Bound in Love

Our Lady of Guadalupe

 One of the most well-known apparitions among the faithful and the secular world, Our Lady of Guadalupe, occurred in the sixteenth century to a widower and now saint, St. Juan Diego. She met him on Mount Tepeyacac, instructing him to get the bishop to build a church upon that mountain. To do this, she instructed Juan Diego to go pick a batch of flowers that were nearby, carry them in his tilma (a type of outer garment or cloak typical to that time) and deliver them to the bishop. When Juan Diego got to the bishop and revealed the flowers, the bishop knew a miracle had taken place. Not only had Juan Diego delivered flowers that were out of season, but his cloak was imprinted with a beautiful image of what we know today as Our Lady of Guadalupe. The bishop agreed to build a church in honor of the apparition, and it has become a very popular place of pilgrimage for people across the world.

Our Lady of Lezajsk

Our Lady of Lezajsk is a Marian apparition reported in 1578 in Leżajsk, Poland, where the Virgin Mary appeared to a pious woodcutter named Thomas Michalek (also spelled Tomasz Michalek) in a forest near the town. 

•Appearance: She appeared in a bright light, dressed in white, and identified herself as the Blessed Virgin Mary, accompanied by Jesus and St.  Joseph.

•Message: She told Thomas, “Thomas, I chose this place. Here my Son will be loved and respected, and whosoever shall call upon my intercession, will receive my blessing.” She instructed him to alert the authorities to build a church on the site. 

Our Lady of Lezajsk is a Marian apparition reported in 1578 in Leżajsk, Poland, where the Virgin Mary appeared to a pious woodcutter named Thomas Michalek (also spelled Tomasz Michalek) in a forest near the town. 

Appearance: She appeared in a bright light, dressed in white, and identified herself as the Blessed Virgin Mary, accompanied by Jesus and St.  Joseph.

Message: She told Thomas, “Thomas, I chose this place. Here my Son will be loved and respected, and whosoever shall call upon my intercession, will receive my blessing.” She instructed him to alert the authorities to build a church on the site. 

Initial Response: Fearful and doubting himself, Thomas initially remained silent. After two additional appearances, including one where she scolded him for his silence, he finally reported the vision—only to be disbelieved and even taken to court by the local curate. 

Church Construction: After the curate’s death, a new priest built a small chapel in 1578. In 1606, Bishop Maciej Pstrokonski, with the help of King Sigismund III, began construction of a larger church and monastery, inviting the Bernardine monks. 

Approval and Coronation:

In 1724, Bishop Henryk Firlej confirmed the supernatural origin of the miracle.

On September 8, 1752, Pope Benedict XIV personally crowned the miraculous image of Our Lady of Lezajsk, blessing the golden crown himself.  This act formally recognized the apparition’s authenticity and significance.

Shrine Today: The Basilica of Saint Mary of Lezajsk, a stunning example of early Baroque architecture, houses the original 16th-century painting of Our Lady of Lezajsk, attributed to Fr.  Erasmus. The image is renowned for reported miracles, including votive offerings seen to float mid-air.

Feast Day: The feast of Our Lady of Lezajsk is celebrated on May 7. 

Legacy: The site remains a major pilgrimage destination, not only for Catholics but also for Jews, who visit the tomb of Rabbi Elimelech of Leżajsk, a founder of Hasidism. 

The apparition is considered traditionally approved and Vatican-recognized, with formal approval affirmed by Pope Benedict XIV in 1752. 

Our Lady of Laus

The construction of this sanctuary is linked to the Marian apparitions of Laus which took place for more than 50 years at Notre-Dame du Laus from 1664. Benoîte Rencurel recounts seeing the Virgin Mary (as well as Christ on the Cross, or other saints like Saint Maurice, Saint Barbara, Saint Joseph, Saint Gervais and Saint Protais, the Child Jesus, Saint Catherine of Siena, angels, even the devil). These apparitions lead in a few years to the arrival of a crowd of pilgrims. From 1666, a sanctuary was built containing inside the small chapel where the Virgin appeared to Benoîte Rencurel. Between 1665 and 1667, 130,000 people went there.

It refers to a series of Marian apparitions reported to have occurred between 1664 and 1718 in Saint-Étienne-le-Laus, France, to Benoîte Rencurel, a young shepherdess from a poor family.  The apparitions, which spanned 54 years, are recognized as the longest recorded Marian apparition in history.  The Virgin Mary appeared to Benoîte over 2,500 times, delivering a message centered on repentance, conversion of sinners, the importance of the sacraments, and devotion to the Eucharist. 

The site, known as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Laus or “Refuge of Sinners”, was established following the Virgin’s instruction to build a chapel dedicated to her Son.  A miraculous healing of a crippled woman, witnessed by Father Antoine Lambert, led to official Church approval for the construction of the sanctuary. The apparitions were formally approved by the Holy See on May 5, 2008, by Bishop Jean-Michel de Falco of Gap, marking them as the first Marian apparitions officially recognized by the Church in the 21st century. 

The Laus Manuscripts, a collection of over 1,800 pages of testimonies from eyewitnesses, including priests and judges, provide extensive historical documentation.  Today, the sanctuary remains a major pilgrimage site in southern France, drawing thousands seeking spiritual renewal and healing.