Soufanieh: Apparitions, Miracles, Messages, Prayers
Soufanieh is the name of a neighborhood in Damascus, Syria. In the home of a simple Christian family, astonishing events have occurred since 1982. Myrna Nazzour, then a young wife, experienced numerous mystical phenomena including five apparitions of the Virgin Mary. An icon of the Virgin and Child also exuded oil in the home. The messages constitute the heart of the Soufanieh phenomenon; they express the purpose of the events, calling for unity. The "House of the Virgin" in Soufanieh is today a place of pilgrimage visited by people of all backgrounds. The Nazzour family – Myrna, her husband Nicolas, and their two children – still live there, in simplicity and hospitality.
The Apparitions of Soufanieh
Who is Myrna Nazzour
Soufanieh is a popular neighborhood in Damascus (Syria) located outside the city walls, at the level of the Gate called the "Gate of Thomas." It is in this neighborhood that the Nazzour family lives: Myrna, her husband Nicolas, and their two children: Myriam and Jean-Emmanuel. On May 9, 1982, Myrna Al-Akhras, a young Greek-Catholic woman, married Nicolas Nazzour, who is Greek-Orthodox. Barely married, Myrna, aged 18, saw her prayer life grow and noticed its beneficial effects on her interior life. Six months later, the first supernatural manifestations occurred.
The Events of Soufanieh
On November 22, 1982, Myrna went with several friends to the bedside of her sister-in-law Leila who was sick, in order to pray for her. An oil began to exude from her hands. After a moment of panic, not understanding what was happening, Myrna had the intuition to apply the oil where the sick woman was suffering; she was immediately restored to health. On November 25, 1982, three days later, Myrna prayed for her sick mother; once again, oil began to flow from her hands and Myrna anointed the suffering part of her mother's body, who was instantly healed.
On November 27, 1982, in the family home, a small icon of the Virgin and Child, a replica of "Our Lady of Kazan," began to exude a fragrant oil. This icon had been bought by Nicolas during a stay in Bulgaria and placed in a plastic frame. Nicolas, disconcerted, left to notify the patriarchate, asking his wife not to open the door to anyone. Myrna then heard Jesus say to her in an interior locution: "My daughter, Marie [Myrna], do not fear, I am with you. Open the doors, deprive no one of seeing me." The Vicar of the Patriarch as well as two priests soon arrived and witnessed the exudation of oil. From then on, a considerable and uninterrupted crowd, of all religious and denominational affiliations, began to file through the Nazzour home. The visitors came first from Damascus, then the circle gradually extended to the entire world.
The Holy Virgin appeared five times to Myrna: on December 15, 1982, December 18, 1982, January 8, 1983, February 21, 1983, and finally on March 24, 1983. The Virgin Mary entrusted a message to her during each apparition, except for the first one where Myrna ran away at the sight of the luminous person smiling at her.
Starting from October 28, 1983, oil manifested on Myrna's face, neck, and hands during moments of ecstasy when she was totally absent to the external world. These ecstasies occurred 35 times and lasted between 5 and 90 minutes. On May 31, 1984, the day of the Ascension, oil also flowed from her eyes. Subsequently, it turned out that the exudation of oil from the eyes occurred each time Myrna saw Jesus during the ecstasy. The ecstasies take place in different locations and countries, witnessed by those present. Doctors of all specialties and from all countries were able to subject Myrna to tests.
On Friday, November 25, 1983, around 4:30 PM, the stigmata manifested on Myrna's hands, feet, and side. By 11:00 PM the five wounds were perfectly healed. This phenomenon repeated itself 4 times: on Holy Thursday during the years when Catholics and Orthodox celebrate Easter together (1984, 1987, 1990, 2001). The unification of the date of Easter is one of our Lord's requests at Soufanieh.
What Does Science Say?
The oil flowing from the icon was examined successively at the Research Center in Damascus, in Germany (1986), in Paris, and in Rome. The oil flowing from the eyes was examined in Germany in 1986 (without indication of origin). All results are identical: it is one hundred percent pure olive oil. Regarding the stigmata, doctors of all specialties and from all countries witnessed them and were able to examine Myrna freely.
What About Today?
Since 1982, Myrna and Nicolas have opened the doors of their home to everyone, without distinction of race, identity, or religion. The house has never emptied; it is a simple place of true prayer. Myrna and Nicolas renewed day after day their "Yes" to the Will of God, that is to say, to this mission of welcome and prayer. Since 1982, oil has flowed from about a hundred reproductions of "the Original Icon" which came to be called Our Lady of Soufanieh.
The Miracles
In Soufanieh, many miraculous healings and conversions have occurred. Here are two examples: Raquillé Kelta, a Muslim woman from Damascus, was paralyzed in her hand by a calcification starting from the shoulder; she came to pray before the image of the Virgin and was suddenly healed. The next day, Ghalya Armouche was relieved of a disability in her right hand.
Some healings took place in the "House of the Virgin" (the Nazzour family home), others elsewhere. Among the cases of radical conversions, several people became major supporters of Soufanieh, notably enabling the printing of images and booklets by the millions.
The Messages
The messages constitute the heart of the Soufanieh events. They are delivered to Myrna by Jesus Christ and the Holy Virgin in Arabic. They are in conformity with the Gospel, the Christian faith, and the general teaching of the Church, and received the "Nihil Obstat" in 1987. There are 4 messages given during the Marian apparitions and 31 messages given during the ecstasies; the last message dates from 2014.
December 18, 1982, Second Apparition of the Virgin
This is the first message given by the Virgin Mary.
"My children,
Remember God, for God is with us.
You know all things and you know nothing.
Your knowledge is imperfect knowledge; but the day will come when you will know all things, as God knows me.
Do good to those who do evil, and do wrong to no one.
I have given you more oil than you asked for, and I will give you something much stronger than oil.
Repent and have faith, and remember me in your joy.
Announce my Son, Emmanuel.
Whoever announces Him is saved, and whoever does not announce Him, his faith is vain.
Love one another.
I do not ask for money to give to churches nor money to distribute to the poor.
I ask for love.
Those who distribute their money to the poor and to churches, without having love in them, those are nothing.
I will visit the houses more often, for those who go to church sometimes do not go there to pray.
I do not ask you to build me a church, but a place of pilgrimage.
Give.
Deprive no one of those who ask for help."
March 24, 1983, Fifth Apparition of the Virgin
"My children,
My mission is finished.
On this night, the Angel said to me: 'You are blessed among women.'
And I could only say to him: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord.'
I am content.
I do not deserve to say to you: 'your sins are forgiven you,' but my God has said it.
Found a Church.
I did not say: 'build a church.'
The Church that Jesus adopted is one Church, because Jesus is one.
The Church is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Whoever has divided it has sinned, and whoever rejoiced in its division has sinned.
Jesus built it, it was small; and when it grew, it became divided; and whoever divided it does not have love in him.
Gather together.
I tell you: pray, pray, and pray.
How beautiful are my children on their knees, imploring.
Do not fear, I am with you.
Do not divide yourselves as the great ones are.
You, you will teach the generations THE WORD of unity, love and faith.
Pray for the inhabitants of the earth and of heaven."
Message of Jesus Christ, April 10, 2004 (Holy Saturday)
"My last command for you: 'Return each to your home, but carry the Orient in your hearts.
From here a light has sprung forth anew, of which you are the radiance for a world seduced by materialism, sensuality, and celebrity to the point that it has almost lost its values.
As for you, preserve your Oriental authenticity.
Do not allow anyone to alienate your will, your freedom, and your faith in this Orient.'"
Message of Jesus Christ, April 17, 2014 (Maundy Thursday)
"The wounds that bled on this earth are the very ones that are in my body, because the cause and the author are the same.
But have confidence, their fate is similar to that of Judas."
Prayers to Our Lady of Soufanieh
Invocation
On February 21, 1983, during the 4th apparition, the Virgin Mary said to Myrna:
"I make a request of you, a word that you will engrave in your memory, that you will always repeat.
God saves me, Jesus enlightens me, the Holy Spirit is my life, therefore I fear nothing."
Prayer Given by Jesus Christ
On Thursday, May 31, 1984, on the feast of the Ascension, Jesus entrusted to Myrna a message as well as the following prayer:
"Pray with adoration, for Eternal Life deserves these sufferings.
Pray that the will of God may be accomplished in you, and say:
'Beloved Jesus,
grant me to rest in you,
above all things,
above every creature,
above all your angels,
above all praise,
above all joy and exultation,
above all glory and dignity,
above all the heavenly host,
for you alone are the Most High,
you alone are powerful and good above all,
come to me and console me
and loose my chains,
and grant me freedom,
for without you my joy is incomplete,
without you my table is empty.'"
Continue to Pray with Hozana!
In the messages given at Soufanieh, Jesus and Mary invite us to pray for the unity of Christians, for the Orient, for sinners, and for peace.
For 8 days, .
