Virgin Mary...Hey, Have You Seen Her? Quiz

Answer: His cape contained an image of the Virgin Mary

The Virgin told Diego to ask the Bishop to build a church where she appeared. The bishop said he would consider the request if the Virgin could supply a sign to prove she was who she said she was. Though it was freezing weather, the Virgin Mary asked Diego to cut roses that were blooming from a bush on top of a hill.

He found the roses, cut them, and placed them in his "tilma" (a cape made of cactus fiber). When Diego opened the tilma and presented the roses to the bishop, all saw an image of the Virgin on the tilma, exactly as Diego had described her.

This image on a cape of cactus fiber still exists today. In 1977, it was examined with infrared photography and digital enhancement techniques but examiners were not able to determine how it was created, nor how it has been preserved after all these centuries.

Answer: LaSalette, France

This apparition occurred on September 19 to two children named Melanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud. The Virgin Mary said her son was not pleased with mankind and gave each child a series of "secrets." In 1858, the children were allowed to have all secrets published.

In brief, the secrets concerned large wars between many countries, disasters in nature, and the appearance of an "anti-christ." In 1851, the Catholic church "approved" (made it acceptable to believe them as true revelation) the LaSalette apparitions.

Answer: Bernadette Soubirous

In 1858, the Virgin Mary appeared 18 times to a poor and uneducated girl, Bernadette Soubirous, in Lourdes, France. The dogma of the "Immaculate Conception" (which states Mary was born without original sin) had only been approved four years before this apparition.

It is proclaimed Bernadette could not have known of the dogma's existence. The Virgin also told her to dig in the dirt of the grotto where she appeared. Bernadette dug in the dirt and water seeped up from the ground. She was instructed by the Virgin to drink the water and, to the villagers' scorn, she did.

The water eventually became a small river from which many people drank. Healings were reported from those who drank or bathed in the water. Today, Lourdes is a famous shrine visited by over five million people every year.

Answer: 15

The first to see the Virgin was Margaret Beirne, a resident of the village of Cnoc Mhuire. Margaret was at the local church to lock it up for the evening. She was then joined by a member of her family, Mary Beirne. She noticed the church was covered in a bright light but didn't think much of it. Starting their walk home, Margaret looked at the church gable wall (now in the distance), saw what appeared to be figures standing and assumed they were new statues for the church. Looking closer, Margaret and her companion noticed the figures were moving. Soon 13 other members of the community joined them in viewing this apparition. Sighted along with the Virgin Mary were St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, a lamb, and a cross surrounded by angels.

Answer: The sun spun in the sky and appeared to be falling to the earth

The Fatima apparitions occurred to three young shepherd children, Lucia de Jesus Santos (ten years old), and her cousins, Francisco (eight years old) and Jacinta Marto (six years old). Word spread quickly about the apparitions around Portugal and the Catholic world.

However, many people criticised their authenticity. They asked for a sign. The children reported the Virgin Mary would again appear to them on October 13. Many thousands gathered in Fatima for the event. Soon the sign appeared. As reported by an eyewitness, Dr. Almeida Garrett, PhD, of Coimbra University, "The sun's disc did not remain immobile.

This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl. Then, suddenly, one heard a clamor, a cry of anguish breaking from all the people.

The sun, whirling wildly, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge and fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was terrible. During the solar phenomenon, which I have just described in detail, there were changes of color in the atmosphere..."

Answer: Beauraing, Belgium

The visionaires were Fernande Voisin, a fifteen year old girl, Andree Degeimbre, aged fourteen, and her sister Gilberte Degeimbre, aged nine, Albert Voisin, aged eleven, and his sister, Gilberte Voisin, age nine. When the children asked the Virgin what she wanted, she told them "Always be good." Another time, she told them to "Pray always" (with emphasis on "always"). Fifteen thousand people gathered on December 8, 1932, expecting to see a great miracle but they just saw the children in ecstasy.

A few spectators held lit matches under the children's hands, shone bright lights in their eyes, and pricked them with pins but the children neither blinked, nor showed any pain or discomfort.

Answer: 1933, Banneux Belgium

The Virgin Mary appeared eight times to Mariette Bero, twelve years old, in Banneux (then a poor section of Belgium). The first visit was January 15. Mariette was looking out her kitchen window and saw the Virgin Mary beckoning her to come outside. Mariette's mother feared it was a witch and wouldn't let Mariette open the door and go outside. On January 18, Mariette was in her front garden praying the rosary and the Virgin appeared.

The Virgin guided her to a small stream nearby and said "This steam is for all nations...for the sick!" She asked for a chapel to be built there and for the people to "Pray much." Today millions come to visit the shrine at Banneux.

Answer: A Great Paradox

The four girls are Conchita Gonzales, Mari Loli Mazon, Jacinta Gonzalez, and Mari Cruz Gonzalez. They stated the Virgin told them in the future God will illuminate each individual's conscience so they know where they stand before God (A World-Wide Warning).

The Virgin also told them A Great Miracle will occur in the future on a Thursday evening at 8:30 on or between the eighth and the sixteenth of March, April or May. She also told them a permanent "supernatural" sign will appear in Garabandal that will stand until the end of time.

The fourth prophecy pertains to a great chastisement. This purported apparition has yet to be approved by the Catholic church. Today the four visionaires are married with families and three of the four now live in the United States.

Answer: Zeitun, Egypt

The Virgin Mary appeared in the air above a Coptic church in Zeitun. The church was constructed to commemorate the place in Egypt where Mary arrived with Joseph and Jesus when they fled from Herod's persecution. Her appearances started in April, 1968 (stopping sometime in 1973) and was personally witnessed by then Egyptian President Abdul Nasser, an avowed Marxist.

It was broadcast on Egyptian television and witnessed by thousands of all religions (primarily Muslim). The local police searched a 15-mile radius around the church in an attempt to find out if it was an elaborate hoax. No deception was discovered.

The Virgin made no statement to anyone but would appear in bright light, floating above the church each night for varying lengths of time, for a few minutes or up to nine hours. Flying doves of light often surrounded her. Oddly, this incredible series of appearances received little press in the West.

Answer: Akita, Japan

Each day Sister Agnes prayed before a three foot wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. On July 6, 1973, the statue started to talk to her. On that date, other sisters noticed blood flowing from the statue's right hand. On August 3, Sister Agnes received a second message and on October 13, she received a third and final message. Two years later, in 1975, the statue Sister Agnes prayed in front of started to weep.

The wooden statue wept blood, sweat and tears, on and off for the next six and one-half years for a total of 101 times.

In 1988, after the testimony of more than 500 Christians and non-Christians, the Catholic church proclaimed the Akita apparition worthy of belief.

Answer: Maria Esperanza

These Marian apparitions occurred in Betania, Venezuela. Maria was documented with many graces: stigmata (suffering Christ's wounds), levitation, bilocation (appearing in more than one place at a time), gift of healing, predicting future events, and the most miraculous of all... an event that has occurred sixteen times to date: a rose has on occasion miraculously sprouted out of her chest. Betania's local bishop witnessed many events and has given his approval.

In 1998, Maria had a private audience with Pope John Paul II.

In 2004, Maria passed away after a long illness.

Answer: Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina

The children who were initially visited by the Virgin Mary are Ivanka Ivankovic, Mirjana Dragicevic, Vicka Ivankovic, Ivan Dragicevic, Ivan Ivankovic, and Milka Pavlovic. During the visitation on the second day, Ivan Ivankovic and Milka Pavlovic were not present but two other children, Maria Pavlovic and Jakov Colo, were. From that day forward Maria Pavlovic and Jakov Colo were part of the group visited daily by the Virgin. Ivan Ivankovic and Milka Pavlovic only saw and heard the Virgin the first day.

The visionaries are now adults and only three state they receive daily visits. The three who no longer receive visits are said to have received ten "secrets" pertaining to the fate of humanity. The three still receiving daily visits have received only nine "secrets." The visionaires say the secrets will be shared with the world a week prior to the occurrence of their fulfillment. Medjugorje is perhaps the most famous active marian apparition today, with many millions of visitors each year from across the globe.

However, as yet, this apparition is not recognized by the Catholic Church.

Answer: Kibeho Rwanda

The names of the visionaires are Alphonsine Mumureke, Emmanuel Sagstashe, Anathalie Mukamazimpaka, Marie-Claire Mukangango, Stephanie Mukamurenzi, Agnes Kamagaju, and Vestine Salima. Three were boarders at a college administered by nuns. Emmanuel was an illiterate bushman named simply "Sagstashe" who knew nothing of Christianity.

He said a man named "Jesus" who looked like him visited him in the bush and taught him a prayer called "Our Father." All the visionaires were told by the Virgin that Jesus will come when the world sees the outbreak of religious wars. All visionaries but Alphonsine received their last visit from the Virgin by 1983. Alphonsine continued to have visions until November 28, 1989.

In 1994, Emmanuel was reported to have been killed in the Rwandan civil war holocaust. Marie-Claire was also killed in 1994 (along with her husband) in the town of Byumba.

Answer: Scottsdale Arizona, USA

The visionaires (ranging from the ages of 19 to 31) ultimately formed a prayer group and say Jesus gave them a lesson each week to contemplate, such as envy, greed, lust, etc. One of the most prominent visionaires, Gianna Talone Sullivan, was instructed to move to Emmitsburg, Maryland.

She moved to Emmitsburg and, until September, 2000, received messages every Thursday night from the Virgin Mary during a prayer service which she then announced publically. Each Thursday event attracted between 600-1000 people. Fr. Spaulding dropped from sight in 1996.

The local bishop in Scottsdale, Arizona, neither promoted nor denounced their claim.

Answer: Assiut, Egypt

This apparition was witnessed by thousands and reported by BBC, CNN, ABC, and other major media. It has been captured in photography and video. Witnesses reported "seeing dazzling supernatural lights and blue-green flashes over the church (without any source of light to explain them)." Witnesses also reported "seeing the Blessed Holy Virgin Mary in a full figure." Skeptics believed the apparitions were merely a ploy to increase tourism.

However, the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church, H.H. Pope Shenouda III, approved the apparition in December, 2000.