Marian Apparitions — The Many Faces of Our Blessed Mother

We have been reminded numerous times throughout history that we are not alone.

Our Blessed Mother has appeared to many throughout the centuries. She has presented herself to people of all ages and nationalities and her messages to us often include requests for prayer and repentance.

However, not many of these apparitions are known to most Catholics.  Here are just a few.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Tepeyec, Mexico, 1531

(Vatican Approved)
Probably the most famous Marian apparition occurred in Mexico. The Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego just 10 years after the conquest of the Aztecs by Cortes.   Speaking in his native Aztec language, Mary requested a church be erected in her honor.

Juan Diego took the request to the Archbishop of Mexico City.  The archbishop asked Juan Diego to request a miraculous sign to prove Mary’s identity. On her third apparition, Mary instructed Juan Diego to gather flowers from the summit of Tepeyac Hill.  He did as instructed and found roses blooming there in the cold of December.

Carrying the flowers in his cloak, Juan Diego returned to the Mexico City.  Juan Diego emptied his cloak before the archbishop.  The flowers fell out revealing an image of the Virgin on its fabric.

The cloak is still venerated in the Basilica of Guadalupe, built as requested in Mary’s honor. After nearly 500 years, the image is still vibrant.  (See also The Continuing Impact of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Catholic Stand.)

Our Lady of La Vang, Hai Lang, Quang Tri, Vietnam, 1798

(No Formal Approval)
Less known to many Catholics are the apparitions of Mary in Vietnam.

Catholic missionaries in Asia have always faced challenges. After they had grown the Faith in Vietnam for decades, in 1798 Emperor Canh Thinh issued an edict calling for the persecution of Catholics.

Some 37 parishes were destroyed and over 100,000 Vietnamese Catholics martyred.  Survivors sought refuge in the jungle of La Vang. These Catholics struggled to keep their Faith alive while in hiding.  Many of them also became sick.

This exiled community of Catholics would gather and pray the rosary together during the night at a designated tree. During one of these evening prayers, an apparition of the Blessed Mother appeared over the tree. Wearing traditional Vietnamese garments, she held the infant Christ in her arms.  Two angels stood beside her.

Our Lady comforted the refugees.  She also directed them to boil leaves from the trees for medicine to cure the illness.

These devout Catholics remained in hiding for four years.  They returned to their villages in 1802 when the persecutions finally ended.

Our Lady of Good Help, Champion, Wisconsin, United States, 1859

(Bishop Approved)
Few modern Catholics are aware of the Marian apparitions in the United States. In 1859, a Belgian immigrant girl named Adele Brise reported seeing a woman clothed in white.  The woman had a yellow sash around her waist and a crown of stars above her blond hair. The apparition took place in the area of Robinsonville (now Champion), Wisconsin.

After seeing the apparition a third time, Adele asked for the woman’s name. The lady replied, “I am the Queen of Heaven, who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I wish you to do the same.” Brise accepted the mission. She went onto become a Third Order Franciscan. Adele devoted her life to teaching Catechism and Evangelizing to children.  (See also Our Lady of Good Help – A Preeminent Pilgrimage Site – Catholic Stand.}

Our Lady of Gietrzwald, Gietrzwald, Warmia-Mazury, Poland 1877

(Bishop Approved)
The mid 1870’s were a difficult time for Catholics in Prussia.  Poles in Prussian occupied lands faced these difficulties as well. Severe restrictions were enacted against Catholics under the Kulturkampf regime.

In such times of suffering Our Blessed Mother often reaches out to us.  So it was in 1877.

A 13-year-old girl named Justyna Szafrynska was returning home from First Communion preparations at the church in Gietrzwald. During the ringing of the Angelus Bells, she saw a woman in white on the maple tree near the presbytery. The woman was on a gold and pearl adorned throne.

The apparitions continued. When Justyna was accompanied by her friend Barbara Samulowska, they both saw Our Lady. They asked what the woman wanted and she replied, “I want you to pray the Rosary daily.” Our Lady spoke in the local dialect similar to the Polish language.

Our Lady visited Szafrynska and Samulowska daily, during the evening Rosary service. The apparitions would continue for nearly three months.

Our Lady of Akita, Yazawadai, Akita, Japan, 1973

(Bishop Approved)
The 20^th century was a time of many apparitions of the Virgin Mary. One such extraordinary event occurred in Yazawadai outside the city of Akita in Japan.

A statue of the Virgin Mary adorned the chapel in the convent of the Institute of the Handmaids of the Holy Eucharist was. The statue, carved from a single piece of wood.  included a globe and cross.

In 1973, Sister Agnes Sasagawa, a convert from Buddhism, saw the statue come alive and speak to her.  She heard the words clearly even though she had become deaf months earlier. The nuns at Yazawadai also reported stigmata on the statue, as well as on the hands of Sister Sasagawa.

Sasagawa reported three messages from the Blessed Virgin, each spoken in her native tongue. The final message offers a somber warning:

“The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres . . . churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.”

Two years later in 1975, the statue began to weep. The tears continued at intervals for the next 6 years on 101 occasions. In 1983, Sister Agnes Sasagawa regained her hearing as promised during the apparitions.  (See also A Message From Our Lady – Akita, Japan | EWTN.)

Our Lady of Kibeho, Kibeho, Rwanda, 1981

(Vatican Approved)
Kibeho is located in the southern part of Rwanda. Beginning in late 1981, 16-year-old Alphonsine Mumureke began seeing visions of a woman.  The woman presented herself as “Nyina Wa Jambo,” which means “Mother of the Word.” The apparitions continued and each time the Virgin asked for prayer without hypocrisy.

Alphonsine was initially viewed as a mad girl. Many begged for a sign of credibility, so Alphonsine asked Our Lady to appear to others.  A short time later, two other classmates also saw Our Lady.

First Nathalie Mukamazimpaka saw Our Lady in January of 1982. According to Nathalie, the Virgin was dressed in a white dress with a wide blue-sky veil that took the shape of a cape. The color of her skin was neither white nor black, but between the two.

Two months later Marie Claire Mukangango also became a witness. Marie Claire was formerly outspoken against the apparitions claimed by Alphonsine. After seeing Our Lady, Marie supported the message of the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows.

During Her apparitions, Mary offered a consistent message of repentance.

Reflection on Our Lady’s Presence

Our Blessed Mother offers hope to Catholics all over the world with each appearance.  And she consistently calls us to prayer and repentance.

During each vision, Our Blessed Mother speaks the common language of the persons to whom she appears. Her skin color varies and facial features adapt to the people she visits.

As Catholics, we venerate the Virgin Mary. We offer this veneration regardless of the skin color or eye shape she adopts during her apparitions in this mortal world.

Perhaps ironically, these superficial features are characteristics that the modern secular world is using to sow division between people.

(For a very complete listing of Marian Apparitions visit the Miracle Hunter website – http://www.miraclehunter.com/ – and click on “Miracles” at the top of the home page.)