a year of prayer: 365 Rosaries

“The poor today – and there are many ways of being poor! – feel at home in Banneux. They come here to find comfort, courage, hope, union with God in their affliction. I encourage the pilgrims who come here to pray to her, who, always and everywhere in the Church, reflects the face of the Mercy of God.”


Pope John Paul II proclaimed these words during his visit to Banneux, in reference to Our Blessed Mother, the Virgin of the Poor. Today, January 15, marks the anniversary of the first apparition of Our Blessed Mother in Banneux. Mary, Blessed Virgin of the Poor, would appear a total of 8 times over the course of two months, bringing a message of prayer and peace.

Our Lady of Banneux: The First Apparition

Our Lady of Banneux: The Second Apparition

Our Lady of Banneux: The Third Apparition

Our Lady of Banneux: The Fourth Apparition

Our Lady of Banneux: The Fifth Apparition

Our Lady of Banneux: The Sixth Apparition

Our Lady of Banneux: The Seventh Apparition

Our Lady of Banneux: The Eight Apparition



Today, we pray to Our Blessed Mother, Mary, Virgin of the Poor:

Blessed Virgin of the Poor, lead us to Jesus, Source of grace.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, save all nations.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, relieve the sick.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, alleviate suffering.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, pray for each one of us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we believe in you.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, believe in us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we will pray hard.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, bless us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, Mother of the Saviour Mother of God, we thank You.


Mary Virgin of the Poor, You lead us to Jesus, source of grace, and you come to alleviate our suffering.
We implore you with confidence: Help us to folow your Son with generosity, and to belong to Him unreservedly.
Help us to welcome the Holy Spirit Who guides and sanctifies us.
Obtain us the grace to look like Jesus everyday more, so that our life will glorify the Father and contribute to the salvation of all.
Amen.

“The poor today – and there are many ways of being poor! – feel at home in Banneux. They come here to find comfort, courage, hope, union with God in their affliction. I encourage the pilgrims who come here to pray to her, who, always and everywhere in the Church, reflects the face of the Mercy of God.”


Pope John Paul II proclaimed these words during his visit to Banneux, in reference to Our Blessed Mother, the Virgin of the Poor. Today, March 2, marks the anniversary of the eighth and final apparition of Mary at Banneux, Belgium, to eleven year old Mariette Beco in 1933. The first seven apparitions occurred on January 15, January 18, January 19, January 20, February 11, February 15, and February 20. During these encounters, Mariette saw a woman “made of light” smiling at her through her kitchen window, eventually following the Blessed Virgin, praying with her, and obeying her instructions to claim a small stream of water for her. The Blessed Mother said to Mariette, “I am the Virgin of the Poor” and leading her to a small stream, “This spring is reserved for all nations- to relieve the sick.” The Virgin of the Poor requested that a small chapel be built. She further told Mariette, “I have come to relieve suffering.” Following Mariette’s request for a sign as to who she was, Our Blessed Mother replied, “Believe in me- and I will believe in you.” Finally, in the seventh visitation, the Blessed Virgin implored Marriette to “Pray hard.”

Ten days after the seventh apparition, Mariette was visited by the Virgin of the Poor for the last time. Despite pouring rain, Mariette knelt to pray in her garden as dusk was falling. She was praying her third Rosary when the rain stopped without warning. Mariette was observed to remain silent, but stretched out her arms, stood up, took a single step forward, and then knelt back down.

The Blessed Virgin spoke to her, saying, “I am the Mother of the Savior, Mother of God. Pray much." Mariette said, “yes, yes,” and bowed her head. The Virgin of the Poor laid her hands upon her head, blessing her, and said, "Adieu" (Good bye). Mariette wept, knowing this was her last visit, as on all previous occasions, Mary had ended their time together by saying “Au revoir” (Until we meet again).

Our Lady of Banneux, the Virgin of the Poor, blessed the world by appearing to a humble girl. Her message was simple, and of few words: Pray diligently, have faith, and through her intercession, worldly suffering would be relieved. We humbly implore the Blessed Virgin of the Poor to watch over us, intercede for us with the Lord, and relieve our suffering on earth.

The apparitions at Banneux were investigated by an Episcopal delegation from 1935 to 1937, with their findings submitted to the Vatican for approval. Preliminary approval of the veracity of the apparitions was granted in 1947, with the visitation of Mary ruled as definitive in 1949. By that time, Mariette Beco had married and had several children. Despite being sought out by the thousands of pilgrims visiting Banneux, she remained humble and quiet, content to have the attention of visitors focused on the “Lady made of light,” rather than herself.

 
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, lead us to Jesus, Source of grace.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, save all nations.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, relieve the sick.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, alleviate suffering.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, pray for each one of us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we believe in you.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, believe in us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we will pray hard.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, bless us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, Mother of the Savior, Mother of God, we thank You.

Mary Virgin of the Poor, You lead us to Jesus, source of grace, and you come to alleviate our suffering.
We implore you with confidence: Help us to folow your Son with generosity, and to belong to Him unreservedly.
Help us to welcome the Holy Spirit, who guides and sanctifies us.
Obtain us the grace to look like Jesus everyday more, so that our life will glorify the Father and contribute to the salvation of all.

Today, February 20, marks the anniversary of the seventh apparition of the Blessed Virgin of the Poor, Our Blessed Mother at Banneux, Belgium, to eleven year old Mariette Beco in 1933. The first six apparitions occurred on January 15, January 18, January 19, January 20, February 11, and February 15. During these encounters, Mariette saw a woman “made of light” smiling at her through her kitchen window, eventually following the Blessed Virgin, praying with her, and obeying her instructions to claim a small stream of water for her. The Blessed Mother said to Mariette, “I am the Virgin of the Poor” and “This spring is reserved for all nations- to relieve the sick.” The Virgin of the Poor requested that a small chapel be built. She further told Mariette, “I have come to relieve suffering.” Following Mariette’s request for a sign as to who she was, Our Blessed Mother replied, “Believe in me- and I will believe in you.”



During the sixth vision, the Virgin of the Poor had graced Mariette with a secret which had left her tearful and upset. Despite what we can assume was discomforting news, Marriette did not stop praying. On February 20, she knelt in the snow, braving the cold, as was her custom. She began to pray the Rosary in her garden, praying louder and faster than usual. Without warning, she left the garden, returning to the spring by the road, genuflecting twice on the way there. She knelt for no more than a moment before starting to cry. “She left too quickly,” Mariette reported to those observing, explaining her tears. Before her departure, the Blessed Virgin had implored Mariette, “My dear child, pray hard.”

Our Lady of Banneux, the Virgin of the Poor, would appear to Mariette only once more, on March 2. By the time of the seventh visitation, a small crowd had gathered, and the tale of Mariette Beco was becoming well known. Local priests and bishops had inquired, and the sick and the ill had already begun to travel to the humble spring beside the road near the Beco’s home. One bishop, Louis-Joseph Kerkhofs, Bishop of Liège making the trip at the of the apparitions, wrote the following prayer:

O virgin of the Poor, may you ever be blessed!

And blessed be He who deigned to send you to us.

What you have been and are to us now, you will always be to those who, like us, and better then us, offer their faith and their prayer.

You will be all for us, as you revealed yourself at Banneux: Mediatrix of all graces, the Mother of the Saviour, Mother of God. A compassionate and powerful Mother who loves the poor and all Peaople, who alleviates suffering, who saves individuals and all humanity, Queen and Mother of all Nations, who came to lead all those who allow themselves to be guided by you, to Jesus the true and only Source of eternal life.

Amen.

Today, February 15, marks the anniversary of the sixth apparition of The Virgin of the Poor, Our Blessed Mother at Banneux, Belgium, to eleven year old Mariette Beco in 1933. The first five apparitions occurred on January 15, January 18, January 19, January 20, and February 11. During these encounters, Mariette saw a woman “made of light” smiling at her through her kitchen window, eventually following the Blessed Virgin, praying with her, and obeying her instructions to claim a small stream of water for her. The Blessed Mother said to Mariette, “I am the Virgin of the Poor” and “This spring is reserved for all nations- to relieve the sick.” The Virgin of the Poor requested that a small chapel be built. She further told Mariette, “I have come to relieve suffering.”


Following the previous vision, Mariette had been quite upset. She had run, tearfully, to Father Jamin, her local priest, and recounted in detail what Our Blessed Mother had said. Mariette, given her young age and lack of formal education, did not understand the word “relieve,” but clearly understood the word “suffering.” She believed that the Blessed Virgin was giving a warning, rather than gentle and healing reassurance. Father Jamin was concerned, as many of the townsfolk had become interested in Mariette’s reports. He instructed his young parishioner to ask the woman of light for a sign.

“Believe in me—I will believe in you,” the Blessed Virgin responded. (Of course, in translation this could also mean, “Have faith in me.”) Observers watched Mariette listen intently to words they could not hear for several minutes before she burst into tears. Later she confided that Our Blessed Mother had shared a secret with her, a secret which she never revealed. She returned to Father Jamin, who after consideration of the Virgin of the Poor’s words, came to believe.

Our Lady of Banneux, the Virgin of the Poor, would appear to Mariette only two more times- February 20 and March 2. Her message each time was to have faith, and pray for the poor, for the sick, and for sinners everywhere.



Our Lady of Banneux, Virgin of the Poor, you have said: "I come to relieve suffering."
Holy Mother of God and Mother of the Savior, you make us hear anew the merciful call of your divine Son: "Come to me, all ye who are burdened and who suffer, and I will relieve you."
Mother of all men, you have come for all nations and you ask us to pray much.
We place our trust in You.
Deign to hear our prayers.
Look upon our spiritual and temporal miseries.
Lead back to Jesus the poor straying souls and increase the faith of the faithful.
Holy Virgin Mary, bring aid to the indigent; help us to sanctify the trials of life; relieve the sick and pray for all your children. O Virgin of the Poor, you are our hope! By your maternal mediation, may the reign of Christ the King spread over all nations. Amen.

Today, February 11, marks the anniversary of the fifth apparition of Our Blessed Mother at Banneux, Belgium, to eleven year old Mariette Beco in 1933. The first four apparitions occurred on January 15, January 18, January 19, and January 20. During these encounters, Mariette saw a woman “made of light” smiling at her through her kitchen window, eventually following the Blessed Virgin, praying with her, and obeying her instructions to claim a small stream of water for her. The Blessed Mother said to Mariette, “I am the Virgin of the Poor” and “This spring is reserved for all nations- to relieve the sick.” The Virgin of the Poor requested that a small chapel be built. Eyewitnesses saw Mariette speaking, but were unable to discern Our Holy Mother. Both her parents and Church authorities were skeptical of her claims.


During the three weeks following the apparition on January 20, Mariette (despite being quite ill from many nights in the winter cold praying) continued to pray the Holy Rosary on the roadside beside the holy spring each night, awaiting the return of the Blessed Mother. On the evening of February 11, the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Blessed Virgin of the Poor again appeared to Mariette, while she was kneeling, praying her second Rosary of the evening. Witnesses observed her genuflecting and bowing, as well as reaching her hands into the cold spring water and blessing herself with the Sign of the Cross. Our Blessed Mother, heard and seen only by Mariette, spoke, saying, “I come to relieve suffering.” After Mariette thanked her, and she departed into the sky as in previous apparitions, Mariette tearfully ran to her family priest, explaining the events of the evening. She was upset, as she did not understand the word “relieve.” The priest, still doubtful, pressed her to demand a sign from the Blessed Virgin during her next encounter.

Our Lady of Banneux, the Virgin of the Poor, would appear to Mariette three more times over the course of the next month. Her message each time was to believe in her, and pray for the poor, for the sick, and for sinners everywhere.


Our Lady of Banneux, Mother of Our Savior, Mother of God, Virgin of the Poor, since thou hast promised to believe in us if we believe in thee, I put all my trust in thee.


Deign to listen to the prayers that thou hast asked be addressed to thee;
have pity on all our spiritual and temporal miseries. Restore to sinners the treasure of Faith, and give to the poor their daily bread.


Deign to relieve suffering, to heal the sick and to pray for us, so that thus through thy intercession, the reign of Christ the King may extend over all nations. Amen.

Today, January 20, marks the anniversary of the fourth apparition of Our Blessed Mother at Banneux, Belgium, to eleven year old Mariette Beco in 1933. The first three apparitions occurred on January 15, January 18, and January 19. During these encounters, Mariette saw a woman “made of light” smiling at her through her kitchen window, eventually following the Blessed Virgin, praying with her, and obeying her instructions to claim a small stream of water for her. The Blessed Mother said to Mariette, “I am the Virgin of the Poor” and “This spring is reserved for all nations- to relieve the sick.” Eyewitnesses saw Mariette speaking, but were unable to discern Our Holy Mother. Both her parents and Church authorities were skeptical of her claims.


Following her last visitation with Our Lady, Mariette had become quite ill, the many nights of praying the Rosary outside in the Belgian winter taking their toll. On January 20, Mariette returned to the garden, kneeling in the snow, and beginning the Rosary. Upon seeing Mary, Mariette asked, “Beautiful Lady, what are Your wishes?” The Virgin of the Poor requested a small chapel be built, and then blessed Mariette with the Sign of the Cross to complete the task. Due to her illness, Mariette lost consciousness and was carried inside where she slept peacefully through the night.

Despite her illness and the freezing cold, Mariette continued to return to the garden each night to pray the Rosary, but would not again encounter our Blessed Mother until February 11, the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes. Despite adults, including her parents, having been with her during the apparitions, none yet believed.

Our Lady of Banneux, the Virgin of the Poor, would appear to Mariette four more times over the course of the next month. Her message each time was to pray for the poor, for the sick, and for sinners.



Blessed Virgin of the Poor, lead us to Jesus, Source of grace.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, save all nations.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, relieve the sick.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, alleviate suffering.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, pray for each one of us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we believe in you.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, believe in us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we will pray hard.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, bless us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, Mother of the Savior, Mother of God, we thank You.

Today, January 19, marks the anniversary of the third apparition of Our Blessed Mother at Banneux, Belgium, to eleven year old Mariette Beco in 1933. The first two apparitions occurred on January 15 and January 18. During these encounters, Mariette saw a woman “made of light” smiling at her through her kitchen window, eventually following the Blessed Virgin, praying with her, and following her instructions to claim a small stream of water for her. Eyewitnesses saw Mariette speaking, but were unable to discern Our Holy Mother. Both her parents and Church authorities were skeptical of her claims.


Following her last visitation with Our Lady, Mariette had been questioned by the local priest. He had instructed her to ask the name of the beautiful lady, when next Mariette encountered her. On January 19, 1933, Mariette returned to the garden, despite the bitter cold. Her father accompanied her. She knelt in the snow and began praying the Rosary when Our Lady of Banneux appeared before her. Mariette exclaimed, “Oh, there she is!” although none around her could see anything. Upon asking her name, the beautiful lady said:

“I am the Virgin of the Poor.”

She then beckoned for Mariette to follow her. Again, Mariette walked as if in a trance, dropping to her knees three times on the road in prayer, and arriving at the small stream she had plunged her hands into the evening before. There, the Virgin of the Poor said:

“This spring is reserved for all nations – to relieve the sick.”

Mariette thanked the beautiful lady, who replied, “I will pray for you,” prior to disappearing. Mariette returned home. She was noticeably pale and apparently sick from spending her evenings in the freezing cold winter nights.

Our Lady of Banneux, the Virgin of the Poor, would appear to Mariette five more times over the course of the next month. Her message each time was to pray for the poor, for the sick, and for sinners.


Mary, Virgin of the Poor,
You lead us to Jesus, source of grace, and you come to alleviate our suffering.
We implore you with confidence: Help us to folow you Son with generosity, and to belong to Him unreservedly.
Help us to welcome the Holy Spirit Who guides and sanctifies us.
Obtain us the grace to look like Jesus everyday more, so that our life will glorify the Father and contribute to the salvation of our Brothers.

Today marks the anniversary of the second apparition of Our Blessed Mother at Banneux, Belgium, to eleven year old Mariette Beco in 1933. On January 15, I recounted the first apparition, when Mariette saw a woman “made of light” smiling at her through her kitchen window. While no one believed what she saw was true, Mariette’s faith was unshaken.

The following evening, January 18, Mariette (who was afraid of the dark) ventured into the family garden in the evening, kneeling in the snow to pray the Rosary. It should be noted that January in Belgium is very cold, especially at night! After moments of solitary prayer, Mariette was observed to stretch out her arms as Our Blessed Virgin appeared in the night sky, some distance away. As Our Lady was quite far away, Mariette stood, still praying, moving toward the Holy Mother. The figure of Mary, dressed luminously in a similar manner as the previous evening, smiled, lips moving in prayer. They prayed the Rosary in silence together for approximately 20 minutes, although Our Lady did not touch the Rosary beads which hung from her arm.

After being beckoned to follow her, Mariette followed the Virgin Mary onto the main road in town, stopping at her direction three times to kneel in prayer on the road, prior to kneeling by the side of the road in front of a drainage ditch running beside it. In the ditch, a small stream was running. Our Blessed Mother stood directly above Mariette on the bank of the road and said, “Stretch out your hands into the water.” Despite the cold, Mariette obeyed, doing as she was instructed, placing her hands into the freezing water. The Virgin Mary smiled, head inclined toward Mariette, stating, “This stream is especially for me,” and then, “Good Evening.” With that, she disappeared. Bystanders who had observed Mariette, heard her repeat these two phrases aloud, although she appeared as if walking and speaking in a trance. Mariette came back to herself, returning home to share her latest encounter with Our Blessed Mother with her family, and be questioned by Church authorities. They were yet to believe her.

Our Lady of Banneux, the Virgin of the Poor, would appear to Mariette six more times over the course of the next month. Her message each time was to pray for the poor, for the sick, and for sinners.



Mary, Virgin of the Poor,
You lead us to Jesus, source of grace, and you come to alleviate our suffering.
We implore you with confidence: Help us to folow you Son with generosity, and to belong to Him unreservedly.
Help us to welcome the Holy Spirit Who guides and sanctifies us.
Obtain us the grace to look like Jesus everyday more, so that our life will glorify the Father and contribute to the salvation of our Brothers.

Today marks the anniversary of the first apparition of Our Blessed Mother at Banneux, Belgium. On January 15, 1933, eleven year old Mariette Beco, the eldest of seven children born to a poor Belgian family, was reportedly looking for her younger brother Julien, who was late to arrive home. At around seven o’clock in the evening, while staring out her kitchen window, Mariette was surprised to see the luminous figure of a beautiful young woman. Mariette described this woman as “made of light.” She was dressed in white, with a light blue sash, and a golden Rosary over her arms which were joined in prayer.


While the Beco family was Catholic, they neither went to church nor prayed. Mariette had years earlier found a Rosary on the street, and always carried it with her, although she did not know how to pray with it. Upon spotting the woman through her window, Mariette called out to her mother, “Our Blessed Lady is smiling at me.” Mariette removed her Rosary from her pocket and began to pray while watching the apparition. The Blessed Virgin’s lips were moving, but Mariette could not understand her, and felt called outside to be closer to the apparition. Her mother, however, unable to discern the figure her daughter saw, forbade her to leave the house out of fear.

Mariette told her father, friends, and the local priest the following morning what she had seen, but was greeted with disbelief.

Our Lady of Banneux, the Virgin of the Poor, would appear to Mariette seven more times over the course of the next month. Her message each time was to pray for the poor, the sick, for sinners.


From the official site of Our Lady of Banneux, a prayer for intercession:

Blessed Virgin of the Poor, lead us to Jesus, Source of grace.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, save all nations.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, relieve the sick.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, alleviate suffering.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, pray for each one of us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we believe in you.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, believe in us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we will pray hard.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, bless us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, Mother of the Saviour Mother of God, we thank You.


Mary, Virgin of the Poor,
You lead us to Jesus, source of grace, and you come to alleviate our suffering.
We implore you with confidence: Help us to folow you Son with generosity, and to belong to Him unreservedly.
Help us to welcome the Holy Spirit Who guides and sanctifies us.
Obtain us the grace to look like Jesus everyday more, so that our life will glorify the Father and contribute to the salvation of our Brothers. Amen.



As with other Marian apparitions, on the anniversaries of each time Our Blessed Mother visited Mariette in Belgian, I will write about her message.