Very timely and interesting article in National Geographic from November 13, 2015 about reported apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary!
500 Years of Virgin Mary Sightings in One Map
Apparitions of the Virgin Mary, inspiring wonder and devotion among millions, have been tracked for centuries.
The Roman Catholic Church follows and investigates sightings of the Virgin Mary around the world.
By National Geographic Staff
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 13, 2015
From a village in Rwanda to a rock cave in France, sightings of the Virgin Mary have been reported across the globe since A.D. 40. Since 1531, the Roman Catholic Church has investigated these reports and offered approval to multiple sites where bishops believe miracles occurred, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris.
MiracleHunter.com keeps a catalog of sightings. The map below shows where the sightings have been reported, and how they’ve been classified by the church. You can read about how the Virgin Mary has become the world’s most powerful woman in our latest magazine cover story, and see how obsession with Mary can be taken to extremes on Explorer: The Cult of Mary, which premieres Sunday, December 13, at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. CST) on the National Geographic Channel.
Seeing MaryStarting in the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church instituted a strict vetting process for miracles like the 2,000 sightings of the Virgin Mary claimed since A.D. 40. To be worthy of belief and church support, apparitions must be deemed miraculous with a high degree of certainty and in line with church doctrine, and found to have had a positive impact. Centuries of Miracles
VIRGINIA W. MASON, NGM STAFF; VICTORIA SGARRO
SOURCE: MICHAEL O’NEILL, MIRACLE HUNTER
NOTE: SOME VISIONS MAY BE MISSING BECAUSE THE DETAILS OF TIME, LOCATION, AND WITNESSES HAVE BEEN LOST TO HISTORY.
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