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Banneux, Belgium (1933)
The Virgin of the Poor
|
Summary |
Timeline
March 25, 1921 |
Mariette Beco was born the eldest of a family of seven children. |
Jan 15, 1933 |
Mariette sees a beautiful and luminous lady through the window of her house. |
Jan 16, 1933 |
Mariette and a friend go to see the parish priest who dismisses her as trying to copy the Beauraing apparitions. |
Jan 18, 1933 |
The Virgin appears a second time and leads Mariette from her house to a spring which she says would bring healing to all nations. |
Jan 19, 1933 |
As Mariette prays the Rosary, The Virgin appears for the fourth
time and identifies herself as "The Virgin of the Poor". |
Jan 20, 1933 |
The Virgin appears for the fourth time and requests that a small chapel be built on the site. |
Feb 11, 1933 |
The Virgin appears for the fifth time. |
Feb 15, 1933 |
The Virgin appears for the sixth time while Mariette prays the Rosary with her mother and friends. Mariette asks for a sign but is only encouraged to "Believe in me." |
Feb 20, 1933 |
The Virgin appears for the seventh time and encourages her to "Pray much." |
March 2, 1933 |
The Virgin appears for the eighth and final time. |
1933 |
The Little Chapel was built and inaugurated. |
1935 |
Investigations by an Episcopal commission begin. |
1937 |
The evidence collected by the comission is submitted to Rome. |
May 1942 |
Bishop Msgr. Louis-Joseph Kerkhofs of Liege approves the cult of the Virgin of the Poor. |
1947 |
The apparitions receive preliminary approval. |
Aug 22, 1949 |
The apparitions receive final approval. |
Photo Gallery
|
Description of the Virgin
The Virgin was enveloped in a "great oval light" and
wore a long white gown with a sash of "unforgettable blue" and
a white, tranparent veil covering her head and shoulders. Her right foot
was visible and "crowned with a golden rose" between the toes.
She had a rosary on her right arm with diamond-like beads and a golden
chain and cross. She stood on a cloud with her head and shoulders bent
sllightly to the left.
Messages
Calling herself the "Virgin of the Poor," Mary promised to intercede
for the poor, the sick and the suffering in her eight messages.
Additionally, Mariette Beco had reportedly received a secret which never
was made public.
Click here to read the
messages of Banneaux.
Miracles and Signs
Many people, including Mariette's father, were converted to Catholicism
upon hearing accounts of the apparition. Five hundred thousand pilgrims
visit the site of the apparitions every year. Over fifty miraculous cures
have been documented at the spring.
Church Approval
Banneux was investigated from 1935 until 1937 by an Episcopal commission,
after which the evidence collected was submitted to Rome. Meanwhile growing
numbers of pilgrims came to the shrine, and on March 19th, 1942 Bishop
Mgr. Louis-Joseph Kerkhofs of Liege approved the cult of the Virgin of the Poor. In 1947
the apparitions themselves received preliminary approval, with this becoming
definite on August 22, 1949.
Click here to read official Church statements on Banneux.
The Feast of Our Lady of Banneux is observed on May 31st.
Prayer
Invocations to Our Lady of Banneux
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
lead us to Jesus, the Source of Grace.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
save all nations.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
Fountain of Grace, sanctify us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
relieve the suffering.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
relieve the sick.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
pray for each one of us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
we believe in thee.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
believe in us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
we shall pray very much.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
bless us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
Mother of the Savior,
Mother of God,
we thank thee.
Shrines
Shrine of Our Lady of Banneux
Rue de l’Esplanade 57
4141 Banneux
Tel from US: 011-32-4/360-0222
Fax from US: 011-32-4/360-8239
E-mail: sanctuaire@banneux-nd.be
Books
Beevers, John. Virgin of the poor: the apparitions of Our Lady at Banneux.
St. Meinrad, Indiana: Abbey Press, 1972.
Connor, Edward. Recent apparitions of Our Lady. Fresno, California: Academy
Guild Press, 1960.
Geradin, Amand. Des apparitions à Banneux. Louvain: Editions Rex.,
1933
Maloy, in A Woman clothed with the Sun;
Piron, Paul. Five children: the story of the apparition of the Blessed
Virgin at Beauraing. New York: Benziger, 1938.
van Houtryve, La Vierge des Pauvres, Banneux, 1947
Wuillaume, Banneux: a message for our time, Banneux, 1995.
Links
The Shrine of Our Lady of Banneaux
