Early 15c., “supernatural appearance or manifestation,” from Anglo-French aparicion, Old French aparicion, aparoison (15c.), used in reference to the Epiphany (the revealing of the Christ child to the Wise Men), from Late Latin apparitionem (nominative apparitio) “an appearance,” also “attendants,” in classical Latin “service; servants,” noun of action from past-participle stem of apparere “appear” (see appear). Meaning “ghost” first recorded c. 1600; the sense differentiation between appearance and apparition is that the latter tends to be unexpected or startling. Related: Apparitional.
The Blessed Virgin Mary said to Bernadette at Lourdes apparition: “look for a stream and wash in it and to see that the priests build a chapel there. You must also pray for the conversion of sinners”.
These are the words of Our Lady to St Bernadette centuries back, we are also called upon to help pray for the conversion of sinners.
The Blessed Virgin Mary who is the mother of Christ and also the mother of all mankind is very much needed in the work of salvation, because our nature is so corrupt that if we rely on our efforts, works, and reparations in order to reach God, it is certain that our good works will be defiled. So, she covers us with her virginal mantle and presents herself before God on our behalf.
Hence, Our Lady’s apparition at Aokpe in Nigeria still proved her maternal love for sinners. She is the mother of fair love, the mother of all creation, as she appeared in other parts of the world seeking for the conversion of her lost children, she also did the same in Nigeria. IN CHRIST THERE IS NO EAST OR WEST.
The Blessed virgin Mary appeared to a little girl at Aokpe in Nigeria in the year 1992.
The girl whose name is Christian Agbo just stepped out from her home to get some herbs, and behold the great Queen appeared to her with the title ‘mediatrix of all graces’. She said to heer “I am the refuge of sinner, I come from heaven to gain souls for Christ and to shelter my children in my immaculate heart, what I want from you is to pray for the souls in purgatory, for the world and to console Jesus’
On November 29th, 1932,Our Lady appeared to five children who’s names are : Albert Voison, Fernade Voison, Gilberte, Andree and Gilberte Voison, ages 9-15. She identified herself as the ” Immaculate Virgin”.
Our Lady requested for continuous prayer and sacrifice, and promised to bring people to conversion. “I will convert sinners”, She said.
Through Our Lady’s apparitions and messages, we are challenged to reflect on our lives, and that God is inviting us to greater convention of life.
Our Lady of Laus first appeared to a poor, uneducated shepherdess named Benoite Rencurel on May 1664.
Mary appeared on the altar of the chapel of Bon-Rencontre in Laus, asking that a Church be built there for the conversion of sinners.
Between 1666 & 1669 the new Church was built on top of the Chapel.
The new shrine led to numerous healings and conversion. It should be understood that by the presence of Our Lady in this world and messages given by her is one way in which she convert sinners. Her messages challenges us to reflect on how we live our life.
On the September 19th, 1848, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to 11 year old Maximin Giraud and 14 year old Melanie Calvat.
While returning home one day from a small village in South east France where they normally take care of cows, Our Lady appeared to them. She was like a Mama whom her children had beaten, and who had escaped to the mountain to weep.
Maximin said, Our Lady explained that she and her son are weary from the sufferings they have endured for humanity.
THE WEEPING MAMA OF LA SALETTE
She lamented for sinners saying: “if people refuse to turn away from evil, there will be a great famine in the land.but if they turn from their evil ways the famine will not take place.
“In this place, the loving Mother Mary appeared manifesting her pain for the moral evil caused by humanity”. Pope John Paul II
In continuity to the work of salvation, the most Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared in so many parts of the world, at different time, and to different people, asking for prayers and sacrifices for the conversion of sinners.
On the month of July 1917, She appeared to Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta at Fatima asking them to pray and offer sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. Hell fire was shown to them where the souls of poor sinners go.
She who desires the salvation of all souls, could not keep silent and watch her children perishing. She always display the wonderful virtue of being a mother to all.
Our Lady’s messages of conversion of sinners is being addressed to every human being. She extends her love and care to every human being.
A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance by Mary, the mother of Jesus, or a series of related such appearances over a period of time.
In order to be classified as a Marian apparition, the person or
persons who claim to see Mary (the “seers”) must claim that they see her
visually located in their environment.[1] (If the person claims to hear Mary but not see her, this is known as an interior locution, not an apparition. Also excluded from the category of apparitions are dreams, visions experienced in the imagination, the claimed perception of Mary in ordinarily-explainable natural phenomena, and miracles associated with Marian artwork, such as weeping statues.)
Believers consider such apparitions to be real and objective
interventions of divine power, rather than subjective experiences
generated by the perceiving individuals, even in cases where the
apparition is reportedly seen by only some, not all, of the people
present at the event’s location.
Marian apparitions are considered expressions of Mary’s ongoing motherly care for the Church. The understood purpose of each apparition is to draw attention to some aspect of the Christian message, given the needs of a particular time and place. Apparitions are often accompanied by other alleged supernatural phenomena, such as medical cures. However, such miraculous events are not considered the purpose of Marian apparitions, but exist primarily to validate and draw attention to the message.
MARIAN APPARITION 