Our Lady of La Vang, also known as Đức Mẹ La Vang in Vietnamese, is a Marian apparition. In 1798, when Vietnamese Christians were persecuted for their faith, many of those Christians hid in a jungle in La Vang. While they were taking refuge in the jungle, they would often pray and say the rosary. However, many people became ill because of the conditions in the jungle. One day, a lady dressed in an ao dai, a traditional Vietnamese dress, carried a child in her arms with two angels beside her and appeared to the Christians.
The lady told them to boil leaves from the jungle to use as medicine to cure the people who were ill. She also told them that if people came to this spot to pray, their prayers will be heard and answered. Therefore, the people who witnessed the apparition built a chapel there, but it was destroyed during the Vietnam War. The chapel was rebuilt and today it is a national shrine, became the National Marian Center, and elevated to the rank of a minor basilica. Our Lady of Ransom is a Marian apparition and a devotion to captives.
Saint Peter Nolasco wanted to create a religious order for captives that were captured by the Moors on the seas and in Spain to regain their faith. These captives were tortured and were forced to renounce their faith. On August 1, 1218, Mary appeared to Saint Peter Nolasco, Raymund of Penafort, and King James to tell them to help captives regain their faith. After a while, Many people heard about the apparition, so the bishop made Saint Peter Nolasco a priest. Saint Peter then created the religious order, Our Lady of Mercy.
Today, Our Lady of Ransom is a feast day celebrated on September 24 and is the patron saint Barcelona, Spain. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is a Marian apparition and a devotion to the Miraculous Medal. On July 18, 1830, Mary appeared to Catherine Laboure in a chapel located in Paris, France. Mary told Catherine that she had a mission and that Paris was in a time of evil. When Mary appeared to Catherine again on November 27, 1830, Mary was inside an oval frame, standing on a globe. Mary also wore many rings with rays shining.
Catherine also saw twelve stars in circle moving, a large Mon a cross, the Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a sword. Mary told Catherine to ask her spiritual director, Father Aladel about the image Catherine is seeing at that moment to be put on a medal. The priest did not believe her at first, but after two years he decided to give the information to the bishop of Paris. The bishop approved the priest request, and Adrien Vachette designed and produced the medals.
One day, Alphonse Ratisbonne, a hater of Catholicism, was dared to wear the medal and say a Memorae. Out of nowhere, he saw a vision of Mary and converted to Christianity. Today, the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, the chapel where Mary appeared to Saint Catherine, is a shrine commemorated to the Miraculous Medal. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, is a title of Mary and a Byzantine painting. In 1495, the painting enshrined in a church on the island of Crete, but the island was threatened by the Turks.
So, a merchant took the painting with him to Rome. The merchant soon became ill and asked his friend to bring the painting to a church to venerate it. The friend’s wife, however, persuaded her husband to keep the painting inside their home. One night, Mary appeared to the friend three times and asked him to return the painting, but he refused each time. When Mary appeared to him for the third time, she told him that if he refuses again, he will die. The man then tried to persuade his wife to give up the painting, but she refused causing her husband to become sick and die.
Mary then appeared to the couple’s 6-year-old daughter asking her to persuade her mom to give up the painting. Her mom, who had also seen the same vision, was scared, so she agreed to give up the painting. A neighbor of her’s, however, persuaded her that it was just a dream and told her to keep the painting. The neighbor soon became ill, and she quickly realized her mistake and made a solemn promise to Mary. Mary then appeared to the little girl again and told her to tell her mother to place the painting to in a certain church between St. Mary Major’s and St. John Lateran’s.
When the painting was to be placed inside the church, many miracles occurred. Today, Our Lady of Perpetual Help is permanently enshrined in the church of Sant’Alfonso di Liguori. Also, Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s feast day is June 27 and is the patron saint of Almoradi, Spain. Our Lady of Walsingham is a Marian apparition and venerated by Roman Catholics and Anglicans. In 1061, Mary appeared to Richeldis de Faverches, a widower living in a small village in North Norfolk, England. She appeared to him three times, and she showed him a vision of the Holy Family’s house in Nazareth each time.
Mary then asked Richeldis to build a replica of the house in Walsingham. During the Middle Ages, the house became a really popular pilgrimage site, and a church was constructed to protect the house. However, in 1538, King Henry VIII, confiscated and burned the place down. In 1896, the wealthy Charlotte Boyd began to restore the shrine. Today, there are Roman Catholic and Anglican shrines of Our Lady of Walsingham, England. Also, the shrine known to be a popular pilgrimage site was visited by many royal people such as King Edward I and Queen Catherine of Aragon.
