Our Lady of Laus: Apparitions, Miracles, Message, Sanctuary, Pilgrimage, Prayer
At the end of the 17th century, in a context of Jansenism and rigorism in the Catholic faith, hostile to popular piety, the Virgin Mary appeared for 54 years to a young shepherdess, 17 years old. To this day, these are the longest apparitions of the Virgin, at least among those officially recognized by the Church.
These apparitions are among the best-documented in history, thanks to detailed accounts written by four credible witnesses: a lawyer, then judge and prosecutor of the king, a hermit from the Laus mountain, a doctor of theology who worked at Laus, and a priest and doctor of theology. These apparitions quickly led to an influx of pilgrims, despite the remote location in the mountains, and to numerous miracles of healing, particularly through the oil from the lamp of the Basilica. However, toward the end of the century, the visionary suffered persecution from Jansenist priests. Her bishop, who had initially approved the apparitions, turned his back on her. The exhortations of the Virgin went against Jansenism, advocating more frequent communion and prayer for the faithful: "Eat more! the Virgin once said. You are losing your strength and praying with difficulty: this way, you will serve God better. Go to communion without scruples, unless you deeply regret a sin." It was only toward the end of her life, in 1712, that Benoîte Rencurel found peace, and the pilgrimages resumed without hindrance, thanks to a change in bishop.
History of the Apparitions
Benoîte Rencurel was born in 1647 and lost her father at the age of 7. From then on, she worked as a shepherdess to support her family. She could neither read nor write but asked her mother for a rosary to pray in the mountains, which she did constantly. Generous and close to people, she did not hesitate to share the little she had.
At the age of 17, she expressed to her parish priest her desire to meet the Mother of Mercy. Shortly after, Saint Maurice appeared to her and confirmed that her wish would be granted. The next day, Benoîte saw a lady holding a child in a cave while she was reciting her rosary. The lady was dressed in golden leaves aflame and wore a sparkling crown. Benoîte began to speak, but the lady did not respond. For several months, the Virgin appeared without speaking. It was necessary to accustom the young shepherdess to her presence and the long mission she was preparing for her. Then, the Virgin began to offer advice and exhortations to pray. News of the apparitions began to spread, and an investigation was launched, during which Benoîte impressed the judge with her cheerfulness, reason, and confidence. The Virgin disappeared for a month, then reappeared on the other side of the mountain and asked Benoîte to "look for a small chapel at Laus, where sweet fragrances float, and to come pray there." Benoîte went to Laus the next day, guided by the pleasant scents, and found the thatched-roof chapel. In this ruined chapel, the Virgin appeared to her on the altar and asked that a church be built in honor of her and her Son, adding that "many sinners will convert here." From then on, the apparitions continued daily for another 53 years. More and more pilgrims flocked to the site, and healings and graces multiplied. The vicar general began investigating these healings and was convinced after the healing of a woman suffering from a nerve disease that had left her legs folded under her for six years. The decision to build the church requested by the Virgin was then made. It was 1666, and the church was completed in 1669. From that point on, according to the Virgin's instructions to Benoîte, the application of the oil from the chapel's lamp, along with her intercession and the faith of the sick, would bring healing, as "God has given this place for the conversion of sinners." Benoîte joined the Dominican Third Order in 1666. The new bishop authorized the expansion of the church, and pilgrims continued to arrive in large numbers. Benoîte made herself available to them, listened to them, and could read their consciences.
In 1673, Benoîte saw Christ appear to her, bloodied, on the altar's cross. He told her, "My daughter, I show myself in this state so that you may share in the sorrows of my passion." From then on, Benoîte would relive the passion of Christ from Thursday at 4 PM to Saturday at 9 AM for nearly ten years. Starting in 1692, Benoîte faced persecution from the Jansenist faction, which disapproved of the frequent communions and confessions of the pilgrims. They held a rigorous view of salvation, reserved for a select few. They hindered the pilgrimages and turned the bishop against the visionary, who also suffered violent attacks from the devil. In 1712, the bishop entrusted the sanctuary to a new congregation, which brought renewal to the pilgrimage and peace to Benoîte, who could finally live her last years in serenity. She died on December 28, 1718.
The first steps toward the beatification of Benoîte Rencurel were taken in September 1864, nearly 150 years after her death, by Bishop Bernadou of Gap. Benoîte was declared a Servant of God in 1871 by Pope Pius IX. The process was abandoned in the early 20th century and only resumed in 1996. Pope Benedict XVI declared her Venerable in 2009. A process for her beatification is ongoing, awaiting officially recognized miracles, as many graces and healings occur each year at Laus.
Message of Our Lady of Laus
In a highly rigorous context, stemming from the Council of Trent in the previous century and reinforced by Jansenist doctrine, which rejected supernatural manifestations, popular piety, and human freedom, Our Lady of Laus came to firmly oppose this doctrine. The diocese of Embrun was largely aligned with Jansenism, which is why it was long hostile to apparitions and miracles. The Virgin came to remind people of the mercy of God and the importance of popular piety through the Eucharist, the conversion of sinners, confession, and pilgrimage.
Miracles of Our Lady of Laus
Miracles Surrounding the Apparitions
From 1665, when the apparitions began, miracles of healing became numerous. There was, in particular, an eye disease rampant at the time. After applying the oil from the sanctuary to the diseased eye, it would see perfectly. But the healings were not limited to this ailment and also cured children, adults, and the elderly. Ulcer sufferers, the crippled, and the infirm found healing there.
However, the healing that had the greatest impact at the time was that of Catherine Vial:
"Catherine suffered from a nerve contraction in her legs for over six years. The contraction was so severe that her legs had retracted backward, with her heels touching her buttocks. She and her parents had tried everything to heal her, but to no avail." Her husband, seeing the condition as incurable, had sought to annul the marriage, making Catherine known throughout the region for her infirmity. "Having heard of what was happening at Laus, she made a vow. Her mother took her there, carrying her. They had a novena said in the chapel. [Catherine spent most of her time leaning on a table, outside the chapel railing.] On the last day, September 17, around midnight, she cried out with joy: 'Praise God, Mother! Praise God: I have stretched out my legs.' And at that moment, she asked for light; sitting up, she took her prayer book and prayed to God."
Additionally, from the beginning of the apparitions, and even before, pleasant fragrances began to emanate from the sanctuary. They are still present today, and a few privileged individuals can smell them, bringing them great comfort and consolation.
Recent Miracles
In the early 2000s, a person was miraculously healed of a herniated disc for which they were about to undergo surgery. Refusing the operation, they told the surgeon that Mary would heal them. Four months later, seeing the healing, the surgeon declared that he believed in miracles, as the hernia was "only curable through surgery."
Similarly, a woman pregnant with twins called the sanctuary from Australia. She asked for prayers because, while expecting twins, one of them appeared malformed on the ultrasound. The sanctuary staff committed to praying and sent her oil from Laus. They instructed her to "anoint herself and her babies with the oil." At birth, both babies were in perfect health.
Pilgrimages to Our Lady of Laus
Pilgrims quickly began flocking to Laus. However, it was only in 2008 that the apparitions were officially recognized by the Church.
Today, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Laus welcomes around 200,000 pilgrims each year, and thousands of ex-votos testify to the graces and healings received over the centuries.
Prayers to Our Lady of Laus
Prayer in the Form of a Poem to Our Lady of Laus
"Queen of Laus, loving and tender Mother,
Lend your ear to our pious songs.
Your Son always answers your prayer,
Oh! You, always answer your children.
Without tiring, O pure Virgin,
From heaven above, watch over our hearts.
Do not allow even the slightest stain
To tarnish its heavenly whiteness.
Be our support, all-powerful Virgin,
Guide our weak steps in virtue.
If we falter, compassionate Mother,
Kindly receive us in your arms.
Ah! Grant us shelter under your wings,
When the storm rages with fury,
Spare us cruel anguish,
The dark remorse that troubles the sinner.
Ah! Let us sleep in peace until our final hour,
On your maternal breast.
And upon waking, reopening our eyes,
May we see you in the splendors of heaven.
Our Lady of Laus, refuge of sinners,
Pray for us who have recourse to you."
Prayer of Laus
"Lord, full of tenderness and mercy,
You are blessed by your Son Jesus, who gave us Laus, refuge of sinners.
You are blessed by Mary, our Mother, who came to this refuge to visit humanity and its sufferings.
You are blessed by Benoîte Rencurel, through her witness and her 54 years of listening to the beautiful Lady.
Therefore, Lord, through the intercession of Mary, dwelling of the Holy Spirit, turn our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.
May we, like Benoîte, allow ourselves to be transformed to live today and tomorrow in fidelity to the Gospel, in the Church and in the world.
Amen."
Pray to the Virgin on Hozana with...
In another apparition, the Virgin asked that all Christians open their hearts to her. Ask for the intercession of
for nine days to entrust her with our deepest desires.For a month, entrust every aspect of your life to Mary in
.
