunday of the month from the first apparition of the Virgin Mary two teenaged girls allegedly received visits and messages from the Blessed Mother and have given her message to the faithful. The Blessed Mother allegedly appeared to them for the very first time inside of a tiny hut at the top of Zvir mountain, a peak on the outskirts of Litmanova. At the final apparition (Sunday August 6, 1995), the Mother of God announced that this was her last appearance.