How many approved Marian apparitions are there?

SL: How many approved Marian apparitions are there?
PH: And how does the Church decide?

It’s amazing to consider that Our Lady, the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven, wants to visit us here on earth.

Throughout history, Our Lady has appeared to all sorts of people, from farmers and peasants to rulers and religious. However, not all of these claims are accepted by the Catholic Church. 

The Church actually has a rigorous process for investigating and approving apparitions to ensure the messages align with Catholic teaching and there’s no deception involved.

As of today, there are 16 Marian apparitions officially recognized by the Vatican. 

Here’s the full list:

1. Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico, 1531)
2. Our Lady of Lezajsk (Poland, 1578)
3. Our Lady of Silvua (Lithuania, 1608–1612)
4. Our Lady of Laus (France, 1664–1718)
5. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Paris, France, 1830)
6. Our Lady of Zion (Rome, 1842)
7. Our Lady of La Salette (France, 1846)
8. Our Lady of Lourdes (France, 1858)
9. Our Lady of Pontmain (France, 1871)
10. Our Lady of Gietrzwałd (Poland, 1877)
11. Our Lady of Knock (Ireland, 1879)
12. Our Lady Help of Christians (Czech Republic, 1885)
13. Our Lady of Fatima (Portugal, 1917)
14. Our Lady of the Golden Heart (Belgium, 1932)
15. Our Lady of Banneux (Belgium, 1933)

Our Lady of Kibeho (Rwanda, 1981–1989)

So why only 16? 

Well, the Church is very cautious in these matters. Each case is investigated with great care to avoid misleading the faithful. The process can take years, even centuries, and involves examining the messages, the fruits of the apparition (like conversions and miracles), and the character of those who reported the apparitions.

In short, the Church doesn’t rush to judgment. It’s more important to be thorough than to be quick, and the Church wants to ensure that any approved apparition truly leads people closer to Christ through Mary.

Also, this does not mean that the Church belittles or doubts other reports of Marian apparitions. She simply doesn’t believe that public approval of that apparition is necessary or she hasn’t fully investigated the extent and message of the apparition. Many of Our Lady’s apparitions to saints, such as St. Alphonsus Liguori, are not officially approved by the Catholic Church, but they can still be believed by Catholics. 

There are actually several apparitions that have not been approved by the Vatican but have been approved by local bishops. Did you know that one of these locally-approved Marian apparitions actually took place in Wisconsin?

Yes! Our Lady of Good Help appeared in Champion, Wisconsin in 1859 to Adele Brise. In this apparition, Our Lady asked Adele to evangelize the pioneer families of that region and revealed herself as Our Lady, Queen of Heaven. These apparitions took place the year after the Marian apparitions at Lourdes!

Few of us will receive apparitions of Our Lady, but she still longs to be with us and guide us to her Son. This should be inspiring and comforting! This Our Ladies Framed Print is a fun way to remind yourself of all the ways Our Lady comes to us. Featuring 10 of Mary’s most loved and renowned devotions, this print is a great way to honor Our Lady and bring some Marian inspiration into your home. Available today at The Catholic Company!