Our Lady of Banneux

Banneux, Belgium 1933: January 15th - March 2nd 1933
Visionary: Mariette Beco (11 years old)

Mariette was born on March 25, 1921 and the oldest of 7 children. Her family was very poor. Mariette came from a Catholic family who never went to church or pray. Still she was religious, she once found a rosary and kept it with her all the time.

It was January 15th 1933 and it had snowed and it was cold. She was looking after the baby of the family and while she sat there she suddenly saw outside a young lady who was very beautiful with light all around her. She called her mother and said this is Our Blessed Lady and she is smiling at me. She then took out her rosary and started to pray while she kept looking at the Lady. The Lady wanted her to come to her, so Mariette wanted to go outside, but her mother locked the door cause she had not seen the Lady and didn´t trust it. Mariette looked outside the window and the Lady was not there anymore.

January 18th Mariette goes outside in the evening, and although she is very afraid of the dark she starts to pray her rosary kneeled down in the snow. She sees Our Blessed Lady again, and she must follow Our Lady. Mariette obeys and comes to a small stream where Our Blessed Lady stands above the road. Our Blessed Lady says to Mariette that she needs to put her hands into the water and the Lady said that the stream was specially for her. The lady says goodnight and leaves again.

January 19th Mariette goes outside again with her fathers old coat over her head to protect her from the cold. She kneels down again to pray. Her father was in the garden too. Mariette then saw the Lady again and asked herwho she was. Our Blessed Virgin then said:

"I am the Virgin of the Poor".

Our Blessed Lady then leads her again to the stream and Mariette asks Her why the stream is devoted to her(whilst she was pointing at herself). Our Blessed Lady said that this stream was for all nations..... for the sick! Mariette thanked Her and Our Blessed Lady said goodbye to her.

January 20th Mariette goes out again although she feels sick, to pray the rosary. Then she sees Our Blessed Lady again and asks Her what Her wishes are. Our Blessed Lady then answers that she would like a small chapel. And blesses Mariette for this task. Mariette looses consciousness cause she is sick but was carried inside by her father and a neighbour. Inside she regaind consicousness again.

From January 21 till February 11th Mariette keeps prayingher rosary outside in the carden, even though it is very cold. She didn´t see Our Blessed Lady and so far only Mariette beliefs in Our Blessed Lady of the Poor.

February 11th Mariette is outside with a few other people praying the rosary. Near the end of the second rosary, people see Mariette stand up and kneel down at the stream. She dips her hands into the water and makes the sign of the cros. Our Blessed Lady says: I have come to relief the suffering, I shall see you again soon. After that she disappears.

February 15th Our Blessed Lady appears again and Mariette asks Her for a sign as her Chaplain has instructed. Our Blessed Lady answers: Have faith in Me: I shall believe in you. She then tells Mariette a secret. Then she says:Pray a lot and goodbye.

February 20th Our Blessed Lady appears again at the end of thesecond rosary Mariette is praying and leads her to the stream. She asks Mariette again to pray a lot and says goodbye again.

March 2nd.It was 7 pm and raining. Mariette goes out and starts praying the rosary. At the third rosary the rain suddenly stops. Our Blessed Lady appears again and says to Mariette:
I am the Mother of the Savior, Mother of God, pray a lot. Adieu. This was the last time
Mariette saw Our Blessed Lady.

The apparitions of Our Blessed Virgin in Banneux arefully approved by the Holy See in 1949.