Our Lady of Genesta, Genoa, Italy The Abbot Orsini wrote: “A poor woman, named Petruccia, undertook to build this church, which appeared to everyone impossible; she did not fail to lay the first stone of it, and assured everyone that she should not die before the Blessed Virgin and St. Augustine finished this work. In…
Apparition of Our Lady of Beauraing, Belgium (1932) On the evening of November 29, 1932, five children, fun-loving, mischievous playmates, ranging from the fifteen to nine years of age, were walking toward the railway viaduct in the Vallon part of Belgium, in the simple and quiet village of Beauraing. Suddenly one of them exclaimed that…
Our Lady of Walsingham, England (1061) The Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham dates from the year 1061. In that year a Catholic noblewoman, Richeldis de Faverches, had prayed to the Blessed Virgin for the favor of knowing what she might do to honor her. The Blessed Virgin appeared to the noblewoman in vision, showing…
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (1830) It was almost midnight, when Sister Laboure was awakened by someone calling her. She saw at the foot of her bed a beautiful child, beckoning her to follow; arriving at the chapel, she beheld Our Lady, who spoke to her for two hours. On November 27, while the…
Our Lady of the Mountains, Italy (1500) Also known as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi, or Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Polsi, Our Lady of the Mountain, it is located near San Luca in Calabria in Southern Italy. Until recently the sanctuary could only be reached on foot because of the rugged terrain…
Our Lady of the Rock of Fiesola, Tuscany, Italy (1028) The Abbot Orsini wrote: “Our Lady of the Rock, in the territory of Fiezoli, in Tuscany. This image is placed in a rock, where two shepherds retired to pray; Our Lady ordered them to build a church in this place.” The town of Fiezoli was…
Our Lady of Montserrat In Spain, Mount Montserrat has been dedicated to the veneration of Mary, Our Lady of Montserrat. It is a mountain standing alone, ten leagues from Barcelona, which was, according to the celebrated naturalist Humboldt, the great Atlas of the ancients, at the foot of which the fine kingdom of Valencia displayed…
Our Lady of the Vault, Italy The Abbot Orsini wrote: “Our Lady of the Vault, near the town of Saint Anastasia, in the environs of Florence.” There is no longer any town named Saint Anastasia or Santa Anastasia near Florence, Italy, and I can find no reference to a church or icon known as Our…
Our Lady of Lavang, Viet Nam (1798) The fact that the Blessed Virgin visited a small group of Catholics in the little jungle village of Lavang, in Viet Nam, in 1798, is not surprising to anyone who knows the ways of the Mother of God. She has always been faithful to her children by grace.…
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (12 BC) The feast of the Presentation was instituted in the Greek church more than nine hundred years ago, since Saint Germanus, who held the see of Constantinople in the year 715, composed a sermon upon it. Mary’s Presentation, offering, in the Temple was the greatest a creature ever…