Skip to content
Little girl looking Dear readers, Catholic Online was de-platformed by Shopify for our pro-life beliefs. They shut down our Catholic Online, Catholic Online School, Prayer Candles, and Catholic Online Learning Resources—essential faith tools serving over 1.4 million students and millions of families worldwide. Our founders, now in their 70's, just gave their entire life savings to protect this mission. But fewer than 2% of readers donate. If everyone gave just $5, the cost of a coffee, we could rebuild stronger and keep Catholic education free for all. Stand with us in faith. Thank you. Help Now >

Vatican Approves New Marian Apparitions

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has officially approved the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Pierina Gilli, an Italian visionary, which occurred in 1947 and 1966.

Photo credit: RDNE

Photo credit: RDNE

Highlights

By Catholic Online (California Network)
7/9/2024 (5 months ago)

Published in Living Faith

Keywords: Vatican, Marian apparitions, Pierina Gilli, Montichiari, Fontanelle, Mystical Rose, Pope Francis

These significant apparitions took place in Montichiari and Fontanelle, Italy, in the northern province of Brescia. A letter approved by Pope Francis and addressed to the bishop of Brescia on July 5 by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez highlighted that the spiritual messages relayed by Pierina Gilli in relation to Maria Rosa Mystica align with the doctrines of the Church.

Gilli's diaries, which detail her visions and the messages she received from the Blessed Virgin, are included in the letter. Cardinal Fernandez noted that her writings reflect a profound trust in Mary's maternal guidance.

In the spring of 1947, while serving as a nurse and postulant for the Handmaids of Charity in Montichiari, Gilli experienced her first apparition of the Blessed Virgin in a hospital chapel. The Virgin Mary appeared to her, sorrowful and tearful, wearing a violet dress and white veil. Showing her heart pierced by three swords, Our Lady requested prayer, penance, and sacrifice.

On July 13, 1947, the Virgin Mary appeared again, this time in white with three roses in place of the swords: a white one, a red one, and a yellow one, symbolizing prayer, sacrifice, and penance, respectively. When asked who she was, Our Lady responded: "I am the mother of Jesus and the mother of all of you. Our Lord sends me to bring a new Marian devotion to all religious orders and institutes, male and female, and to the priests of this world."

Our Lady expressed her wish for July 13 to be celebrated annually in honor of the Mystical Rose, indicating that "Mary is the master teacher of the innermost mystical life and the mother of the mystical body of Christ, -- the mother of the Church." She appeared to Gilli five more times in 1947, including public apparitions in November and December. On December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Blessed Virgin declared the 8th of December at noon as the hour of grace for the world, promising divine and bodily graces through this devotion.

Following these apparitions, Gilli entered the convent of the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Child in Brescia. It wasn't until 1966 that the Blessed Virgin appeared to her again, blessing a miraculous spring in Fontanelle, known as the "Fountain of Grace." Our Lady asked Gilli to place a crucifix there and to encourage the faithful to ask for pardon from her divine Son before drawing or drinking the water.

The apparitions continued throughout 1966, with the Blessed Virgin delivering messages about prayer, penance, and devotion. Gilli documented more private visits from the Blessed Virgin in the years that followed.

Despite these profound experiences, the apparitions did not receive official recognition until 2019, when Bishop Pierantonio Tremolada of Brescia declared the Marian site as the Diocesan Sanctuary of Mystical Rose, Mother of the Church. The recent letter from the DDF outlines the positive aspects of the messages and provides guidance to avoid misunderstandings, affirming the spiritual and pastoral benefits of this devotion.

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Advent / Christmas 2024

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.