For a three-year period in the mid 1960s, Mary appeared on many nights on the roof of Saint Mary’s Coptic Church in Zeitoun, Egypt, where she was collectively witnessed by thousands...

Her appearance was preceded by a supernatural light which would increase to a dazzling luminosity, drawing attention for miles. Gradually, the figure of Mary became visible within it.

Witnesses used one word to described her, again and again: beautiful.

Mary smiled at onlookers, waved, and often turned slowly to see all, but never spoke. Angels were sometimes seen. “On some evenings the Blessed Mother as accompanied by Saint Joseph and the Infant Jesus,” said a report. Apparitions lasted an average of two hours each time.

Onlookers were predominantly Muslim, with many Christians in attendance as well. A few swooned in shock when seeing her face. Some cried out, “We believe!” The Muslims seemed to understand her unconditional love.

On May 5, 1968 Patriarch Kyrillos VI announced that there was no doubt whatsoever that Mother of God was appearing. He was joined in this assessment by secular officials and a spokesman of the Protestant denominations. (Meetings with Mary p 265)

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BETANIA, VENEZUELA 
Apparition of Mary witnessed by thousands

IN BETANIA AN estimated quarter million are visionaries. Apparitions began there on March 25, 1976 in a grotto near a waterfall and spring. The water now manifests healing qualities.

Most of the Betania apparitions portray Mary as Our Lady of Lourdes, attired in white garments and with a blue waist sash. Her arrival is usually preceded by a great flash of light and the sweet aroma of roses. Sometimes great flocks of exquisitely beautiful blue butterflies are seen. Other visionaries observe angelic multitudes. Some hear angelic choirs. Some report that a “person” approaches to help them or answer a grave concern, then vanishes after rendering the service. Supernatural Fatima-like celestial phenomena have appeared, such as the spinning sun.

Physical cures of every description occur frequently near the grotto and spring; the Catholic diocese maintains documents of medical proof. Indeed, many of the events been investigated and deemed authentic by the Roman Catholic Church. Extraordinary photographic evidence is abundant.

In 1992, an astounding miracle occurred at a Mass celebrated at the grotto for visiting Marian pilgrims. To the amazement of celebrants, the consecrated Host was transformed into a live, bleeding heart muscle fully visible to all. As of several years later it remained in the possession of the diocese. Scientists have examined it and even typed the blood.

People of many races, nationalities and creeds have seen the Marian apparition at Betania. One visionary recalled the experience: “It was as if the whole vision penetrated into every part of me and saturated every pore of me. I felt such deep peace. The apparition of the Blessed Mother was so beautiful that I have no words to explain it.”

Mary’s message to Venezuela is representative of virtually every message in her global “crusade”:

“My dear little children, I am the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Reconciler of people and nations. I come with my Son Jesus in my arms to reconcile each of you. Forgive one another. Love one another. Serve one another. Pray for the Church. Pray for priests. Return to the Sacraments, dear little children. Confess your sins while the sun shines. Sacrifice yourselves for the conversion of sinners and for peace in the world. All of you are children of God. All are loved Love one another in His name. Pray the Rosary, dear little ones, that you may find the path of my Son. Peace, little children. Only peace.”

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6 SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA: 
Mary Appears;   thousands see phenomena

A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF  events in Santa Maria, California, during May 1990 with thousands of eyewitness, as told by a Marian research / writer.

“Some trusted, dear friends […] offered to take me to nearby Santa Maria, where it was said that a housewife was receiving messages from the Blessed Mother… We drove to the hill.

“To our amazement, perhaps as many as twenty thousand people, mostly of Spanish descent, were assembled on the hill… The men, for the most part, wore suits with white shirts and neckties. The women were beautifully attired as if they were guests at a wedding… Some of the little girls wore white dresses, white shoes, and white veils. The little boys were wearing suits, white shirts, and neckties, like the men.

“People were praying the Rosary. They were singing hymns. The sun was hot and there was no room to sit down, but no one seemed to mind standing on the hillside. There was a spirit of joy and expectation in the air.

“Suddenly people began to exclaim: “Look—the sun!” We looked at the high noon sun, and it was spinning and pulsating. Great rays of light, of every possible color, streaked from the center of the sun across the sky like lightning. Some people near us were weeping. Some were frantically trying to film the phenomenon. Others simply gazed in silent wonder.

“A little girl… fell to her knees and stretched her arms towards the sun, crying: ‘Madre de Dios!’ ‘… Two little boys… fell to their knees. Great tears of joy tumbled to the ground from their cheeks as they too cried out: ‘Madre de Dios!’ Their little arms reached up to a figure only they saw.”

The writer sees someone with a Polaroid camera who has snapped a picture of the sun. As the photo develops, the photographer shouts excitedly: The camera has captured an image of the Blessed Virgin. The reporter walks over to see and say, “There in the photo was a white image of the traditional Blessed Virgin figure.” He concludes:

“We were so deeply touched by the experiences around us that at first we hardly noticed a bird that appeared to fly out of the sun. It swooped before us and seemed to pause near the kneeling children for a moment. Then the bird ascended high in the sky in front of us and, surrounded and encased in a pure white light, flew back into the sun. It was then that we realized it was Pentecost Sunday. We all experienced a truly unforgettable Eucharistic celebration that special day on the hill in Santa Maria.”

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PEKING and DONG LU, CHINA: 
Marian apparition before a huge throng

IN LATE MAY 1995, two apparitions of the Blessed Mother took place at the pilgrimage site of Dong Lu before 10,000 witnesses. Throngs of Chinese had gathered in defiance of Communist authorities, to celebrate a Mass by priests and bishops of the underground Church. Twice the crowd stared into the sun and glimpsed Mary.

Source: The Washington Post, June 2, 1995

Mary is also being seen in remote districts by people who report her Infant as God in human form. “People of all faiths, or in some cases no faith at all, are seeing the miracle of the sun; rosary beads are turn-ing gold; and the sick are being healed as prayer increases, prayer groups meet, and Mass attendance escalates.”

Meetings with Mary: Visions of the Blessed Mother, p 317

Despite Communist attempts to extinguish the faith, more Chinese Catholics are faithful to Rome today—an estimated six to twelve million—than in 1949. In addition are an unknown number of Protestants and other denominations.

In October 1994 a group of American Catholics brought a statue of Our Lady of Fatima to Peking, where they were welcomed by hundreds of the devout. One visitor, Gianna Talone Sullivan of Emmitsburg, Maryland, traveling with her husband, a physician, on October 28 received a vision of Mary, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The apparition was dressed “in a long white robe and wore a sheer white veil. She stood on a cloud and was enveloped in extraordinary lavender lights that were so intense” that Sullivan could barely see. A second vision occurred there the following day. She told an interviewer:  

“Hundreds of angels… [with] chubby angel faces… were emitting so much light…lavender shades. The angels seemed to envelop the Blessed Mother! …The light from her hands was tremendous! She wore a gold crown.” 

She spoke a message in which she said that her “Immaculate Heart will reign, but not in the way you now think,” and that her purpose in coming was to unify churches.  

“Work tirelessly for God’s glory!   May the peace of Jesus fill your hearts and minds and souls forever,” said Mary.

Rays of light pulsated from the apparition’s hands “so dazzling that even the sun was dull by comparison. The hundreds of angels who surrounded her were filled with energy and love.”

ibid. p. 320