Our Lady
of Banneux

From 15th January to 2nd March 1933, the Virgin Mary appeared eight times to an 11-year-old young girl, Mariette Beco. The message she gave her is still relevant in our time. Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come, alone or in group, especially during the Triduum of the sick, to confide to Our Lady their poverty, their sufferings, their pains, their wants. They come to confide themselves to the Mother of the Saviour, and to express their trust and hope in Jesus Christ who is the source of all graces. Even today, as she did to Mariette, the Virgin of the Poor leads each pilgrim of Banneux to the way of life. She invites the pilgrim to push their hands in the water of the Spring to discover Jesus who is the True Life. The Apparitions was approved in August 22, 1949.

Sunday, 15th January 1933
Mariette is waiting for her younger brother to return home when she sees a luminous Beautiful Lady in the garden of the little house. Her mother sees her too. The Virgin beckons the child to go out, but Mrs Beco is frightened and locks the door.

Wednesday, 18th January 1933
There is a 20-minute silent prayer together. Then the Virgin leads Mariette to the Spring, gliding backwards in front of her without taking her eyes off the child. She fell to her knees three times to pray with Mary. Next to the spring, the Virgin says: “Push your hands into the water. This spring is reserved for me. Good evening. Goodbye.”

Thursday, 19th January 1933
The Beautiful Lady reveals a ‘new name’, she says, “I am the Virgin of the Poor”. The child thinks the spring is reserved for her and asks for an explanation. With all goodness, Mary shows her smile and responds, “This Spring is reserved for all Nations… for the sick. I will pray for you. Goodbye.”

Friday, 20th January 1933
The child asks, “What do you want, beautiful Lady?” Mary answers, “I would like a little chapel.”  She blesses the child who then faints. In panic, her father brings her back home. At home, she gets back to normal state before falling quietly asleep.

Three long weeks pass by, during this time, the child goes out every evening to pray but the Virgin doesn’t appear. Mariette, who previously had no religious culture or life of prayer, prays up to seven Rosaries in several evenings…

Saturday, 11th February 1933
What a joy it is! The Virgin of the Poor entrusts the core of her message to Mariette, “I come to relieve suffering,” the Virgin says. On the 11th of February was the 75th Anniversary of the first apparition at Lourdes. Jean-Paul II made this day the world of prayer for the sick.

Wednesday, 15th February 1933
Mariette asks for a sign from Mary in obedient to Father Louis Jamin’s request. Mary answers her, “Believe in me, I will believe in you. Pray hard. Goodbye.” Father Jamin feels in harmony in his spiritual torments; he is converted and becomes Mariette’s most fervent advocate and the most enthusiastic promoter of the Message of the Virgin of the Poor.

Monday, 20th February 1933
During a short apparition, Mary implores, “My dear child, pray hard. Goodbye.”

Thursday, 2nd March 1933
The Beautiful Lady shows herself to Mariette for the last time and says, “I am the Mother of the Saviour, the Mother of God… Pray hard. Farewell.”  The Virgin then lays her hands over Mariette as a benediction.