How are Marian Apparitions Approved?

The process the Church uses for approving Marian apparitions has evolved over time, but the goal has always remained the same: to provide Catholics with assurance that their devotions will be fruitful. Keep reading for an explanation of the Church’s approval process, going all the way back to the first century!

33 AD - 1563 AD In the very beginning of Church history, any apparitions that took place had an approval process with local clergy. These apparitions are now considered “Traditionally Approved” by the Church. One example of a “Traditionally Approved” apparition is Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

1563 AD - 2024 AD Starting with the Council of Trent, there was an intense approval process that started with the local bishop and could go all the way to the Vatican.

In order to be approved by the bishop, he would check on the following things:

1. There couldn’t be any factual errors in what Mary has reportedly said or requested.
2. The person who received the vision had to be in good psychological health, balanced, honest, sincere, and respectful of Church authority.
3. There couldn’t be anything about the vision that went against Church doctrine.
4. The person claiming to have seen Mary couldn’t be trying to benefit financially from the visions.
5. The vision has produced healthy spiritual fruits.

After the bishop considered all five areas, he could determine that the apparition was 1.) True and worthy of belief, 2.) Not true, but open for appeal. 3.) Unclear, and more information is needed.

Based on this kind of approval, if the bishop approved a Marian apparition, then it was officially approved by the Church. There was no need for the Vatican to provide any additional approval…but for many of the world’s most popular apparitions, both the Vatican and the bishop have given approval!

2024 AD - Present Day On May 19, 2024, the Church officially began a new process for approval of Marian apparitions. Why? Because the previous process was very long and often took decades to complete. Plus, even after decades of approval, there would sometimes be disagreement in the Church about the legitimacy of the apparition.

Here is the most important change you should know: The Church will no longer officially declare that a Marian apparition is 100% worthy of belief, unless the pope decides to in a special case.

Instead, bishops will analyze an apparition and come to one of the following conclusions:

#1: Nihil Obstat: If an apparition is declared Nihil Obstat, that means that the Holy Spirit is definitely at work, and your faith could greatly benefit from having a devotion to this apparition. Bishops will promote these apparitions and encourage people to go on pilgrimage to apparition sites.

#2: Prae oculis habeatur: If an apparition is declared Prae oculis habeatur, that means that there are some positive signs, but there is too much confusion or risk to be certain that something supernatural is happening. The bishop will engage in a careful discernment process and make sure that everything lines up with Church doctrine.

#3: Curatur: If an apparition is declared Curatur, that means that popularity of the apparition has widely spread, but there aren’t clear spiritual fruits attached to it. The bishop won’t ban the apparition but he also won’t promote it.

#4: Sub mandato: If an apparition is declared Sub mandato, that means the apparition has been used improperly for financial gain or fame. The Holy See gives local pastors authority to make a statement on whether there is legitimacy or not.

#5: Prohibetur et obstruatur:If an apparition is declared Prohibetur et obstruatur, that means there are serious risks to believing in this apparition.

#6: Declaratio de non supernaturalitate:If an apparition is declared Declaratio de non supernaturalitate, that means there are facts or evidence that the apparition is false.

Do Catholics have to believe in Marian Apparitions?

While Marian apparitions can be deeply helpful for your faith, Catholics are not required to accept them. Even when an apparition is approved by the bishop and/or the Vatican, apparitions are still private revelation.

Public revelation comes from Scripture and Tradition—it was completed when the original Apostles died and the New Testament was written. Any revelation since then is considered private.

While not a requirement, the Church and Catholics throughout history have taken it very seriously when the Mother of God decides to collaborate with human beings to speak directly to the world.

10 Popular Marian Apparitions

1. Our Lady of Guadalupe:

Did you know that over nine million people converted to Catholicism because of one apparition of Mary in Mexico?

In 1531, Mary appeared to Juan Diego, an Aztec man who had converted to Christianity. She asked Juan Diego to build a shrine on the spot where she had appeared, outside of Mexico City. Juan Diego went to his local bishop with this request, but the bishop didn’t believe him and wanted a sign.

Soon after, Mary appeared to Juan Diego again. When Juan Diego explained that the bishop needed a sign, Mary did not disappoint. She told him to go pick flowers and give them to the bishop. The only problem? It was the dead of winter! Still, Juan Diego followed her directions and to his surprise he found beautiful roses growing in the snow. Mary arranged these flowers in his cloak and Juan Diego carried them to the bishop.

When Juan Diego once again asked the bishop to build the church, he opened his cloak, the flowers fell to the floor, and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was miraculously visible on the fabric. Though Juan Diego’s tunic was made of cactus fibers that should have disintegrated long ago, it is still miraculously preserved at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Over 20 million pilgrims visit this site every year.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Vatican approved Marian apparition.

2. Our Lady of Lourdes:

Have you ever wondered if God really has an incredible plan for your life?

Bernadette Soubirous was a poor 14-year-old girl living in a small French town of Lourdes. She was often very sick with severe asthma, didn’t do well in school, and didn’t seem to have a particularly bright future.

But that all changed one day in 1858, when Mary appeared to Bernadette in a grotto near her childhood home. At first, no one believed Bernadette. In fact, her parents were so embarrassed about her stories that they forbade her to return to the grotto. But Bernadette continued to visit the grotto, where Mary would appear seventeen more times. During one visit, Mary told Bernadette to dig in the ground, and a spring of water began to flow. This spring is still flowing with water to this day, and hundreds of miracles have been recorded from pilgrims who touch the water. Click here to learn more about visiting Lourdes with Dynamic Catholic!

Our Lady of Lourdes is a Vatican approved Marian apparition.

3. Our Lady of Fatima:

Will you listen to Mary’s message for the world?

In 1917, Mary appeared to three shepherd children in the Portuguese countryside. Beyond sharing her love for God, the need for prayer, and her message of peace, Mary also gave the children an incredible warning. She gave the children a vision of Hell, foretold World War II (before the end of World War I) and predicted the immense damage Russia would do by abandoning the Christian faith and embracing Communism.

Despite being bullied and threatened, the three shepherd children wouldn’t deny the stories about their visions. Word traveled far and wide, and pilgrims came from all over to be present for the next apparition.

On October 13, 1917, Mary appeared for the last time. Nearly seventy thousand people were present, praying, and hoping to catch a glimpse of a miracle. And it happened just as Mary had promised: the sun appeared to dance in the sky. Click here to learn more about visiting Fatima with Dynamic Catholic!

Our Lady of Fatima is a Vatican approved Marian apparition.

4. Our Lady of Mount Carmel:

When you need help, who do you turn to?

It was 1246 and the Carmelite order was in trouble. The entire religious group was divided, infected with corruption, and no one could agree on how to move forward. The Carmelite’s leader, Simon Stock, knew that the only way the group would survive was if he asked Mary for help.

Simon went to Mary in prayer, asking for protection and help for the entire Carmelite community. After years of persistent prayer, Mary appeared to Simon and gave him the brown scapular for the Carmelites. She also gave him a promise for anyone who would wear the scapular: "This must be a sign and privilege for you and for all Carmelites: whoever dies wearing the scapular will not suffer eternal fire.”

Although the scapular was given to the Carmelites, the Church has extended the privilege of the scapular to everyone—so you can wear the brown scapular too! The brown scapular is worn around the neck, underneath clothing, and consists of two small pieces of brown wool connected by a cord. It signifies the wearer’s devotion to Mary and her pledge of protection. This incredible Catholic tradition is still prominent today.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a traditionally approved Marian apparition.

5. Our Lady of Grace:

If you could have a heart-to-heart conversation with Mary, what would you say to her?

In 1830, a Catholic nun named Sister Catherine Labouré was fast asleep…until a soft voice woke her up. It was a small child, who led Sister Catherine to the chapel. Inside the chapel, Mary appeared and sat near the altar. Sister Catherine went to Mary and had a personal heart-to-heart conversation for two hours.

Months later, Mary appeared to Sister Catherine again, but this time with a request that would change the world. In a vision, Sister Catherine saw Mary standing on a globe, with light streaming out of her hands. Around the apparition was an inscription: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” When Mary spoke to Sister Catherine, she said “Have a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck. Those who repeat this prayer with devotion will be, in a special manner, under the protection of the Mother of God. Graces will be abundantly bestowed upon those who have confidence.”

Sister Catherine shared this vision with her confessor and eventually, they created the medal. Today, over one billion Miraculous Medals have been distributed across the world.

Our Lady of Grace (also known as Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal) is a Vatican approved Marian apparition.

6. Our Lady of Knock:

Have you ever seen a miracle?

On the evening of August 31, 1879, an extraordinary thing happened outside a small chapel in Knock, Ireland. Mary appeared outside the chapel, with Saint Joseph and Saint John the Evangelist. Unlike many of the other Marian apparitions, Mary did not speak to anyone who saw her.

At least fifteen people witnessed her apparition while they stood in the rain and prayed the Rosary. Nearly all of the witnesses mentioned an interesting phenomenon in their testimonies: although it was pouring rain, the spot where Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint John stood remained completely dry!

Our Lady of Knock is a Vatican approved Marian apparition.

7. Our Lady of Kibeho:

Do you think Mary has a message for your life?

Mary had such an important message for three children in Rwanda that she appeared to them three times between 1981 and 1989. The message? Pray the Rosary every day!

But that wasn’t the only thing Mary wanted the children to know. She also warned them about an impending tragedy. Just a few years later, in 1994, the Rwandan Genocide broke out. In just 100 days, up to one million Rwandans were brutally murdered by members of the Hutu group. Even though it seems there is an extraordinary corelation between Mary’s message and the Rwandan Genocide, Mary told the children, “If I am coming here it does not mean that my message is only for Rwanda, nor just Africa, but for the entire world.” Her message is not just for the people in a particular place at a particular time, but for all Catholics around the world.

Our Lady of Kibeho is a Vatican approved Marian apparition.

8. Our Lady of Good Help:

Have you discovered your life’s mission?

When Adele Brise was a young girl in Belgium, she had the sense that she was supposed to do something incredible for God in her country. But when her parents decided to immigrate to America, she put that dream on the backburner.

In 1859, Adele was walking through the Wisconsin countryside to Mass (it was ten miles each way!). Standing among the trees, she saw a beautiful and mysterious woman dressed in white. When she got to Mass, she told the pastor what she had seen, and he told her to ask the woman, “In the name of God, who are you, and what do you want of me?”

On the way home, Adele saw the woman again, and Adele asked her the question like the priest had requested.

The lady replied, “I am the Queen of Heaven who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I wish you to do the same. You received Holy Communion this morning and that is well. But you must do more. Make a general confession and offer Communion for the conversion of sinners. If they do not convert and do penance, my Son will be obliged to punish them.”

But the woman—Mary, the Mother of God—didn’t stop there! She instructed Adele to teach the children in the nearby area about Jesus and the faith. Adele was amazed—this was her chance to fulfill the life mission she had always dreamed of! Adele went on to become a religious teacher, instructing children about the Catholic faith for 35 years.

Our Lady of Good Help is a bishop approved Marian apparition.

9. Our Lady of Akita:

Do you have a favorite spiritual image that helps you pray? For some, that might be a crucifix, or an icon. But for many people in the world, it’s a small, three foot statue of Mary in Japan.

In 1973, on the 56th anniversary of the final apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, Mary appeared to Sister Agnes Sasagawa in Akita, Japan. But this apparition wasn’t like some of the other famous visions. Instead, Sister Agnes heard a voice coming from a small statue of Mary.

The statue had drops of blood flowing from its right hand on four occasions. On other days, the statue would weep. And sometimes, a voice would come from the statue, sharing messages from heaven about prayer and turning back to God.

Our Lady of Akita is a Bishop approved Marian apparition.

9. Our Lady of Medjugorje:

Do you believe that Mary could still appear to people, even today?

Starting in 1981, Mary appeared to six children in the town of Medjugorje in the Southeastern European country of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The children asked Mary many questions, including: “Why have you come here? What do you desire?” Mary answered: “I have come because there are many true believers here. I wish to be with you to convert and to reconcile the whole world.”

Through these six children, Mary shared important messages about prayer, fasting, reading the Bible, Confession, and the Eucharist. These apparitions continue even to the present day—and millions of people have visited the site in Medjugorje, experiencing deep experiences of faith.

Our Lady of Medjugorjie is not yet an officially approved Marian apparition. However, in 2019 the Vatican authorized Medjugorje as an official pilgrimage site!