The places she appeared. The words she spoke.
Not all apparitions carry the same level of Church recognition, and Mary Prays believes in being transparent about those distinctions so you can navigate with confidence and faith.
The Catholic Church evaluates reported apparitions through a careful process that can take years, decades, or even centuries. The levels of recognition range from full Vatican approval, meaning the Church has formally declared the events to be of supernatural origin, to local or diocesan approval by a bishop, to cases where the Church has issued no definitive judgment but permits devotion. In every case, the Church reminds us that private revelations, even when approved, are not required articles of faith. They are gifts offered to help us live the faith more deeply.
What matters is not whether you accept every apparition equally. What matters is that you hear the message. And across every apparition in this collection, the message is the same: God is real. He loves you. Pray. Come home.
Here is how we have organized them:
1
Vatican Approved
These apparitions have been formally recognized by the Holy See or received a definitive declaration of supernatural character through Vatican authority. They represent the highest level of Church recognition for private revelation.
2
Bishop Approved
These apparitions have been recognized by the local bishop or diocese as authentic and worthy of belief, or have received a Nihil Obstat from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, meaning the Church finds nothing contrary to the faith and supports the devotion. Some have been recognized for centuries through consistent episcopal and papal support without a formal Vatican declaration.
3
Other
These apparitions have not received formal Church approval, either because the process is ongoing, because the Church has issued a "non constat" judgment (meaning the supernatural character has not been established), or because the political or historical circumstances have prevented a definitive ruling. Mary Prays includes them because their messages are consistent with the Gospel and with every approved apparition in this collection, and we note the status transparently so you can approach them with informed discernment.