Always as our Lady, our Mother and our Savior's mother, Mary has appeared as apparitions under many titles to many diverse peoples in different periods of history. She suffered a sword piercing her heart as she watched her son's Passion and Death, and she is constantly alert to even our smallest sufferings. Our Blessed Mother comes to us when we need her most, with a message and guidance specific to the problems and suffering at hand. Here is a list of 40 beautiful stories of Marian apparitions in countries all over the world to inspire you and remind you of the eternal compassion and counsel which she unceasingly offers to us.

 

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico

St. Juan Diego encountered Mary as he climbed the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico during a routine walk in 1531.  She identified herself as the Virgin Mary, the “mother of the very true deity” and requested that a chapel be built on the Hill in her honor.  After two unsuccessful attempts to convince his bishop, St. Juan Diego explained to Our Lady that he needed to bring a specific sign in order to verify the validity of his vision.

Once St. Juan opened his cloak to the bishop, a cascade of roses fell from his tilma, revealing the ornate details of the miraculous and mysterious image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  To this day, the tilma remains in excellent condition, and Our Lady of Guadalupe is invoked by thousands of faithful all over the world.

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Rue du Bac, Paris, France

When Catherine Labouré was only a novice in the Rue du Bac convent, she was praying in the chapel late at night in 1830.  At once, she saw a figure that she believed was her guardian angel, who then escorted her to see Mary descend the chapel steps and sit in the chair reserved for the spiritual director.

Catherine reported this vision to her spiritual director, who was skeptical at first, but then Mary appeared a second time, standing on a globe and holding a golden ball, light surrounding her.  Catherine understood this vision to mean that the ball represented the world, and the light emanating from Mary were all of the individual graces people would receive from venerating her as Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.  The oval design and “M”, as well as the words, “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee” were part of St. Catherine’s vision.

Our Lady of La Salette, France

In 1846, two children named Maximin Giraud and Mélanie Calvat were returning from a mountain in La Salette, France, after tending to their cows, when they saw “a beautiful lady” appear to them, weeping with her face in her hands and “clothed in a white robe studded with pearls; and a gold-colored apron; white shoes and roses about her feet and high head-dress. She wore a crucifix suspended by a necklace from her neck.”

The message of Our Lady was the conversion of the entire world.  Her devotees were mainly of nineteenth century, rural France, but saints, such as St. John Vianney, called upon her for intercession regularly.  St. John Paul II explained that she is a timeless representation of Mary, desperately encouraging us toward deeper prayer, conversion, and commitment to God.

Our Lady of Lourdes, France

Likely one of the most beloved and well-known of the Marian apparitions, young Bernadette Soubirous, who was uneducated and poor, saw a beautiful lady standing near a wasteland where Bernadette and her sister were gathering firewood.  February 11, 1858 was the first of several apparitions at Lourdes, where Mary revealed herself to Bernadette as “The Immaculate Conception,” a dogma of the Church that was entirely unfamiliar to Bernadette.  This added to the credibility of the vision.

As the Immaculate Conception, Mary was dressed in white, bearing a golden rosary and blue belt around her waist with two golden roses at her feet.  After much controversy over these ongoing apparitions, they were eventually approved by the Church.  Lourdes is a popular pilgrimage site and has been known to possess healing waters, where many miracles have been attributed to Our Lady’s intercession.

Our Lady of Pontmain, France

Two boys of the Barbadette family, Joseph and Eugene, saw a vision of Mary during an ordinary evening of assisting their father in the family barn.  When Eugene looked up at the night sky, he saw a beautiful woman wearing a blue gown covered with golden stars and a black veil under a golden crown.  His brother, Joseph, also saw the vision, but the boys’ parents did not.

As word spread during the height of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, people looked at this unusual star in the sky, where children were given the grace to see the same Marian apparition that the Barbadette boys saw, but adults could not.  Every child who caught a glimpse of her described her in the same detail as Joseph and Eugene did at first sight.  Once the apparitions were approved, she was known as Our Lady of Hope, because her presence in the sky literally stopped the advancement of the Prussians against France.  They claimed an “invisible Madonna in the sky” prevented them from finishing the war.

Our Lady of Knock, Ireland

In the 1870s, the people of Ireland were still experiencing the aftermath of the Great Irish Famine, which left countless unemployed, starving, and homeless.  In a small parish church, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, a group of 15 men, women, and children witnessed multiple apparitions that included St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, and Mary.

Our Lady was radiant and hovering a few feet above the ground, dressed in a white cloak and bearing on her head a radiant golden crown that was illuminated.  The witnesses described her as “deep in prayer,” with her hands folded and head bowed. The people joined in praying the Rosary for two hours while they continued to behold this vision of saints.

At the site of the apparition, which is today known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, many granted favors were reported and it became of interest worldwide.  It was known as the “Knock phenomenon,” and pilgrims still travel to the shrine from every area of the world to seek Our Lady’s intercession.

Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal

While herding sheep near their village of Fatima in 1916, Lucia Santos and her two cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto were witnesses of an angelic vision on three occasions, who they explained was “The Angel of Peace.”  The angel prepared them to increase their efforts at mortification and prayer.  One year later, the children saw a woman “brighter than the sun” who wore a white mantle adorned in gold, holding a rosary.

The beautiful lady encouraged the children to pray the rosary daily in order to bring peace to the world and end the war.  Mary continued to appear to the three children, revealing prophecies and even making the sun dance, so that the people would come to believe in her message.

Our Lady of Beauraing, Belgium

Also known as the Virgin of the Golden Heart, Our Lady of Beauraing appeared 33 times to 5 children in Belgium between 1932 and 1933.  The five children were walking home from school one day, when Albert (one of the visionaries) pointed out a lady dressed in a long white robe who was standing near a railroad nearby.  All of the children present witnessed this miracle, and the lady returned to them 32 more times over the course of a few months.

The lady revealed that she wished for a chapel to be built in the garden of the children’s school (attached to a convent), saying, “I am the Immaculate Virgin.”  She urged the children to pray fervently.  The pilgrimage site today, which has been approved by the Church as a veritable Marian apparition site, draws the faithful, many of whom report miraculous cures.

Our Lady of Banneux, Belgium

Also known as Our Lady of the Poor, she appeared to a teenage girl named Mariette Beco between January 2 and March 2, 1933.  When Beco told her family and parish priest about her vision, she described the lady as dressed in white and describing herself as the “Virgin of the Poor.”  The lady also sent the message, “I come to relieve suffering and believe in me, and I will believe in you.”

Beco first saw Mary through her kitchen window when she was just twelve years old.  Our Lady called out to Beco, but she wasn’t permitted to leave the house.  Over the course of 8 apparitions, Mary told Beco to put her hands in a spring of water, saying that it was for healing for all nations.  The small spring is directly attributed to many miraculous healings, even to this day.

Our Lady of Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Medjugorje, Mary is also known as the Queen of Peace.  She first appeared to 6 Herzogovinian children in 1981, all of whom are still alive.  For several years, the young visionaries reported seeing Mary on a hill in Bosnia on a daily basis, but some of them no longer receive apparitions.  All of the witnesses were given 6 “secrets” from Mary, which they will have permission to reveal once the apparitions cease altogether.

Our Lady of Medjugorje calls all people to pray, fast, and do penance.  Although many wondrous phenomena have occurred at the site of the apparitions, such as the sun spinning or dancing in the sky or pilgrims seeing angels or images of crosses, the apparitions have not yet been approved by the Church and are under investigation.

Mother of the Redeemer, Bloomington, IN

Ruth Ann Wade, an introverted and unpretentious school teacher, began receiving visions of Mary and Jesus in her home.  She first shared them with her parish priest, then with her prayer group.  Pilgrims began flocking to the farm where the Wades resided in order to hear Ruth Ann’s testimony.  Mary revealed herself as the Mother of the Redeemer and requested that a chapel be built on the Wades’ farm hill.

Over time, Our Lady’s messages included further requests for a retreat center, guest house, Stations of the Cross path, and a rosary path.  The Mother of the Redeemer Farm is now a full-fledged retreat center, and the Wades no longer live on site.  Instead, it houses full time priests and religious, who offer retreats to pilgrims, as well as daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.

Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Between 1983 and 1990, Mary appeared to an Argentinian housewife named Gladys Herminia Quiroga de Motta on a near-daily basis, beginning on October 13, 1983 while Gladys was praying her rosary at home.

Mary appeared to her wearing a blue dress, saying, “Do not be afraid.  Receive this Rosary from my hands and keep it forever and ever.  You are obedient; I am happy because of it.  Rejoice, for God is with you,” and handed Gladys a white rosary.  Our Lady’s messages have mainly been portents of things to come if the world does not convert, as well as revelations of things to come.  These apparitions were recently approved by an Argentinian bishop as supernatural in origin.

Our Lady of Laus, France

In 1664, a young French shepherdess named Benoite Rencurel took her sheep to the Valley of Kilns, where she first saw Mary holding the child Jesus in her arms.  Mary instructed Benoite to travel out of Laus and seek a sweet smelling perfume at a chapel, which she wanted to be renovated.  Once Benoite came upon it, Mary told her, “This will be a place of conversion for numerous sinners, and I will appear here very often.”

The oil from the sanctuary lamp at the chapel dedicated to Notre Dame de Bon Recontre is known to heal the sick and dying.  The message of Our Lady here, also known as the Refuge of Sinners, is reconciliation – with oneself, with others, and with God.  The apparition site is one which has been approved by the Church.

Apparitions in Tensta, Sweden

In 2012, several witnesses claimed to have seen Mary on the roof of their church, a Syrian Orthodox parish in Tensta, Sweden.  Those who saw her said her appearance there was relevant to the ongoing strife in Syria.  Our Lady asked them to pray for peace, to be harbingers of peace everywhere.  She appeared to the witnesses three times, one of which seems to be captured in a photograph.  These apparitions have not yet been approved by the Catholic Church.

Our Lady of Akita, Japan

Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa saw a hand-carved wooden statue of Our Lady come alive and speak to her in 1973. The statue is said to have brought about miraculous cures to those who believe.  The main message of Our Lady of Akita is prayer (especially the Rosary) and penance, with an ominous warning of persecutions and heresies to befall the Catholic Church in future times.

Adding some credibility to these apparitions, Sr. Sasagawa was miraculously healed of a hearing impairment she had, and the healing occurred shortly after the Marian apparitions began.  The statue also is reported to mysteriously weep from time to time, one occasion of which was broadcast on national Japanese television.  The Church is still investigating the validity of these apparitions.

Shrine of Our Lady of Altotting, Germany

The shrine, dating back to 660 A.D., houses an image of the Black Madonna, which was carved from lindenwood.  It is a popular pilgrimage site following a miraculous recovery of a boy who drowned in 1489.  The boy’s mother laid his lifeless body at the feet of the statue, and he came to life after she begged Mary’s intercession for a miracle.  Other miracles have been reported at this site since that time.

Our Lady of Czestochowa, Poland

Also known as the Black Madonna, Our Lady of Czestochowa is a revered and sacred icon that dates back to the seventh century.  Legend states that in 1655, during the Second Northern War, Our Lady held off Swedish troops for over a month, protected the Poles and their monastery (where the icon was kept at the time), and changed the course of the war.  Shortly thereafter, Our Lady of Czestochowa was named as Queen and Protector of Poland.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Genazzano, Italy

According to legend, in 1467 the people of Genazzano, Italy heard heavenly music being played.  Suddenly an ethereal cloud descended upon their parish church and annihilated one of the walls, vanishing just as quickly as it came.  In its place was a fresco of Mary and the Christ Child, a painting on a surface no thicker than an egg shell that became affectionately known as Our Lady of Good Counsel.  The Augustinians have cared for the mysterious image at the parish of Santa Maria, where numerous miracles and cures are said to have taken place.

Our Lady of Loreto, Italy

Most of the miraculous happenings at Loreto are based on tradition.  In 1291, the Holy House of Nazareth was transported by angels from Nazareth across the Mediterranean to a small town, Tersatto.  The pastor of the town’s church questioned how such a tiny house appeared out of nowhere, and he prayed for divine guidance on what to do about it.

Shortly thereafter, the Blessed Mother appeared to him in a dream and told him that the church was truly from Nazareth and was where the Annunciation took place, brought to his care by the power of God.  To prove this, she said he would be cured of an illness from which he suffered for many, many years.  Upon awakening, Fr. Alexander’s health was completely and miraculously restored.

Thousands of miracles have been reported at the House of Nazareth, under the intercession of Our Lady of Loreto.  Many saints, including St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Alphonsus Liguori, and St. Frances Cabrini have made a pilgrimage to the holy house.

Our Lady of Ocotlan, Mexico

Tradition tells us of this story, which occurred in 1541, where a convert named Juan Diego Bernardino climbed atop a hill in Ocotlan to draw some water from a spring that was known to have healing properties.  A deadly illness had left many in his region very ill, including his entire family.

As he came to the apex of the hill, he saw a beautiful lady who spoke to him: “God bless you, my son.  Where are you going?”  When he explained to her what he was doing, she told him to follow her to a place where she would give him water that would get rid of the contagion altogether, because she didn’t want to see her children suffer without offering a remedy.

At the bottom of the hill, she led him to a pine grove with a spring of water, still in existence today.  Our Lady told Juan that the smallest drop of water would restore a person to perfect health and that he would find an image of her in the grove where they were standing.  Today there is a shrine where this apparition took place, and many other miracles are attributed to Our Lady’s intercession there.

Our Lady of Peace, Santa Fe, NM

In 1680, the Pueblo Indians revolted against the prevailing government of Spanish immigrants in Santa Fe, NM.  No one was spared; even almost two dozen Franciscan priests were martyred during this war (and are today honored on Martyr’s Hill).  The massacre was so horrible that all of the Santa Fe settlers fled and went into exile for thirteen years, taking very little with them.

A general from Spain, Don Diego de Vargas, had great faith in the Blessed Mother.  He carried an image of La Conquistadora on a flag and entered Pueblo territory in Santa Fe with it waved high.  Don Diego was kind and knew Our Lady would deliver his people peacefully back into the territory.  Miraculously, the Pueblo Indians began to trust Don Diego, who became the new governor of New Mexico, and the people were able to return.

Our Lady of Altagracia, Dominican Republic

According to pious tradition, the daughter of a rich merchant in the Dominican Republic asked her father to bring her a portrait of Our Lady of Altagracia from Santo Domingo, which no one had heard of at the time.  The merchant, while traveling, was staying overnight at a friend’s house when a mysterious man with a long beard passed by and handed him a rolled up painting, saying, “This is what you are looking for.”  It was a portrait of Our Lady of Altagracia, or Our Lady of High Grace.  Shortly thereafter, the man vanished without a trace.

Today there is a shrine in the Dominican Republic where the image is encased.  Venerators travel from far away, as many miracles have been attributed to Our Lady under this title.  She is also the patroness of the Dominican Republic.

Our Lady of the Pillar, Zaragoza, Spain

An ancient Spanish tradition states that the Blessed Mother appeared to the apostle James the Greater (one of the original twelve) while he was praying by the banks of the Ebro.  She was accompanied by angels, standing on a pillar, and appeared to him for encouragement.  He had not made many converts and was battling discouragement at the time of the apparition.

Our Lady performed many miracles while in James’ presence and assured him that many people would come to the Faith because of his influence, and their faith would be as strong as the pillar she was standing on.  Before she left James, she gave him a wooden statue of herself and instructed him to have a chapel built on the site in her honor.  Today there is also a shrine where pilgrims venerate Our Lady of the Pillar.

Our Lady of Pompeii, Italy

In 1871, a third order Dominican who had taken the name Brother Rosario held a deep desire to promulgate devotion to Mary and the Rosary in the region of Pompeii, Italy, where he lived.  As he began traveling, he became very disheartened at the lack of faith, and the extreme poverty and ignorance of the people he encountered.  He was struggling with doubts of his own when he heard a voice say to him, “If you seek salvation, promulgate the Rosary.  This is Mary’s own promise.”  As a result, he began many festivals in honor of the Rosary, including games and lotteries to attract the secular people of the area.  He also renovated a dilapidated church and named it Our Lady of the Rosary.

Then, in 1884, a young girl from Naples, Italy named Fortuna Agrelli was suffering from an unknown, incurable disease.  Her family began a novena of rosaries, and on the final day of the novena, Mary appeared to Fortuna.  Adorned in golden garments, the Blessed Mother was sitting on a throne with the Christ Child in her lap and a Rosary in her hand.  Fortuna then asked the “Queen of the Rosary” to cure her, and Our Lady was moved with compassion, promising to do so if the young girl would offer three novenas of the Rosary for her request.

Fortuna was, indeed, cured, and Our Lady then told her, “Whoever desires to obtain favors should pray three novenas of the prayers of the Rosary in petition and three in thanksgiving,” which is how the Rosary Novena began.

Our Lady of Tears, Syracuse, Italy

In 1953, a young married couple, Antonina and Angelo Iannuso, received a statue of the Blessed Mother as a wedding gift and placed it in their home with great admiration, though they sheepishly admitted they were lax Catholics.  When Antonina discovered she was pregnant, she was afflicted with toxemia and became blind, as well as partially epileptic.  After a seizure that left her totally blind, Antonina recovered her sight the following day and set her gaze upon the statue of the Blessed Mother in her bedroom.  The statue, to her astonishment, was weeping.  When Antonina told her family members this, they also witnessed the tears streaming from the statue and onto the bed.

As a result, Antonina recovered completely from her toxemia and gave birth to a healthy child.  The Church declared this phenomenon as supernatural in origin.

Our Lady of Siauliai, Lithuania

In 1457, a Lithuanian nobleman named Petras Gedgaudas generously donated some land to build a temple in honor of the Blessed Mother.  He built a church dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin and Ss. Peter and Bartholomew.  The faithful immediately flocked to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin.  Shortly thereafter, Gedgaudas miraculously received an icon of Our Lady, which he placed in the new church.  It eventually became a popular shrine, and Pope Pius VI approved the apparition, granting pilgrims indulgences for visiting the shrine.

Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, Lithuania

 

Based on a Renaissance painting that hung in a chapel in Lithuania, the monk Hilarion published a book in 1761, citing 17 miracles attributed to the image of the Blessed Mother.  The first occurred shortly after the chapel was built in 1671, when a two-year-old fell from the second floor to the hard pavement and was gravely injured.  His parents prayed to Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, and their son immediately and miraculously recovered.  Many other miracles are directly related to those who venerated the image.  According to popular tradition, adorers leave a small object or image based on the cure they obtained praying to Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn.  Today there are over 8,000 votive offerings in the chapel. 

This image of Mary is also known as the Mother of Mercy and is closely attributed to the message of Divine Mercy.  St. Faustina visited the Gate of Dawn chapel and wrote of the icon taking a “living appearance,” and then speaking to her: “Accept all that God asks of you like a little child, without questioning; otherwise it would not be pleasing to God.”

Our Lady of Pellevoisin, France

In 1876, a domestic servant named Estelle Faguette claimed to receive 15 apparitions of Mary.  Before the apparitions occurred, Estelle wrote a letter to Mary, begging for a cure and subsequently recovered completely from tuberculosis, from which she was dying.  Her cure was later deemed as miraculous.  Following this authorization from her bishop, Estelle’s bedroom became an oratory and eventually a shrine to Our Lady of Pellevoisin.

Estelle said that the main message she received from Mary during the apparitions was an increased devotion to the scapular of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  In fact, during the final apparition, Mary told Estelle, “I have many graces in store for those who wear this scapular with trust in me. These graces are my Son’s; I bring them from His Heart; he will refuse me nothing.  The lady asked her to show the scapular to the local bishop and ask his assistance in promoting it.”

Holy Mother of Gietrzwald, Poland

Mary appeared to two girls, Justyna Szafrynska and Barbara Samulowska, first in 1877, before Poland became its own nation.  At the time, the Polish people were forced to speak German, and their territory was divided into three partitions.  Mary’s first message to the girls was of conversion, peace, and penance for sins.  She spoke to the girls in their native Polish language, which in and of itself was a sign of encouragement to the Poles.

After nine appearances to the young girls, Mary’s final message was, “Pray the Rosary zealously!”  There is now a minor basilica dedicated to Mary under this title in Poland, and the apparitions were approved by the Church in 1977.

Appearance to St. Dominic, France

In 1214, Dominic (one day the founder of the Order of Preachers, or Dominicans) was deeply afflicted by the sinfulness of heretics and poor example of Catholics.  He wept for three days and did acts of mortification in reparation for these sins.  From such extreme torture to his body, he fell into a coma.

While in the coma, St. Dominic saw a vision of Mary.  She appeared with three angels and asked him, “Dear Dominic, do you know which weapon the Blessed Trinity wants to use to reform the world? If you want to win souls, preach the Angelic Psalter.”  This was what is now known as the Rosary.

Immediately after recovering from his coma, St. Dominic preached the Rosary to the unconverted Albigenisan heretics, and he set apart fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, grouping them into five decades each.  The Angelic Salutation is the Hail Mary, and the Psalter is the 150 Psalms.  St. Dominic knew this to mean that the Blessed Mother intended for 150 Hail Marys to be prayed, which is how we have the Rosary we know today.

Apparitions at The Church of St. Demiana, Cairo, Egypt

The Church of St. Demiana is housed in a very poor and small Coptic Christian community in Egypt.  In 1986, the Blessed Mother appeared beside the two towers of the church and was seen by those who lived in the houses overlooking the towers.  They saw her full body surrounded by a halo of light, which was repeated several times until 1991.  The light surrounding her was a true miracle, as the electrical current was shut off from the church, and the light remained.  She is known as the Mother of True Lights in this region.

Garabandal, Spain

Four young school girls in the rural village of Garabandal, Spain witnessed apparitions of St. Michael the Archangel and Mary several times, beginning in 1961 and ending in 1965.  She is often referred to as Our Lady of Mount Carmel of Garabandal because her appearance was that of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The visionaries received two main messages, both of which call for “conversion of heart.”  The first message was, “We must make many sacrifices, perform much penance, and visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently. But first, we must lead good lives. If we do not, a chastisement will befall us. The cup is already filling up, and if we do not change, a very great chastisement will come upon us.”

The second message, after no change occurred, was, “If you ask His forgiveness with a sincere heart. He will pardon you. I, your Mother, through the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel, wish to tell you that you should make amends. You are now being given the last warnings. I love you very much, and I do not want your condemnation. Ask Us sincerely and We shall grant your plea. You must make more sacrifices. Reflect on the Passion of Jesus.”

Our Lady of Prompt Succor, New Orleans, Louisiana

Based on a wooden statue belonging to the Ursuline convent, many miracles have been attributed to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Prompt Succor.  First, in 1788, a destructive fire was devastating a section of New Orleans close to the convent and approached dangerously near to it.  The nuns were instructed to evacuate the convent, but one particular sister, Sr. St. Anthony, placed the statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor on a window seat and invoked her intercession with desperation.  Immediately, the wind shifted direction, so that the fire avoided destroying the convent and was more easily extinguished.

The second miracle occurred in 1815 during the Battle of New Orleans, which was treacherously close to the Ursuline convent.  As the canon fire drew closer, the sisters prayed to Our Lady that the American troops would overcome the British forces, which outnumbered them by 9,000 men.  During Mass, the sisters were notified that the British were overcome by a dense fog and wandered into a swamp, leaving the American troops victorious. 

Today, there is a shrine affiliated with Our Lady of Prompt Succor, and most devotees believe her intercession is particularly miraculous in situations where political and spiritual tensions abound.

Appearance to Nancy Fowler, Conyers, GA

From October 13, 1990 to October 13, 1998, housewife Nancy Fowler claimed to receive apparitions and messages from Mary that pertained specifically to the United States.  Most of the messages were warnings, admonitions, or prayers.  Pilgrims from everywhere in the nation flocked to the Conyers, Georgia property, where they awaited the appearance of Mary to Fowler.  When she appeared, devotees would hold up rosaries and all sorts of religious articles, in the hopes that they would be blessed by Mary’s presence.

Pilgrims claimed to have witnessed other miracles that indicated the presence of Our Lady, such as seeing the sun spin, rosaries turning to gold, and the scent of roses in the air during the apparitions.

Appearance to St. Jean Vianney, France

Madame Durie, a wealthy benefactress who decided to donate a large amount of money to the Curé of Ars, entered the presbytery and climbed the stairs to bring the news to St. Jean Vianney.  As she approached his room, she heard two voices.  The first was gentle and sweet, asking, “What do you ask?” to which St. Jean replied, “the conversion of sinners, cure of the sick, and specifically for the cure of a person who has been suffering a long while,” the last of which referred to Mme. Durie.  Mary replied, “She will be cured, but not yet.”

When Mme. Durie overheard this, she opened the door and found the Blessed Mother dressed in a dazzling white robe adorned with golden roses, her hands sparkling like diamonds and head crowned with shining stars.  Mary looked at Mme. Durie and smiled sweetly at her, which provided the greatest consolation Mme. Durie had experienced in her time of need.

Our Lady of the Rock, Sicily, Italy

In 1620, a woman named Rosa traveled to the countryside with her blind daughter, Angelina.  On their journey, an angel first appeared to Angelina, followed by the Blessed Mother.  Mary instructed the girl to enter into a specific place in town and dig up a statue they’d find in the ground.  The girl and her mother did, in fact, find the Marian statue, and Mary then requested that a shrine of sorts be constructed where the statue could be housed and venerated by all.  As a sign of her favor, she granted sight to young Angelina.

Appearance to Blessed Elizabeth Canori Mora, Italy

On Christmas 1816, Elizabeth was praying in her home when the Blessed Mother suddenly appeared to her, carrying baby Jesus in her arms.  Then Elizabeth saw apostates and heretics violently trying to grab Jesus from Mary’s arms, to which Mary explained, “Behold, my daughter, such great ungodliness.”

Mary then told Elizabeth that she asked God for His justice, rather than His mercy, to be poured onto the world.  When the cause for canonization was opened for Elizabeth, despite scrupulous investigations of her mystical writings after the apparition occurred, no doctrinal deviation was discovered.

Blessed Virgin of the Convent and Woodland, Ozegna, Italy

In 1623, a deaf-mute teenage boy named Giovanni Petro was making hay in the countryside when he was privileged to see the Blessed Mother appear to him.  Afterward, he completely regained his speech, and the site became a small but sacred place of pilgrimage.

Our Lady of the Woods, Lombardy, Italy

Three shepherds, one of whom was named Peter, witnessed an apparition of Our Lady near a large chestnut tree in 1617, near the fields where their sheep grazed.  They claimed she rose up and disappeared into the sky, and they never saw her after that.  But as a sign of credibility, the chestnut tree bore fruit out of season.  A chapel was erected there shortly after the apparition.  Others had seen the chestnut tree bathed in a glorious light with celestial music being sung around it.

Our Lady of Liesse, France

Three knights were captured by a Muslim sultan during the First Crusade.  They were tormented in order that they might apostasize.  Even promises of riches and ambition dangled in front of them, but to no avail.  The sultan, angered at his inability to convert the Christian knights, sent his beautiful daughter to entice the young men into submission.  Instead, she returned from their dungeon convinced of the case of Jesus and His Blessed Mother.

A miraculous image, known as Our Lady of Liesse, appeared to the three knights during their captivity, by way of the angels.  When the Muslim princess saw it, she desired immediate conversion and escaped with the three knights to follow through with her wish.  Once she was baptized, the image of Our Lady of Liesse became the basis for a church named in her honor.

What is your favorite Marian apparition? Leave a comment!