This page deals with early historical shrines built as a result of prayer to Our Lady, the nine major Church approved Marian apparition sites of Guadalupe, Rue du Bac, La Salette, Lourdes, Pontmain, Knock, Fatima, Beauraing, Banneux, Amsterdam. There is also information about "semi-approved" apparitions, those at Amsterdam, Tre Fontane and L'Ile Bouchard. There have been many other reported Marian Apparitions during the 20th century, none of which have been approved by the church but some of which are still under investigation. Most notable of these is at Garabandal, Medjugorje, Akita in Japan and Naju in Korea where the reported weeping of a statue of Our Lady preceded many Eucharistic Miracles which continue to this day.

Our Lady of Walsingham - 1061

In 1061 Richeldis de Faverches is taken in spirit to Nazareth and asked by Our Lady to build a replica, in Norfolk, of the Holy House of the Annunciation.

Our Lady of the Rosary - 1208

Dominic de Guzman from Spain received a vision from Our Lady who showed him a wreath of roses, and told him to say the rosary daily, and teach it to all who would listen.

Our Lady of Sorrows - 1233

The Order of Friar Servants of Mary, known as Servites, was founded in Italy in 1233, when seven merchants from Florence in Italy experienced a beautiful yet very sad vision of Mary. She asked them to devote their lives to prayer and penance with a focus on the sufferings of Christ and on the seven sorrows she experienced in her life.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel - 1251

On July 16, 1251 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Simon Stock and gave him the scapular as her special protection.  Her promise to Simon and to the world, was: "Whosoever dies wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire."

The Lady of Lavang, Vietnam - 1798

The first apparition of the Lady of Lavang was noted in 1798, when the persecution of Vietnamese Catholics began. Many Catholics from the nearby town of Quang Tri sought refuge in the deep forest of Lavang.

Our Lady of Guadalupe - 1531

The apparitions of Mary to Juan Diego at Guadalupe in Mexico, in 1531, happened only fourteen years after the initiation of the Reformation by Martin Luther. Thousandss of conversions occured as a result of these apparitions

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal - 1830

The events connected with Catherine Labouré and the miraculous medal at Rue du Bac, France, in 1830, which coincided with the Paris Revolution of that year, happened in the aftermath of the French revolution.

Our Lady of the Miracle - 1842

"Since you abhor superstition and espouse such liberal views," he asks Alphonse, "would you consider submitting to a simple test?" "What test?" "To wear something I'm going to give you. It's a medal of the Holy Virgin. It appears quite ridiculous to you, no doubt. But as for me, I attach great importance to it." Our Lady appears to the Jew Alphonse Ratisbonne

Our Lady of La Salette, France - 1846

The apparition of Mary at La Salette in France in 1846, to two young children, Mélanie Calvat aged 14, and Maximin Giraud aged 11, took place shortly before the European revolutionary outbursts of 1848. These apparitions spoke strongly about the forthcoming changes in the Mass and the Church which started to occur after the start of Vatican II

Our Lady of Lourdes - 1858

The apparitions at Lourdes, in 1858, to Bernadette Soubirous, occurred just a year before the publication of Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species, an event which represents the beginning of the modern atheistic intellectual revolution.

Our Lady of Pontmain - 1871

The apparition at Pontmain in France to four young children, in 1871, took place at the time of the Franco-Prussian War.

Our Lady Pellevoisin - 1876 

The first part of the apparitions in Pellevoisin started  in the night of February 14, 1876 when Our Lady apppeared to 23 year old Estelle Faguette

Our Lady of Knock - 1879

The apparition at Knock in Ireland a group of villages of mixed ages, in 1879, fortified the Irish in their struggle against religious and social oppression.

Our Lady of Fatima - 1917

The apparitions at Fatima in Portugal to Lucia dos Santos, aged 10, and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, aged 7 and 8 respectively, in 1917, took place just as the Russian Revolution was unfolding.

Our Lady of Beauraing - 1932

The apparitions at Beauraing, to five young children, and Banneux, to one young girl, Mariette Beco, in 1930s Belgium, happened just as Hitler was coming to power in Germany.

Our Lady of Banneaux - 1933

The Blessed Virgin appeared to Mariette Beco 6 times over a period of 5 weeks stating: "I am the Virgin of the poor." and "I am the Mother of the Saviour, Mother of God, Pray much,"

Our Lady of Zeitun, Egypt - 1968

Starting in April, 1968, the apparitions of light changed the lives of thousands. Our Lady was seen by more than a million people. The apparitions were broadcast by Egyptian TV, photographed by hundreds of professional photographers and personally witnessed by Egyptian President Abdul Nasser, an avowed Marxist.

The above major apparitions, which are generally recognised as the most important Marian apparitions, have all enjoyed official Church recognition. The following are in varying stages of recognition:

Semi-approved Sites of Marian Apparitions

Amsterdam - 1945 to 1959

Our Lady started to appear to Ida Peerdeman in 1945 when she was forty years old.  The apparitions began on March 25, 1945, just before the end of WWII. They link in strongly with the messages of La Salette and Fatima

L'Ile Bouchard - 1947

The first apparition in the church at L'Ile Bouchard took place on the feast of the Immaculate Conception. At about one o'clock in the afternoon, Jacqueline Aubry, aged 12, her sister Jeanette, aged 7, and their cousin, Nicole Robin, aged 10, were on their way back to school after lunch in the Aubry house, when, at Jacqueline's suggestion, they stopped at the church of St Gilles to pray. She repeatedly requested: "Tell the little children to pray for France, for her need is great."

Tre Fontane - 1953

Better known as 'The Weeping Madonna of Syracuse' led to weeping of tears on numerous occasions over four days. It is as if this was the final appeal of Mary, who had said all she had to say at Fatima and in her other recognized apparitions, and now, because her pleas were being largely ignored, was reduced to silent tears.

Akita, Japan - 1973 - 1975

In 1973, the Blessed Virgin Mary gave Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa in Akita, Japan three messages through a statute of Mary. The messages are strongly linked with those of Fatima

Betania, Venuezuela - 1976 to date

Approved by the Catholic Church, November 21, 1987, this 20th century apparition is still taking place. Our Lady of Betania, Venezuela appears to visionary Maria Esperanza. The Virgin Mary manifests herself under the title, "Mary, Virgin and mother Reconciler of all people and nations.

Kibeho, Rwanda - 1981 to 1988

In November 1981, apparitions began in Kibeho, Rwanda, Africa, to seven visionaries: Alphonsine, Emmanuel, Anathalie, Marie-Claire, Stephanie, Agnes, and Vestine. The apparitions in Kibeho, Africa, were approved in the first stage by the local bishop on August 15, 1988, thus allowing public devotion. The Church is continuing to review these events.

Naju, Korea - 1985 to date

It was almost midnight on June 30,1985 when the Blessed Mother wept for the first time through her statue in Naju, at that time Julia Kim,the owner of the Statue was running her own a Beauty Salon in Naju. The Blessed Mother's weeping tears and tears of blood continued intermittently for the next 7 years for a total of exactly 700 days until Jan 14,1992. But the greatest miracles to occur in Naju are those during Communion at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass when the Sacred Host turns into flesh and blood on Julia's tongue. This has been witnessed by many priests, including a Papal Nuncio sent by the Pope to investigate, as well as hundreds of ordinary people.

Sites of Marian Apparitions of importance Still Under Church Investigation

Garabandal, Spain - 1961 to 1965

The apparitions of Pur Lady to Conchita Gonzalez, Maria Dolores Mazon, Jacinta Gonzalez and Maria Cruz Gonzalez and Maria Cruz at Garabandal were preceded by two single visits in preparation from Saint Michael the Archangel. The messages given by Our Lady follow the same theme as those given in Fatima, Amsterdam and Naju. These apparitions were also remarkable for a Eucharistic Miracle when the Sacred Host appeared on the tongue of Conchita.

Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina - 1981 to date

Our Lady’s messages are simple and have never altered over the 21 years - her call to prayer, fasting, penance, conversion, and the Eucharist. The fruits of Medugorje continue to be an increase in prayer, regular confessions, fasting (No bishop in the world, no pope, ever invited millions to fast.) and an ever increasing love of the Eucharist both through increased attendances at Holy Mass and Eucharistic Adoration by those who have been on pilgrimage to Medugorje. Over 24 million people have brought back home an improved faith and devotion to Our Divine Lord and are spreading the simple messages of His Beloved Mother.

This website called Apparitions.org gives a good list of those apparition sites approved, still under investigation and condemned by the Church.