PART 5: Antichrists revealed by Jesus Christ - Opposing spirits of the antichrists

This entry is part 5 of 30 in the series Antichrists Revealed

	Associated Marian titles	Years	Location	Seers	Approval of public veneration
	Our Lady of the Pillar	40	Zaragoza, Spain	James the Apostle	Liturgical veneration approved 1730 Pope Clement XII
Catholic tradition holds that, in the early days of Christianity, the Apostles of Jesusspread the Gospel throughout the known world, with James the Greaterevangelizing in Roman Hispania (modern-day Spain). James confronted great difficulties in his missionary efforts and faced severe discouragement. In AD 40, while he was praying by the banks of the Ebro at Caesaraugusta (Zaragoza), Mary bilocated from Jerusalem, where she was living at the time, and appeared to James accompanied by thousands of angels, to console and encourage him.^[83] Our Lady of the Pillar is considered the first Marian apparition, although it is unique in this regard because it is the only one to have occurred while Mary may have still been alive on Earth.
	Our Lady of Walsingham	1061	Walsingham, England	Richeldis de Faverches	Shrine approved 1897 Pope Leo XIII
In 1061, a devout Saxon noblewoman named Richeldis de Faverches reported that Mary showed her, through a vision, the house of Mary in Nazareth in which the Annunciation took place, and asked her to build a replica of it. Once constructed, the shrine passed into the care of the Canons Regular of St. Augustine sometime between 1146 and 1174. Late in 1538, King Henry VIII’s soldiers sacked the priory at Walsingham, killed two monks and destroyed the shrine. In 1896, the 14th-century Slipper Chapel was restored. In 1897, Pope Leo XIII established the Holy House in the Lady Chapel of Our Lady of the Annunciation Church, King’s Lynn as a Roman Catholic shrine. There is the also the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in the care of the Church of England.
	Our Lady of Mount Carmel	1251	Aylesford, England	Simon Stock	Repeated endorsement of the associated devotional scapularby the Holy See
According to Carmelite tradition, Mary appeared to Simon Stock, who was Prior General of the Order in the mid-13th century. The earliest reference to the tradition of his Marian apparition, dating from the late 14th century, states that “St. Simon was an Englishman, a man of great holiness and devotion, who always in his prayers asked the Virgin to favor his Order with some singular privilege. The Virgin appeared to him holding the Brown Scapular in her hand saying, ‘This is for you and yours a privilege; the one who dies in it will be saved.'” A scapular, properly speaking, is a double-sided apron-like garment that forms part of the Carmelite religious habit. In its original context, the Blessed Virgin Mary’s promise was an assurance that Carmelites who persevered in their vocation would be saved. Beginning in the latter half of the 16th century, a small devotional scapular became very popular as a sacramental.
	Our Lady of the Watch	1490	Monte Figogna, Italy	Benedetto Pareto	Shrine elevated to Minor Basilica^[94] March 11, 1915 Pope Benedict XV
An Italian peasant named Benedetto Pareto reported seeing an apparition of Mary on top of Monte Figogna (near Genoa, Italy) on August 29, 1490. Pareto said that the Virgin Mary appeared to him and asked him to build a church atop the mountain. Pareto at first refused, saying that he was just a poor man, but he eventually built a small wooden structure, which in time gathered many pilgrims and is now contained within the Shrine of Our Lady of the Watch. (The apparition is so-named because Monte Figogna used to be a watch-point for the strategic observation of armies and ships.)
	Our Lady of Good Health Our Lady of Velankanni	1570 and 1587	Velankanni, Tamil Nadu, India	Two children, on separate occasions	Shrine elevated to Minor Basilica 1962 Pope John XXIII
The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni commemorates two distinct but similar apparitions: the first in 1570 and the second in 1587. In each case, a local child reported a woman appearing and asking for milk to feed her infant. Each appearance was followed by a miracle, leading the locals to believe that both times it was Mary with the child Jesus who had appeared.
	Our Lady of Šiluva	1608	Šiluva, Lithuania	Group of non-Catholics	Public veneration approved 1755 Pope Pius VI
With the advent of the Reformation in 16th century Lithuania, many of the inhabitants in the region around Šiluva converted to Calvinism. This caused the Catholic church building in Šiluva to eventually be ransacked and closed around 1569. The last parish priest, John Holubka, buried the remaining church valuables and legal documents and deeds in an iron box near the vandalized church. Subsequent attempts by the Catholics to regain the property through legal proceedings against the Calvinists were hindered by the fact that the exact location of the documents pertaining to the church were unknown. In 1608, Mary appeared to miraculously intervene in the matter by appearing at the church and holding the baby Jesus in her arms and weeping bitterly. The apparition was on the site of the buried valuables and documents, leading to the recovery of the deed, the reclaiming of the church land by the Catholics, and the conversion of many Calvinists. Devotion to Our Lady of Šiluva was temporarily suppressed during the period that Lithuania was part of the Soviet Union. She remains a significant symbol of Lithuanian cultural heritage.
	Our Lady of La Vang	1798	Hải Lăng, Vietnam	Vietnamese villagers	Shrine elevated to Minor Basilica August 22, 1961 Pope John XXIII
A group of Vietnamese had been fleeing anti-Catholic persecution by hiding in the jungle, and many had become very ill. The community would gather every night at the foot of a tree to pray the Rosary. The group reported that, one night, Mary appeared to them all, wearing the traditional áo dài Vietnamese dress, holding the child Jesus, and accompanied by angels. She comforted them and instructed them on how to use herbs in the rainforest to cure their illnesses. Although ecclesial authorities never opened a formal investigation, Our Lady of La Vang and her importance for Vietnamese Catholics has been endorsed numerous times by various bishops and popes. She is also venerated by some Vietnamese Protestants and Buddhists.
	Our Lady of Pellevoisin	1876	Pellevoisin, France	Estelle Faguette	Associated confraternity and scapular approved by Pope Leo XIII^[101]
In 1876, a French domestic servant, Estelle Faguette, reported seeing a series of 15 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the bedroom where she was staying near Pellevoisin, France. When her visions allegedly began, Faguette was terminally ill with tuberculosis and near death. However, in the second apparition, she heard Mary tell her that she would be healed; she recovered and lived until 1929. (In 1983, following a medical and theological inquiry, Archbishop Paul Vignancour of Bourgesrecognized her recovery as having a miraculous nature.) Faguette also said that during a later apparition, she saw Mary show her the design for the Scapular of the Sacred Heart and told her to ask her bishop to encourage its devotional use. The Shrine of Our Lady of Pellevoisin was later constructed near the site of the apparitions.^[102] Although Pope Leo XIII approved the scapular and a confraternity to spread its use, the apparition itself was never approved.^[103]
	Our Lady of China Our Lady of Donglü Queen of All Chinese People in Heaven	1900	Donglü, China	Small Christian community, ~700	Commemorative image approved^[ 1928 Pope Pius XI
In April 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, a large number of soldiers attacked the small village of Donglü. Our Lady reportedly appeared dressed in white, and a fiery horseman (believed to be Saint Michael) chased the soldiers away. A small shrine was built to venerate her in the village, but was destroyed twice. The village pastor, Fr. Wu, commissioned a painting of Mary and Jesus in Chinese royal garb. It has been used as a popular symbol of Chinese Christians. Despite the rampant persecution, there are many shrines consecrated to Our Lady of Donglü.
	Our Lady of All Nations The Mother of All Nations Coredemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate	1945–1959	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Ida Peerdeman	Public veneration approved^[106]^{[note 2]} 1996 Bishop Hendrik Bomers] Diocese of Haarlem
A Dutch secretary named Ida Peerdeman claimed to have received Marian apparitions over the course of 14 years. Peerdeman’s apparition messages predict a future Marian dogma that will express Mary’s universal motherhood using the three titles of Coredemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate.In 1956, the bishop of Haarlem “found no evidence of the supernatural nature of the apparitions”, a judgment which the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) confirmed in 1974. Nevertheless, two decades later, the CDF gave Bishop Bomers permission to authorize public veneration of the title, image, and prayer associated with the apparition, which he did in 1996. In 2002, Bishop Punt took the further step of declaring the apparitions themselves to be approved, despite the CDF’s previous ruling on the question. In 2020, Bishop Hendriks, in consultation with the CDF, reiterated that the CDF’s unfavorable judgment stands, and that the veneration of the associated title, image, and prayer cannot be construed as endorsement of the apparition itself.
	Our Lady of Prayer	1947	L’Île-Bouchard, France	Jacqueline Aubry [fr] Jeannette Aubry Nicole Robin Laura Croizon	Public veneration approved December 8, 2001 Archbishop André Vingt-Trois Archdiocese of Tours
On December 8, 1947, 12-year-old Jacqueline Aubry, her sister Jeannette, and cousin Nicole Robin were among students in L’Île-Bouchard in France whose teacher asked them to spend the lunch hour “praying for France”. Although their families were nonpracticing and anticlerical, the girls agreed to their teacher’s request. This was a period of intense civil strife in France and many believed civil war was imminent. The girls were saying the Rosary in the church of St. Gilles when they experienced the first of several Marian apparitions. They said they saw a beautiful young lady with long curly blonde hair, accompanied by an angel (whom they later identified as Gabriel) who knelt at her side. Running out into the street, the girls asked two friends to come and see the vision: one, Laura Croizon, was able to see it and became the fourth visionary. The day after the first apparition, labor unions agreed to go into negotiations with the government, and believers credited the apparition and the children’s prayers. The visitations went on for six days.
	Rosa Mystica Mystical Rose – Mother of the Church	1945–1966	Montichiariand Fontanelle, Italy	Pierina Gilli	Public veneration approved December 7, 2019 Bishop Pierantonio Tremolada Diocese of Brescia
From 1947 to 1966, Pierina Gilli, an Italian nurse, witnessed apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Montichiari and Fontanelle, Italy, firstly appearing with three swords piercing her Immaculate Heart and after in a splendidly different manner: in a white dress and with a white mantle around her head that reached to the floor; the three swords were on the floor, and on the chest of the Virgin Mary were three roses: one white, one red, and one gold. Initially Our Lady said just three words to her: “Prayer, Sacrifice, Penance”. Pierina had offered all her sufferings for the sanctification of Roman Catholic consecrated souls (namely, for the priests and for members of male and female religious institutes, as listed in the Holy See’s Pontifical Yearbook, in Italian, Annuario Pontificio). On December 7, 2019, Bishop Pierantonio Tremolada instituted an official Sanctuary of Our Lady Rosa Mystica at the apparition site in Fontanelle.
	Our Lady of Medjugorje The Gospa Queen of Peace	1981–present	Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina	Jakov Čolo Ivan Dragičević Mirjana Dragičević Marija Pavlović Ivanka Ivanković Vicka Ivanković	Public veneration approved September 19, 2024 Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
The reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary to six children in Medjugorje, beginning in 1981, have received significant attention due to the numerous miracles that large crowds of pilgrims report experiencing on an almost-daily basis, including dramatic conversions, visions, rosaries turning to a gold color, astronomical phenomena like the Miracle of the Sun, etc. The alleged apparitions are also notable for their duration, having been occurring continuously for almost 40 years. The apparition messages contain five main requests: first, to pray the entire Rosary daily; second, to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays; third, to attend Mass as often as possible; fourth, to go to Confession at least monthly; and fifth, to read the Bible daily. The alleged apparitions were vigorously opposed by the local bishop, Pavao Žanić of Mostar-Duvno. Various commissions appointed to investigate the apparitions did not come to a definitive conclusion and left the events open to further study. On March 17, 2010, the Holy See announced it was taking over formal investigation of the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje, with Cardinal Camillo Ruini heading an investigatory commission that ran from 2010 to 2014. Pope Francis authorized official church pilgrimages in 2019, but without making any declaration on the alleged apparitions themselves.

No judgment

Apparitions in this category have not received judgment on the apparitions themselves or on associated elements, either because an investigation was never opened, or because an investigation is still in progress.

	Associated Marian titles	Years	Location	Seers
	Our Lady of the Universe Our Lady of the Concourse	1945	The Bronx, New York, United States of America	Joseph Vitolo
On October 29, 1945, at 7 pm, 9-year-old Joseph Vitolo was one of a group of children playing outside his home near The Bronx’s Grand Concourse. The children saw something floating above a hill behind the house, and when Joseph recited a Hail Mary he immediately saw a young woman whom he identified as the Virgin. He heard her ask him to come back at the same hour for sixteen nights and to pray for world peace. Joseph did so, accompanied by his mother and numerous onlookers. Within a few days, the visitations were receiving worldwide attention and up to 20,000 people attended the nightly vigil. Among those who expressed interest in the events were Frank Sinatra, Lou Costello, and Cardinal Francis Spellman. Revered as a saint by the pilgrims, Joseph was frequently asked to cure the sick and injured and would respond by praying with them. The place where Joseph allegedly saw the visions was bought by a devotee who created a shrine there, but there was never any official investigation or attempt to confirm the reported visitations as legitimate. Joseph struggled throughout his life, taking various menial jobs to support his family. He continued to visit the shrine at 7 p.m. each evening until age and poor health prevented him from climbing the hill. The alleged apparitions were never officially approved, but the nearby St. Philip Neri church holds special Masses at the shrine on the anniversaries of the first and last reported visitations.
	Our Lady of Soufanieh	1982–1983	Soufanieh, Damascus, Syria	Mary Kourbet “Myrna” (Al-Akhras) Nazzour
Myrna Nazzour, a Melkite Catholic woman married to an Orthodox husband, has reported experiencing various mystical phenomena over the years beginning in 1982, including olive oil oozing both from an icon and from her own hands, stigmata wounds on her body, and apparitions of Mary. Mary appeared five times between 1982 and 1983, asking for prayers for Christian unity (especially between Catholics and Orthodox), particularly stressing the importance of a unified date for Easter. Myrna reported continuing to receive locutions even after the alleged apparitions ceased.

Neutral judgment

Apparitions in this category have been evaluated, but received neither approval nor rejection. This is known as a “non constat de supernaturalitate” judgment, or “non constat” for short. The apparitions listed here also lack approval for any related public cultus, such as public veneration or pilgrimages.

	Associated Marian titles	Years	Location	Seers	Neutral judgment
	Our Lady of Mount Carmel of Garabandal	1961–1965	San Sebastián de Garabandalin Cantabria, Spain	Jacinta González Mari Cruz González Maria “Conchita” Concepción González Mari Loli Mazón	November 7, 2001 Bishop José Vilaplana Blasco Diocese of Santander
Four girls reported seeing apparitions of Saint Michael the Archangel and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The girls heard Mary predict a forthcoming “Warning” from God, apparent to the whole world, that will precede a “Great Miracle”. If these do not result in the conversion of the world, a great Chastisement will follow.
	Our Lady of America Our Lady of the Divine Indwelling	1956–1959	Rome City, Indiana, United States of America	Sister Mildred Mary Neuzil	May 7, 2020 Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
Sister Mildred Mary Ephrem Neuzil of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood reported seeing multiple apparitions of Mary, Joseph, and angels. In the alleged apparition messages, Mary identified herself as patroness of the United States under the title Our Lady of America, and pleaded for the United States to return to the virtue of purity. She also identified herself as Our Lady of the Divine Indwelling, a title which describes Mary as exemplar of one who possesses sanctifying grace. Saint Josephreportedly requested a First Wednesday devotion to the Pure Heart of Joseph, to complement the existing First Friday and First Saturday devotions. Archbishop Paul Leibold of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati authorized various aspects of public devotion, but without passing judgment on the supernatural character of the alleged apparitions themselves. The alleged apparitions were also endorsed by Cardinal Raymond Burke. However, in 2020, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne–South Bend concluded an official investigation into the alleged apparitions with a “non constat de supernaturalitate” judgment. He, together with a group of other bishops, determined that they could not approve public devotion or cult, but private devotion could continue without harm to the faith.

Negative judgment

Some apparitions, despite being officially rejected, are notable for continuing to have a substantial following. In rare cases, rejected apparitions are approved at a later date once new evidence becomes available.

	Associated Marian titles	Years	Location	Seers	Rejection
	Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace	1948	Lipa, Batangas, Philippines	Teresita Castillo	1951^[132] Pope Pius XII
A postulant at a Carmelite Monastery reported seeing multiple apparitions of Mary during 1948. In 1951, the alleged apparitions were rejected by a panel of bishops, a decision confirmed by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith under Pope Pius XII. Despite the rejection, the apparition continued to receive high-profile support, including from two Presidents of the Philippines (Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo). In 2015, the local bishop declared the apparitions to be approved, in what is the only known case of a local bishop attempting to ignore a Vatican decision on the authenticity of an apparition. The Vatican overruled the bishop and reasserted its previous decision later that same year. The apparition is also notable for likely being the only case in which the supernatural nature of the apparitions is denied, but the veneration surrounding the apparition is allowed to continue.

1. Definitions: Apparition, Phantom, and Phantasm

Apparition, phantasm, phantom—all refer to supernatural appearances.

An apparition is an immaterial presence that seems real, often sudden or startling, such as an apparition of a headless horseman.
A phantom is an illusory appearance, typically in dreams, and may have a pleasant quality: a phantom of loveliness.
A phantasm is similar, but generally more frightening: a monstrous phantasm.

2. Fatima, Portugal: The Apparitions and Jubilee Indulgence

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, Pope Francis granted a plenary indulgence opportunity for the anniversary year, from Nov. 27, 2016 to Nov. 26, 2017.

Ways to obtain the indulgence:

1. Pilgrimage to the Fatima Shrine (Portugal):
Attend a celebration or prayer dedicated to the Virgin, recite the Our Father, Creed, and invoke Mary.

2. Venerate a statue of Our Lady of Fatima:
For those who cannot travel, this can be done at any public church or oratory on the 13th of each month from May to October (2017).

3. The elderly or infirm:
They can pray before a statue of Our Lady of Fatima and spiritually unite with the celebrations. They must also offer their suffering to God through Mary.

In all cases, the faithful must also go to Confession, receive Communion, and pray for the intentions of the Pope.

Note: The original article mistakenly identified André Pereira as the rector of the Fatima Shrine; he is the Executive Secretary.

3. Pope Francis and the Lord’s Prayer

In 2017, Pope Francis proposed a change to the Lord’s Prayer, claiming the traditional phrase “lead us not into temptation” suggested that God leads people into sin, which he said was a misinterpretation.

He approved changing the wording to:

“Do not let us fall into temptation”

This was officially adopted in Italian and included in the third edition of the Messale Romano. The change sparked criticism from those who believe altering biblical text is overstepping divine authority.

4. On Papal Authority and Claims

Over the centuries, various Popes and Church documents have made strong statements about the Pope’s role, sometimes attributing divine status or authority to him. Examples include:

“Lord God the Pope” – found in Canon Law glosses and attributed to Pope John XXII.
“The Pope and God are the same” – from legal and theological commentary.
“The Pope is not only the representative of Christ; he is Jesus Christ Himself, hidden under the veil of flesh.” – Catholic National, July 1895.
“We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty” – Pope Leo XIII.
The Pope is described as holding “all power in heaven and earth”, being the supreme judge, and unaccountable to any human.

Statements like these form the basis for theological and prophetic criticism from outside the Catholic Church.

5. Co-Redemptrix and Marian Titles

Co-Redemptrix is a controversial title used by some Roman Catholics to describe the Virgin Mary’s role in redemption. It suggests that, though subordinate, she played an essential role by consenting to bear Christ and sharing in His suffering.

This title is not official Church dogma, but it’s often mentioned alongside Mediatrix, another title asserting Mary’s intercessory role.

6. Prophetic Interpretations: The Papacy and the “Beast”

Many Protestant and independent Bible scholars have historically linked the Papacy with the Beast of Revelation, the Little Horn of Daniel, and other prophetic symbols:

The Beast from the Sea (Revelation 13)
The Man of Sin
Babylon the Great
Abomination of Desolation
The Mother of Harlots

The Vicarius Filii Dei title is often cited in connection with the number 666, as explored in:

7. The Bible Speaks Clearly

The Bible itself warns against elevating any man to divine status:

“Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven… Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
(Matthew 23:9–12)

8. Further Reading and Resources

A wide range of Bible-based topics are explored through Croatian resources and studies, including:

The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation
Biblical psychology
Priestly roles in Scripture
Second Coming of Christ
Sabbath in the Old and New Testaments
Catholic Church history, reform, and prophecy

Visit Vjesnici for more articles and studies. Their mission is to share the truth of the Bible in today’s world.

PART 5: Antichrists revealed by Jesus Christ – Opposing spirits of the antichrists