Our Lady
of Prayer

That same day the Communists surprisingly decided to call off their general strike.

Dec 11, 1947, 1:00 PM
One hundred and fifty people waited in the church for the next appearance of Mary. Suddenly the Virgin was present, and again she requested a sung version of the Hail Mary, before asking the girls to kiss her hand. The crowd was amazed to see Jacqueline repeat her feat of lifting the two smallest girls.

Then Jacqueline's mother called out to her daughter requesting a miracle so that all would believe, to which Mary replied: "I have not come here to perform miracles, but to tell you to pray for France. However, tomorrow you will see clearly and you won't need to wear glasses any more"

Dec 11, 1947
When Jacqueline woke up, she had normal vision. Her father rushed to get Fr Ségelle, who exclaimed on seeing Jacqueline: "So it's true that She has descended among us!" The priest immediately contacted the archbishop and was told to be present at the next apparition.

Dec 11, 1947, 1:00 PM
Virgin Mary appeared and requested that they sing the Hail Mary, before asking: "Do you pray for sinners?" They replied that they did, and then she led them through ten Hail Marys, but only said the first part of each prayer, the angel Gabriel's message, and not the second part.

Jacqueline asked her to heal people who had petitioned the girls for cures, to which the Virgin replied that she promised that there would be "happiness in families." Before disappearing she again asked about the grotto. After this, the girls were questioned separately in the sacristy.

Dec 12, 1947, 1:00 PM
Three hundred people were in the church when Mary appeared. She was wearing a "crown" made up of twelve shining rays, each about a foot long, two narrow blue ones in the center and then five wider ones to each side, colored red, yellow, green, pink and a brownish red.

Now the Virgin Mary held her hands lower so the word "Magnificat" could be read. The girls thought the crown resembled a rainbow. She then asked them to sing the Hail Mary, before leading them, as on the previous day, in ten spoken Hail Marys. After this she said: "Do you pray for sinners?" to which they replied "Yes, Madame," and then she continued: "Good, above all pray much for sinners." Jacqueline asked for a miracle, but Mary repeated her previous statement that she had not come to perform miracles, but to ask for prayers for France. After another decade of the rosary she disappeared, and again the girls were questioned separately as to what they had seen and heard.

Dec 13, 1947, 1:00 PM
Five hundred people were in the church as the Virgin appeared again, but this time without the crown. Mary again asked for prayers, invocations and hymns, as Jacqueline repeated her request for a miracle, to hear the reply, "Later." Then after more prayers and invocations, the Virgin told them that she would appear the next day for the last time. Again the children were interrogated afterwards.

Dec 14, 1947, 1:00 PM
The church of St Gilles was jammed with two thousand people, while more gathered outside. While waiting for the girls, the congregation prayed the rosary - many had not prayed in years - as the young seers took their places for the last time.
Once more, Mary and the angel were before them, for an apparition which lasted over half an hour. Again prayers and hymns were requested, after which Jacqueline read some messages that had been given to her, including one from Sr. Marie which said: "Madame, what should we do to console our Lord for the suffering sinners cause him?" The response was: "Pray and make sacrifices."

After more prayers and invocations, Mary requested that the congregation sing the Magnificat, and Fr Ségelle led everyone in this, and later still she reemphasized the need to pray for sinners. Realizing that the apparition would soon be over, Jacqueline asked the Virgin to give some proof of her presence, to which Mary responded with a smile: "Before I go I will send a bright ray of sunlight."

With that, she began to bless the crowd, and as she did so, a mysterious ray of sunshine streamed in through a pane in the southwest window of the choir, illuminating the precise spot of the apparition.

After it was over, Fr Ségelle gave the congregation, many of whom were in tears, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and once more the girls were closely examined.

L'Île-Bouchard, France
Public veneration approved December 8, 2001