Marian apparition: Difference between revisions
had to revert since no clear reference |
|||
| Line 68: | Line 68: | ||
Many skeptics point out that the material "proofs" (icons weeping blood, rosary chains turning to gold, etc.) provided by witnesses of claimed apparitions are usually common items. {{Fact|date=February 2007}} Catholic critics dismiss the idea of unverifiable material "proof". |
Many skeptics point out that the material "proofs" (icons weeping blood, rosary chains turning to gold, etc.) provided by witnesses of claimed apparitions are usually common items. {{Fact|date=February 2007}} Catholic critics dismiss the idea of unverifiable material "proof". |
||
==List of Marian apparitions== |
[[User:Borg in-Nadur|Borg in-Nadur]] ([[User talk:Borg in-Nadur|talk]]) 22:06, 27 June 2008 (UTC)==List of Marian apparitions== |
||
This is a list of some of the more publicized Marian apparitions. Only those marked with a * have been approved by the Catholic Church. |
This is a list of some of the more publicized Marian apparitions. Only those marked with a * have been approved by the Catholic Church. |
||
<!-- |
<!-- |
||
| Line 226: | Line 226: | ||
|- |
|- |
||
| 2000 – 2001 || [[Assiut]], [[Egypt]] || To many thousands of people, approved by Coptic Orthodox Church || [http://www.zeitun-eg.org/assiut.htm Our Lady of Assiut] |
| 2000 – 2001 || [[Assiut]], [[Egypt]] || To many thousands of people, approved by Coptic Orthodox Church || [http://www.zeitun-eg.org/assiut.htm Our Lady of Assiut] |
||
|} |
|||
|- |
|||
| 2006 – || [[Borg in-Nadur]], [[Malta]] || To Angelik Caruana, Catholic Church has not pronounced itself yet || [http://www.borgin-nadur.org Apparitions at Borg in-Nadur] |
|||
|} |
|} |
||
Revision as of 22:06, 27 June 2008
A Marian apparition is an event in which the Virgin Mary is believed to have supernaturally appeared to one or more persons regardless of their religious faith. They are often given names based on the town in which they were reported, or on the sobriquet which was given to Mary on the occasion of the apparition. They have been interpreted in psychological terms as pareidolia, and in religious terms as theophanies.
Apparitions sometimes recur at the same site over an extended period of time. In the majority of Marian apparitions only a few people can see Mary. An exception to this is at Zeitoun, where thousands claimed to have seen her over a period of three years.
What is an appearance?
The term "appearance" has been used in different apparitions within a wide range of contexts and experiences.
In some apparitions such as Our Lady of Lourdes or Our Lady of Fatima an actual vision is reported, fully resembling that of a person being present. In some of these reports the viewers (at times children) do not initially report that they saw the Virgin Mary, but that they saw "a Lady" (quite often dressed in white) and had a conversation with her. In these cases the viewers report experiences that resemble the visual and verbal interaction with a person present at the site of the apparition. However, there are no clear indications as to the auditory nature of the experience, i.e. whether the viewers heard the voices via airwaves or other miraculous methods.
In some apparitions just an image is reported, often with no verbal interaction, and no conversation. An example is the reported apparitions at Our Lady of Assiut in which many people reported a bright image atop a building, accompanied by photographs of the image. The photographs at times sugges the silhouette of a statute of the Virgin Mary but the images are usually subject to varying interpretations, and critics suggest that they may just be due to various visual effects of unknown origin.
And apparitions should be distinguished from interior locutions in which no visual contact is claimed. In some cases of reported interior locutions such as those of Father Stefano Gobbi a large amount of text is produced, but no visual contact is claimed. Interior locutions usually do not include an auditory component, but consist of inner voices. Interior locutions are generally not classified as apparitions.
Physical contact is hardly ever reported as part of Marian apparitions, unlike in cases of interaction with Jesus Christ. In rare cases a physical artifact is reported in apparitions. A well known example is the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe which is reported to have been miraculously imprinted on the cloak of Saint Juan Diego.
Catholic belief
According to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, the era of public revelation ended with the death of the last living Apostle. A Marian apparition, if deemed genuine by Church authority, is treated as private revelation that may emphasize some facet of the received public revelation for a specific purpose, but it can never add anything new to the deposit of faith. The Church will confirm an apparition as worthy of belief, but belief is never required by divine faith.[1] The Holy See has officially confirmed the apparitions at Guadalupe, Saint-Étienne-le-Laus, Paris (Rue du Bac, Miraculous Medal), La Salette, Lourdes, Fátima, Portugal, Pontmain, Beauraing, Banneux, La Vang Vietnam and Knock (Ireland). [2] [3]
As a historical pattern, Vatican approval of apparitions seems to have followed general acceptance of a vision by well over a century in most cases. According to Father Salvatore M. Perrella of the Mariunum Pontifical Institute in Rome, of the 295 reported apparitions studied by the Holy See through the centuries only 12 have been approved, the latest being in May 2008 in Laus.[4][5][6][7]
An authentic apparition is believed not to be a subjective experience, but a real and objective intervention of divine power. The purpose of such apparitions is to recall and emphasize some aspect of the Christian message. The church states that cures and other miraculous events are not the purpose of Marian apparitions, but exist primarily to validate and draw attention to the message. [8] Apparitions of Mary are held to be evidence of her continuing active presence in the life of the church, through which she "cares for the brethren of her son who still journey on earth." [9]
Not all claims of visitations are dealt with favourably by the Roman Catholic Church. For example, claimed apparitions of Our Lady, Jesus Christ and various saints at Bayside, New York have not been condoned or sanctioned in any way, nor those at the Necedah Shrine in Necedah, Wisconsin. The behavior of Ms Veronica Lueken and Mary Ann Van Hoof, who claimed these heavenly favors, was deemed not to compare favorably with the "quiet pragmatism" of St. Bernadette Soubirous — Church authorities are said to use Bernadette as a model by which to judge all who purport to have visitations. Indeed, both women seriously criticized the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, allegedly even harshly, and Mrs. Van Hoof is said to have subsequently left Roman Catholicism for an independent local Old Catholic Church.
Possibly the best-known apparition sites are Lourdes and Fatima[10] Over sixty spontaneous healings, out of thousands reported at the Lourdes Spring, have been classified as "inexplicable" by the physicians of the Lourdes Bureau, a medical centre set up by the Church in association with local medical institutes to assess possible miracles. The so-called Three Secrets of Fatima received a great deal of attention in the Catholic and secular press.
Criteria for evaluating apparitions
 |
| Part of a series on the |
| Mariology of the Catholic Church |
|---|
 |
 Catholicism portal |
In 1978 the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (former Holy Office) issued "Norms of the Congregation for Proceeding in Judging Alleged Apparitions and Revelations" containing the following provisions:[11]
- The diocesan bishop can initiate a process on his own initiative or at the request of the faithful to investigate the facts of an alleged apparition. The bishop may refrain from looking into it if he chooses, especially if he thinks that not much will come of the event.
- The national conference of bishops may intervene if the local diocesan bishop refers it to him or if the event becomes important nationally or at least in more than one diocese.
- The Apostolic See (the Vatican) can also intervene at the request of the local bishop himself, at the request of a group of the faithful, or on its own initiative.
The steps in the investigation are mandated as follows: An initial evaluation of the facts of the alleged event, based on both positive and negative criteria:
- Positive Criteria
- moral certainty (the certainty required to act morally in a situation of doubt) or at least great probability as to the existence of a private revelation at the end of a serious investigation into the case
- evaluation of the personal qualities of the person in question (mental balance, honesty, moral life, sincerity, obedience to Church authority, willingness to practice faith in the normal way, etc.)
- evaluation of the content of the revelations themselves (that they do not disagree with faith and morals of the Church, freedom from theological errors)
- the revelation results in healthy devotion and spiritual fruits in people's lives (greater prayer, greater conversion of heart, works of charity that result, etc.)
- Negative Criteria
- glaring errors in regard to the facts
- doctrinal errors attributed to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or to the Holy Spirit in how they appear
- any pursuit of financial gain in relation to the alleged event
- gravely immoral acts committed by the person or those associated with the person at the time of the event
- psychological disorders or tendencies on the part of the person or persons associated
After this initial investigation, if the occurrence meets the criteria, positive and negative, an initial cautionary permission can be granted that basically states: "for the moment, there is nothing opposed to it." This permits public participation in the devotion in regard to the alleged apparition.
Ultimately, a final judgment and determination needs to be given, giving approval or condemnation of the event. Subscript text
Papal Marian apparitions
It has been claimed that apparitions were experienced by a number of popes, including Pope Leo XIII in 1884[citation needed], Pope Pius XII at various stages during his papacy[citation needed], and Pope John Paul II in 1981[citation needed], while he recovered from an assassination attempt which occurred on May 13, the anniversary of the Fatima apparition. While he only reported focusing on her image in order to stay conscious as per paramedic instructions, a number of rumors have circulated about this event, including that he actually saw her for a minute[citation needed], or that he witnessed a solar phenomenon as at Fatima[citation needed]; if so, he said nothing on the record about it. He was quoted some time later as saying he thought "a motherly hand guided the bullet's path" [12] so that he would be only injured and not killed. John Paul II's particular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary was indicated in his coat of Arms (image, left), which contains a large letter "M," representing Mary at the foot of the Cross, as well as his motto "Totus Tuus," ("Totally yours"), dedicated to Mary. He also visited many of the most famous apparition sites, notably Guadalupe, Fatima, Lourdes, Licheń, and Knock, and may have experienced another visitation on his last visit to Lourdes in 2004, when he lost his balance and said: 'I feel with emotion that I have reached the end of my pilgrimage'.
Criticism
Many Christians, including some Catholics, as well as nonbelievers, regard claims of Marian apparitions as being hallucinations encouraged by superstition, and occasionally simply as lies and deliberate hoaxes to attract attention. Many such apparitions are reported in economically depressed areas, attracting many pilgrims who bring trade and money into the region.
Supposedly spontaneous healings reported at apparition sites such as Lourdes are also disputed by some scientists. Most such healings are reportedly far from spontaneous [citation needed], often taking place some time after the visit or over a period of weeks or months (rather than being instantaneous, as required by the Lourdes Bureau for a miraculous healing). Other scientists have claimed that a handful of unexplained cures have occurred; the Lourdes Bureau has recorded sixty "inexplicable" (not "miraculous") healings which match its requirements. Critics maintain that some healings are incomplete, leaving the sufferer with disabilities or chronic illness, and that other claimed healings are likely to be the relatively rare but entirely unmiraculous spontaneous remission of illness or injury. Such remissions would be expected to occur in a few of the large numbers of ill (and perhaps credulous) people who visit such sites. That viewpoint is debated by religious people and by some in the medical profession. The Lourdes Bureau will not review cases of claimed healing involving illnesses known sometimes to go into remission by themselves, such as multiple sclerosis or cancer, or incomplete healings, or those which take place gradually. In fact, the rate of "spontaneous healing" at Lourdes is higher than the remission rate for modern medicine.[citation needed]
Many skeptics point out that the material "proofs" (icons weeping blood, rosary chains turning to gold, etc.) provided by witnesses of claimed apparitions are usually common items. [citation needed] Catholic critics dismiss the idea of unverifiable material "proof".
Borg in-Nadur (talk) 22:06, 27 June 2008 (UTC)==List of Marian apparitions== This is a list of some of the more publicized Marian apparitions. Only those marked with a * have been approved by the Catholic Church.
|- | 2006 – || Borg in-Nadur, Malta || To Angelik Caruana, Catholic Church has not pronounced itself yet || Apparitions at Borg in-Nadur |}
Further reading
- Blackbourn, David (1994). Marpingen: Apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Nineteenth-Century Germany. New York: Alfred A Knopf. ISBN 0-679-41843-1.
- Connell, Janice T. (1996). Meetings with Mary: Visions of The Blessed Mother. United States: Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-39705-3.
- Connell, Janice T. (2007). The Visions of the Children: The Apparitions of the Blessed Mother at Medjugorje. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-36197-1.
- Laurentin, René (1990). Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary Today. Dublin: Vertitas Publications. ISBN 1-853-90054-9.
- Odell, Catherine M. (1995). Those Who Saw Her: Apparitions of Mary. Huntington: Our Sunday Visitor. ISBN 0-87973-664-4.
- Sparrow, G. Scott (2004). Sacred Encounters with Mary. Chicago: Thomas More Association/Ave Maria Press. ISBN 1-59471-047-3.
- [[2]]Fox, J. Robert (2004). Messages From the Heart of Our Mother. Minnesota: Fatima Family Apostolate. ISBN none [3].
{{cite book}}: External link in|last=
See also
- Dogma (Roman Catholic)
- Mariology (Roman Catholic)
- Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Shrines to the Virgin Mary
- Marian devotions
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Weeping painting
- Weeping statue
- Perceptions of religious imagery in natural phenomena
References
- ^ "Private and public revelation". Catholic Culture. Retrieved January 7.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ John Delaney, A Woman Clothed with the Sun
- ^ Circle of Prayer - Apparitions & Private Revelation
- ^ Vatican News on Benoite Rencurel http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/avantgo/new.php?n=12546
- ^ Catholic News on Benoite Rencurel http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=27848
- ^ Catholic News http://catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=12546
- ^ Catholic News http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=12588
- ^ Dictionary of Mary, Catholic Book Publishing Co. New York. 1985, Imprimatur, p25-26
- ^ Papal Encyclical Lumen Gentium 62, Vatican.
- ^ Dictionary of Mary, Catholic Book Publishing Co. New York. 1985, Imprimatur, p25
- ^ http://www.ewtn.org/vexperts/showmessage_print.asp?number=419853&language=en
- ^ Vatican Tells Third Fatima Secret, EWTN website, found 2008-03-23
- ^ Josyp Terelya, Witness To Apparitions and Persecution in the USSR : An Autobiography, (Faith Publishing Company, 1991)
External links
- Apparitions of Virgin Mary - The most complete website about Marian apparitions.
- Claims of Private Revelation - A list of True and False apparitions from a theological perspective.
- List of Apparitions with links to letters from the local Bishop in some cases.
- The Miracle Hunter - News and actualized information about Marian apparitions.