Amsterdam: Apparitions, Messages, Pilgrimage, Sanctuary, Prayers
In 1945 in Amsterdam, the Virgin Mary appeared to a young woman from a modest, Catholic but not very devout family. She called herself Our Lady of All Nations. These apparitions would continue until 1959, although the visionary, like Catherine Labouré, would continue to hear the voice of the Virgin for a long time, until her death in 1996. Just as in Paris, the Virgin dictated a specific prayer and instructions for an image representing her to the visionary. These apparitions were initially rejected, then recognized, and then rejected again by the Church. A statue of Our Lady of All Nations was taken to Akita in Japan, where tears would occur 101 times between 1973 and 1981.
History of the Apparitions
Initial Apparition
Ida Peerdeman was born in August 1905. She came from a family of five Catholic children, but the family was not very devout. Ida lost her mother at the age of 8, and her 16-year-old sister took charge of the family, as the father was often away. Ida confessed regularly, and on October 13, 1917, the same day as the miracle of the sun in Fatima, as she was returning from confession, she saw the Virgin for the first time, in an extraordinary light. She did not initially identify the Virgin but described what seemed like “a Jewish woman.” She spoke about it to her father and the parish priest, but both advised her to remain silent to avoid being considered insane, especially since other apparitions would follow during the same October 1917.
Ida grew up and began her professional life. Beautiful, she had no shortage of suitors but did not feel called to marriage.
First Apparition
On the day of the Annunciation, March 25, 1945, while Ida was in the living room with three of her sisters and the priest, she felt drawn to the next room. The room was then bathed in a brilliant light, and she suddenly saw a figure, a woman, dressed in a long white robe with a belt. Ida then saw the end of the war approaching and the return of the soldiers. The lady simply said, “I will be called the Lady Mother” and dictated a prayer to Ida.
Subsequent Apparitions
On March 29, 1946, Ida had another vision of the Virgin, this time with the Child Jesus on her lap, seated on a throne. Then, on December 26, 1947, the visionary reported a vision of wars in various parts of the world. On May 7, 1949, the Lady mentioned threats to the Vatican and called for prayer to counter the dangers.
On November 16, 1950, the Virgin stood on a globe and revealed her name: Mary, Mother of All Nations. She repeated her name on February 11, 1951, and transmitted a prayer that Ida was tasked with spreading (see below). Shortly after, she gave Ida an image representing her. It depicted Mary, still standing on the globe, surrounded by a bright light, in front of the Cross. Around her, there were sheep, symbolizing the peoples of the world. Ida noticed a large number of black sheep and heard these words: “The peoples of the world will not find peace until they... peacefully lift their eyes to the Cross, the center of the world” (May 31, 1951). The Lady emphasized her role in the salvific work of Christ, standing before the Cross and showing her pierced hands. Mary suffered with her Son “spiritually and even more physically,” said the Lady (April 1, 1951).
The Lady also asked Ida to proclaim a new dogma by the Catholic Church, defining Mary's role as co-redemptrix, mediatrix, and advocate (of humanity). The Virgin insisted on the necessity of her request to the Pope. This dogma was never proclaimed, mainly due to the first letter to Timothy, where St. Paul states that “there is one mediator between God and man,” even though many saints refer to the Virgin as co-redemptrix: Anne-Catherine Emmerich, Maximilian Kolbe, Edith Stein, Padre Pio, Mother Teresa, and even Saint John Paul II.
In February 1958, the Virgin announced the death of Pope Pius XII in the early days of October, which Ida noted in a sealed envelope that she gave to her confessor, who would deliver it to the Holy See upon the Pope's death.
In 1959, Ida had her last vision of the Virgin, who appeared “in all Her glory,” as “crowned, shining from all sides, more beautiful than the most beautiful diamond crown, and then shesawshesaw Christ in a radiant light.”
After the Apparitions
There were many twists and turns regarding the recognition of the cult, the apparitions, and the use of the title Our Lady of All Nations, as well as the prayer addressed to her.
In 1956, the apparitions were officially condemned, only to be officially recognized by the Bishop of Amsterdam in 2002. However, at the end of 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith overturned the bishop's decision and forced him to revoke his previous ruling.
However, as early as 1966, a conference was held in Paris to present the apparitions, and the prayer was disseminated, albeit unofficially. It was on this occasion that Ida was able to visit the chapel on Rue du Bac and hear the Virgin speak to her. In 1996, the Bishop of Amsterdam, in agreement with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, decided to officially authorize the devotion to Our Lady of All Nations. He also authorized the prayer transmitted by Our Lady.
As for Ida Peerdeman, she suffered numerous demonic attacks throughout her life: objects moving or lighting up in her home; a mysterious figure dressed in black whom she encountered several times on the street and who tried to kill her; a hand felt on her throat trying to strangle her; three falls caused by Satan.
Ida also had many Eucharistic visions: she received what felt like rivers of living water in her mouth during communion, and a voice told her, “I am the living water.” In addition to the many visions Ida experienced, the host and chalice one day transformed into the person of the Lord.
Messages of Our Lady of All Nations
Many prophecies were announced by the Virgin to Ida from her first apparitions, including:
The birth of the state of Israel
The fall of communism
The first moon landing
The Balkan War
The Cold War
The Second Vatican Council
In her early messages, the Virgin drew attention to the lack of love, faith, and justice among Catholics. She insisted that the coming calamities were the consequences of “the corruption of a humanity carried away by the confusion of minds, a humanity that denied its Creator.”
Then, the Virgin called for greater openness in the Church, even though the doctrine should not change. She also asked for more social works, the unification of different churches, called for a simplicity of faith, and to venerate the Eucharist. She also urged women to “return to the woman within themselves.” She reminded that the path of Christ is the way of the Cross, that it is a long and difficult path but that it is the only way to the Father and the Son. According to the Virgin, Christianity is threatened, but victory is at the end. God the Father knows everything that will happen and allows it.
Our Lady of All Nations also requested the construction of a church at the site of the apparitions, which has still not been built. A chapel now houses the painting of Our Lady of All Nations.
There are similarities between Our Lady of All Nations in Amsterdam and Our Lady of the Rue du Bac in Paris. In both cases, Our Lady gave instructions for creating an image of her: the Miraculous Medal and the painting representing her on the globe. Both images are distributed worldwide, accompanied by a specific prayer. Finally, when Ida visited the chapel on Rue du Bac in Paris, she heard the Mother of God say: “What began here, the Lady of All Nations has continued!”
No official miracle is recognized in Amsterdam, but the great miracle promised by the Virgin is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that must come upon the entire world. To those waiting for a visible miracle, the Lady of All Nations asks them to take action: “Begin with a heart burning with zeal to take part in this work of redemption and peace, and you will see the miracle.” (April 1, 1951)
Pilgrimages to Amsterdam
The chapel is located near Beatrix Park, Diepenbrockstraat 3, 1077 VX Amsterdam
Prayer to Our Lady of All Nations
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now your Spirit over the Earth. Let the Holy Spirit dwell in the hearts of all peoples, so that they may be preserved from corruption, calamities, and war. May the Lady of All Nations, who once was Mary, be our advocate. Amen.”
Pray to the Virgin Mary with Confidence on Hozana...
Since the Virgin strongly invites you to pray for peace in the world,
with Mary, Mother of God.We also invite you to pray to Our Lady of Lourdes in
for the sick or
