Shrine of Our Lady of Banneux, Banneux
The Shrine of Our Lady of Banneux, also known as the Shrine of the Virgin of the Poor, is a Marian shrine and place of healing in Belgium.
History
According to Catholic belief, the Virgin Mary appeared to a young girl of Banneux on eight separate occasions in the winter of 1933. Over the course of these apparitions, the Blessed Virgin spoke only briefly, but led young Mariette to a spring that came to have healing powers.
Little Mariette first saw Our Lady of Banneux through her kitchen window before supper on Sunday, January 15, 1933. She saw a glowing figure standing motionless near the vegetable garden, dressed in white with a bright blue sash. The figure held a rosary and was smiling at Mariette. The young girl asked to go outside, but her mother feared the girl's vision might be a ghost and refused to allow it. When Mariette returned to the window, the lady had vanished.
Three days later, Mariette knelt on the frozen ground where she had seen the figure and began praying the rosary. A figure appeared in the distant sky, then came closer and closer until she was only a few feet away. The lady led Mariette to a spring, then spoke for the first time, saying: "Plunge your hands into the water. This spring is reserved for me." Then she withdrew, promising to return.
On Thursday, January 19, the lady appeared for a third time. Mariette asked her who she was, and she replied, "I am the Virgin of the Poor." The Virgin again led Mariette to the spring, and said, "This is reserved for all nations, for the sick."
During the fourth apparition, the Virgin said she would like a little chapel built and made the sign of the cross. At the fifth apparition, the Virgin took Mariette to the spring and said, "I come to alleviate suffering." The sixth time, she said, "Believe in me, I will believe in you," and the seventh time, "Pray hard."
The eighth and final apparition came on Thursday, March 2, 1933. The Virgin said, "I am the mother of the Savior, Mother of God" and again, "Pray hard."
After the apparitions, many healing miracles associated with the spring at Banneux were reported. The site of the apparitions at Banneux was officially approved by the Catholic Church in 1949.
What to See
The Banneux shrine is located in a small Belgian hamlet just southeast of Liège and 50 miles ESE of Brussels.
The shrine includes the sacred spring, the Chapel of the Apparitions, several small chapels throughout the forest, Stations of the Cross, and a hospital for the sick who come for healing.
Quick Facts
| Address: | rue de l'Esplanade 57, Banneux N.D., Belgium |
| Phone: | 04-360-0222 |
| E-mail: | sanctuaire@banneux-nd.be |
| By car: | From Brussels, take E40 east to Liège. Continue on E40 in the direction of Aachen-Verviers. At Battice (after Exit 37), take E42 in the direction of Verviers, exiting at Ensival-Verviers (exit 5) and following the signs 8 miles to Banneux. |
| By train: | There is no train station in Banneux. The nearest stations are in Liège, Verviers, and Pepinster, all of which have regular bus service to Banneux. |
| When to go: | May 1 is the opening day of the pilgrimage season, which lasts through October. A major pilgrimage to Banneux takes place on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption. |
More Information
- Official Website of the Banneux Shrine
- The Apparitions at Banneux in 1933 - Theotokos Books
