Marian apparitions

Marian apparitions are supernatural events in which the Virgin Mary (the mother of Jesus) is alleged to have appeared to one or more people. They are predominantly associated with Roman Catholic tradition, although apparitions have also been recognized by the Coptic Orthodox Church. A famous example of a Marian apparition is the manifestation of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego in what is now Mexico City in 1531.

Hundreds of Marian apparitions have been reported in the 20th century, but only a small number in the history of the church have been approved by a bishop. Of these, only 16 have been deemed “worthy of belief” by the Vatican, which has specific regulations for investigating such phenomena. Notably, the Holy See will not declare any apparition authentic.

Common features and differences

In many reported apparitions, the witness or witnesses claim that Mary offered them a message for humanity or that she performed a miracle before their eyes. In others, the witnesses reported that Mary did not speak or perform any specific action. Most apparitions feature only Mary, but there have been some in which the witnesses claim to have seen other figures with her, such as a saint or Jesus. Some apparitions were reported as having been single occurrences, while others are said to have occurred numerous times over several days, weeks, or years, albeit typically in the same location.

Witnesses: Individuals who have claimed to have received an apparition are often referred to as “visionaries.” They have ranged in age from young children to adults. Of the Marian apparitions that have been deemed worthy of belief by the Vatican, the apparition at Knock, Ireland, on August 21, 1879, had the greatest number of witnesses: at least 15 people claimed to have seen Mary alongside other holy figures on that day. However, the Coptic Orthodox Church recognizes a mass apparition in Cairo during which Mary is said to have appeared many times on the roof of a church in the city’s Zeitoun district between 1968 and 1971, drawing crowds of thousands of people.

Some visionaries have been canonized as saints, including Hildegard of Bingen, Peter Nolasco, Joan of Arc, Juan Diego, Teresa of Ávila, Bernadette Soubirous, and Padre Pio. Many of these people lived before the church established rules for investigating visions, and their claims were taken on faith, approved by a parish priest, or repeated and endorsed through popular tradition. The vast majority of apparitions, however, have gone uninvestigated. The earliest purported Marian apparition occurred in 40 ce in Zaragoza, Spain, when the Apostle James the Greater is said to have seen a vision of Mary while preaching on the banks of the Ebro River.

Meaning and messages: In Roman Catholic belief, Mary functions as a “mediatrix” between God and humanity, meaning that she intercedes on behalf of all sinners and prays for humans and their redemption. Marian apparitions are therefore regarded by some Catholics as another manifestation of this function, especially because a number of visionaries have reported receiving a message from her for humanity.

The subjects of these messages have ranged from requests to build a shrine to Mary—as in the visions received by Juan Diego in Mexico and by Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France—to concerns about world events and the prevalence of sin—as in the visions received by three children in Fátima, Portugal, in 1917. In the Fátima apparitions the messages purportedly contained references to the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Some Catholics believe this message to have been a prophecy about the rise and fall of communism in the 20th century. Similarly, the apparitions received by three teenage girls in Kibeho, Rwanda, beginning in 1981 contained a message that prophesied the Rwanda genocide of 1994.

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Devotion: Apparition sites tend to become places of pilgrimage, and some people believe that those sites offer healing powers. For example, numerous pilgrims to Lourdes have claimed that drinking from the natural spring in the grotto where Mary is said to have appeared has cured them of illnesses or worked similar miracles in their lives. However, devotional practices are often discouraged by the presiding bishop while the local diocese investigates the apparition. Nevertheless, veneration may continue even after the diocese has deemed the apparition not credible.

Approval by bishops and recognition by the Vatican

History: Revelations and prophecies, such as those of St. Bridget of Sweden, were discussed at various church councils in the 15th and 16th centuries, but many early claims of visions were taken on faith. The Council of Trent (1545–63) established that apparitions were to be investigated and approved by the local bishop before public worship could be allowed. Over the centuries the church developed rules of discernment regarding apparitions and similar phenomena. The 1917 Code of Canon Law forbade the dissemination of information about new apparitions without a bishop’s prior approval of the events. In 1978 Pope Paul VI promulgated norms for the discernment of apparitions, but these rules were not published in any language other than Latin until 2012.

New norms of discernment: In May 2024 the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published new norms. In essence, the new rules were intended to streamline the process of discernment and give the Vatican, rather than bishops, greater say in the approval of apparitions. Although the diocesan bishop remains responsible for organizing an investigation, the Vatican must be consulted for final approval.

Determining an apparition’s validity involves examining it for both positive and negative criteria. Positive criteria include the credibility and good reputation of the witness(es) and the unpredictable nature of the apparition (that is, it does not appear to have been planned in some way). The apparition and any messages associated with it must also be of sound Catholic doctrine, and the event must be shown to have inspired beneficial practices such as prayer or religious vocations. Negative criteria include the presence of doctrinal errors, evidence of divisiveness or the pursuit of profit or fame, and health issues that may reveal a psychological or pathological basis for a witness’s claims.

The new rules also changed the classification of these events to avoid using the term supernatural, the declaration of which the guidelines say “carries high expectations, anxieties, and even pressures.” Instead of supernatural, an approved apparition will be declared nihil obstat (Latin: “nothing hinders”), which grants the diocese permission to allow and promote public devotion, such as the celebration of masses or pilgrimages. There are six conclusions that may be reached about an apparition:

1. Nihil obstat: Presents many positive criteria and no aspects of confusion or risk thus far. Advises local bishop to encourage and promote devotion.
2. Prae oculis habeatur (“It should be kept in mind”): Presents positive criteria but also aspects of confusion or possible risk. Advises local bishop to show discernment in encouraging devotion.
3. Curatur (“It is taken care of”): Presents significant negative criteria but has also attracted widespread devotion. Advises local bishop not to encourage further devotion and to promote alternative expressions of devotion.
4. Sub mandato (“Under command”): Presents positive criteria but also aspects of misuse or exploitation by a person or a group of people, such as financial gain. Advises local bishop to intervene to resolve the matter.
5. Prohibetur et obstruatur (“It is forbidden and obstructed”): Presents some positive criteria but also critical risks. Advises local bishop to prohibit devotion and explain to the faithful the reasons for this decision.
6. Declaratio de non supernaturalitate (“Declaration of nonsupernaturality”): Signifies that a vision has been discerned to be false based on evidence, such as a visionary’s admission that the person lied.

The declaration of nonsupernaturality is the most serious of these conclusions. Credible witnesses may also contribute to such a declaration if they present evidence that the claim was based on a fabrication, mythomania (an abnormal propensity for lying or exaggeration), or erroneous intentions. Additionally, only the pope can declare if an apparition is indeed supernatural.

The table below is a list of Marian apparitions that have been recognized by the Vatican.

Many other alleged Marian apparitions have become well known. The table below lists a few other notable Marian apparitions and notes their current status.