What is a Marian apparition? It is a phenomenon that has occurred since ancient times but has only recently been cataloged. The Virgin Mary is undoubtedly the saint who has appeared the most among all the saints. This phenomenon, also known as “Mariophany,” involves the unexpected appearance of the Virgin Mary. It remains entirely unexplained by the Church, which classifies it among miracles, and even more so by science. Discover the list of the main apparitions of the Virgin Mary around the world.

What Defines a Marian Apparition?

Sometimes, apparitions occur multiple times over a period of varying length. The witnesses of these apparitions are, most of the time, alone or accompanied by only a few people. However, there are exceptions where the apparitions have been seen by a crowd of people. In most cases, the apparitions are accompanied by brief messages, which are transmitted by the Virgin to the witnesses of her apparition.

The Church defines these apparitions as “private revelations” from God through the Virgin Mary, in contrast to the Divine Revelation (or public revelation), which includes the Holy Scriptures and sacred tradition, and which ended with the death of the Apostle John.

An authenticated apparition is considered an objective intervention of divine power. Mary, by appearing in various places and at all times, shows how much she “cares for the brothers of her Son who are still journeying on earth.” The messages delivered by Mary during the apparitions, at least those that are recognized, never contradict Catholic dogma and the Holy Scriptures. It is worth noting that often, the apparitions are followed by miracles and healings. Each time, the location becomes a place of worship, and often, a sanctuary is built in honor of the Virgin, and pilgrimages gradually begin to take place, whether the apparition is validated by the Church or not.

What Are the Criteria for Recognition by the Church?

To be validated by the Church, the apparitions:

• Must be approved by the Bishop of the location where they occurred.

• Are subject to a theological, canonical, and sociological investigation.

• Must receive the approval of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, an institution of the Roman Curia.

What Is the Difference Between a Vision and an Apparition?

Until the end of the Middle Ages, there was no clear distinction between “vision” and “apparition.” Today, most authors distinguish between the two terms. We speak of the “apparitions” of Lourdes, but we refer to the “visions” of Anne-Catherine Emmerich. An apparition is determined by the location, while a vision is defined by the person who witnesses it.

An apparition manifests to the senses, such as sight, and therefore implies a real and present presence. This is not the case with a vision, which does not imply a real presence. A vision can be experienced by a mystic at a spiritual or intellectual level. They are necessarily more personal.

List of Marian Apparitions Around the World

List of Marian Apparitions Recognized or Nearly Recognized by the Catholic Church

There are 13 Marian apparitions officially recognized by the Catholic Church:

• Le Laus - From 1664 to 1718
  Location: Hautes-Alpes, France
  Visionary: Benoîte Rencurel, a young shepherdess

• La Salette - 1846
  Location: Isère, France
  Visionaries: Maximin and Mélanie, young shepherds

• Lourdes - 1858
  Location: Hautes-Pyrénées, France
  Visionary: Bernadette Soubirous

• Green Bay - 1859
  Location: Wisconsin, USA
  Visionary: Adèle Brise

• Pontmain - 1871
  Location: Mayenne, France
  Visionaries: Two young brothers and two young neighbors

• Gietrzwałd - 1877
  Location: Poland
  Visionaries: Justyna and Barbara, young girls

• Fatima - 1917
  Location: Portugal
  Visionaries: Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta, young shepherds

• Beauraing - 1932-33
  Location: Belgium
  Visionaries: 5 children

• Banneux - 1933
  Location: Belgium
  Visionary: Mariette, 11 years old

• Akita - 1973
  Location: Japan
  Visionary: Agnes Sasagawa, a Japanese nun
  Note: There were also tears from the statue of the Virgin from 1975 to 1981.

• Betania - 1976-1990
  Location: Venezuela
  Visionary: Maria Esperanza, a 48-year-old mother

• Kibeho - 1981-89
  Location: Rwanda
  Visionaries: 3 young schoolgirls

• San Nicolás - 1983-1991
  Location: Argentina
  Visionary: Gladys Quiroga, a 46-year-old mother

The following apparitions are not officially recognized by the Church, but the worship and organization of pilgrimages have been authorized, as well as the dissemination of the messages given by the Virgin during these apparitions:

• Guadalupe - 1531
  Location: Mexico
  Visionary: Saint Juan Diego, a young shepherd

• Quito - 1594
  Location: Ecuador
  Visionary: Mariana de Jesús Torres, a nun

• Notre-Dame de l'Osier - 1657
  Location: Isère, France
  Visionary: A Protestant farmer

• Querrien - 1652
  Location: Côtes-d'Armor, France
  Visionary: Jeanne, a 12-year-old schoolgirl

• Šiluva - 1775
  Location: Lithuania
  Visionaries: Young children

• Rue du Bac - 1830
  Location: Paris
  Visionary: Saint Catherine Labouré, a nun

• Rome - 1842
  Location: Italy
  Visionary: Alphonse Ratisbonne, a Jew who converted after the apparition

• Pellevoisin - 1876
  Location: Indre, France
  Visionary: Estelle Faguette, a 33-year-old maid

• Knock - 1879
  Location: Ireland
  Visionaries: About fifteen parishioners

• Campinas - 1930
  Location: Brazil
  Visionary: Sister Amalia, a nun

• La Codosera - 1945
  Location: Spain
  Visionaries: Two children

• Bronx - 1945
  Location: New York, USA
  Visionary: Joseph, a child

• Tre Fontane - 1947
  Location: Rome, Italy
  Visionary: Bruno Cornacchiola, a fervent anti-Catholic who converted

• Île-Bouchard - 1947
  Location: Indre-et-Loire, France
  Visionaries: 3 young children

• San Francisco de Cuapa - 1980
  Location: Nicaragua
  Visionary: Bernardo Martínez, a farmer

• Amsterdam - 1945-1959
  Location: Netherlands
  Visionary: Ida Peerdeman, a 40-year-old Dutch woman

List of Marian Apparitions Recognized by the Orthodox Church

• Blachernae - 10th century
  Location: Istanbul, present-day Turkey
  Visionaries: A priest and his disciple

• Radonezh - 15th century
  Location: Russia
  Visionary: Sergius of Radonezh, a monk

• Sarov - 19th century
  Location: Russia
  Visionary: Saint Seraphim of Sarov, a monk

• Athens - 19th century
  Location: Greece
  Visionary: Saint Nectarios of Aegina, a bishop

• Kolomenskoye - 1917
  Location: Moscow, Russia
  Visionary: Eudoxia, a peasant woman

• Altai - 1975-1998
  Location: Siberia, Russia
  Visionary: Agnes, a hotel owner

Recent Marian Apparitions (Not Officially Recognized by Catholics)

Some are officially recognized by the Orthodox or Coptic Churches.

• Zeitoun - 1968-71
  Location: Cairo, Egypt
  Visionaries: Several thousand people, from all religions

• Garabandal - 1961-65
  Location: Spain
  Visionaries: 4 girls: Mari Loli, Conchita, Jacinta, and Mari Cruz, aged 11 to 13.

• Medjugorje - 1981-present
  Location: Bosnia-Herzegovina
  Visionaries: 6 children aged 10 to 16 in 1981.

• Anosivolakely - 1990
  Location: Madagascar
  Visionary: A man in his forties

• Soufanieh - 1982-2001
  Location: Damascus, Syria
  Visionary: Myrna Nazzour, a Greek-Catholic woman

• Itapiranga - 1994-2009
  Location: Brazil
  Visionaries: Edson Glauber and his mother, Maria do Carmo

Pray to the Virgin Mary with Hozana...

Pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe in this novena to discover her many miracles and ask for her comfort and intercession with God on our behalf.

Pray to Our Lady of Lourdes to ask for the healing of the sick and peace for their families.

Pray with the children of Fatima for the conversion of the world.