Beauraing: The Virgin with the Golden Heart

During the dark and ominous time that preceded World War II, something extraordinary took place in Beauraing (Belgium) during the winter of 1932-1933.

The Virgin with the Golden Heart

On 33 occasions, from November 29 to January 3, the Virgin Mary appeared to five children: Fernande (15), Gilberte and Albert Voisin (13 and 11), Andrea and Gilberte Degeimbre (14 and 9).

The celestial visitor appeared near a railroad bridge, under a hawthorn tree, and in a school yard.

The Virgin wore a long white dress with light blue highlights. Her head was covered with a long white veil flowing over her shoulders. It emitted fine rays of light, in the shape of a crown. Most of the time Mary smiled and held her hands joined in prayer.

"Are you the Blessed Virigin?"

On December 2, the children saw the apparition under a hawthorn tree near the front gate of the school, and asked the lady if she was the Blessed Virgin.

On December 8, the apparition assured the children that she was the Immaculate Virgin. They related afterwards: "She was more beautiful than ever!"

On December 17, Mary asked for a chapel to be built. On December 29, and again later, the children saw her heart light up as if made of gold, holding her arms open in a gesture of farewell.

Hence the name of Our Lady of Beauraing: the Virgin with the Golden Heart. This golden heart parallels the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima with her Immaculate Heart. At Fatima, her heart was crowned with thorns. Here, the gold evokes divine glory in all its might, and eternal life.

On January 3, 1933 the Virgin stated, "I am the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven."

Approval

The first medical examinations (skin and eye tests) were commenced. The report concluded: "Serious observation of the series of phenomena allows us to rule out any hypothesis of hysteria, collective hallucination and hypnosis. The experiments conducted on December 8, 1932 compel us to rule out any simulation." (R. Laurentin).

Two recoveries were recognized as miraculous. The cult was authorized in 1943; the authenticity of the facts in 1949, by Bishop Charue of Namur.

Visit of John Paul II, May 18, 1985

"Amen, amen, I say to you: whatever you ask the Father in my name He will give you" (Jn 16: 23). [...]

It is good that each region possesses one or more Marian shrines, erected for a special reason, with the permission of the ruling bishops; this is the way that Marian devotion, so important in the Catholic faith and well explained by the Second Vatican Council at the summit of the Constitution on the Church, can take root and flourish.

"In this singular way [Mary] cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Savior in giving back supernatural life to souls. Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace  ... Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this salvific duty, but by her constant intercession continued to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation." (Lumen Gentium, 61. 62). [...]

The shrine, a place of permanent prayer with Mary, makes this presence very real and condensed, in a certain way. [...]

With Mary, let us open our hearts to the Holy Spirit. Let us pray in the name of Jesus.

Maybe, until now, we haven't asked enough in the name of Christ? (Cf. Jn 16: 24)

Are you convinced that "nothing is impossible to God"? (cf Lk 1: 37) "Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete" (Jn 16: 24).

 

Indeed, vocations are the fruit of prayer; they are the source of the Church's joy.

 

Amen.

John Paul II, homily in Beauraing, May 18, 1985

Cf. Omer ENGLEBERT, Les apparitions de Beauraing, Paris 1933

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Françoise Breynaert