What is the RCC's opinion of the Marian Apparitions, of Zeitoun, Egypt?
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The Apparitions Of Virgin Mary
At Zeitoun, Egypt
THE [Alexandian] PAPAL DELEGATION
Some priests of high rank were then delegated by His Holiness Anba Kyrillos VI, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the Holy See of St. Mark in all Africa and the Near East (at the time of the apparitions), to make researches and investigations on the spot. They stayed there for several nights enquiring and investigating until they saw with their own eyes the blessed Virgin's apparition in the full form moving on the domes and blessing the multitudes in front of the church.. During that period She was seen in different forms, all in luminous vivid body; sometimes in a bust, and sometimes in full form, always surrounded by a white glittering halo and making Her appearance either from the dome openings or from the space between the domes on which She used to move and march and bow before the Cross on the church roof, making it emanate a magnificent light. She used also to face the multitudes of people in front of the church and bless them with Her hands and with nods from Her blessed head.
Sometimes the apparition was in the form of a celestial body like a glittering white cloud or in the form of light preceded by some spiritual forms such as doves of great speed.
The apparitions used to last for quite a long time; on April 30th 1968 they lasted for two hours.
The apparitions have been witnessd by many thousands of citizens and foreigners belonging to different religions and sects, with groups of religious organizations and scientific and professional personages and all other categories of people who have proclaimed and announced their witnesses.. all giving the same particulars as to description and form and time and place, that unanimity has placed the matter of Virgin's apparition beyond any doubt.
This apparition has been accompanied by two important matters:
1. The first is the strong belief in God, the other world and the saints, thus having many of the unbelievers and those of weak belief repent and be regenerated through their new true belief.
2. The second is the miraculous cure that has occured to many patients whose cases have been examined by all concerned, medically and scientifically.
Miraculous Cures at Zeitoun:
Upon visiting The Coptic Church of Zeitoun many patients suffering from incurable diseases have been miraculously cured. The Papal Committee have examined the cures medically and scientifically. Blindness, paralysed organs, cancer and dumbness have been miraculously cured by supplicating the Blessed Virgin in the Zeitoun Church dedicated to Her. Doctors were amazed and officially reported that there was no medical explanation for such cures.
We hope that this blessing will be a sign of peace to the world and good omen of prosperity to our beloved patron and blessed nation.
The Apparition of the Virgin has been accompanied by a number of miracles confirmed by the leading doctors. Those miracles still occur up to the present day.
Those miracles that accompanied the Virgin's apparition were mentioned in the magazines and books.
However, I find it necessary to record some of the miracles that happened in my time and which I witnessed after being ordained as a priest on the Apostles' Feast in July 1972. Those miracles have occurred since that time and up to the present day.
l. THE VIRGIN AND THE CHURCH'S CLERGY:
On the second of April 1968, the Virgin made Her apparition over the domes of the Church at Zeitoun, and was seen by the workmen at the garage facing the church.
His reverence Father Costantin the devout priest, saw the Virgin on the eastern dome on the 10th of April 1968.
While his reverence was praying in the Virgin's church at Kasryet El-Rihan (in Ancient Cairo), and while elevating the incense of the evening mass, light filled the church. That was on 21st August, 1969.
As for me, it was first suggested that I should take up holy orders in 1942, and was finally ordained in 1972, i.e. after 30 years, in the Virgin's church in particular. I had always refused to be ordained as I believed that I was not worthy of that honour until the Virgin finally attracted me.
During the first week after my return from the Virgin's monastery in El-Natroun Valley, and while I was giving a sermon at church, those present assured me that the Virgin was standing in front of the altar during the sermon, and in full glory. Those who saw the Virgin were so amazed that they did not utter a word.
2. THIS IS YOUR GROOM:
A wealthy young lady, who does not belong to the congregation of the Church, came to me at the church. She was accompanied by another lady from El-Dokki suburb. The young lady saw, in dream, the Virgin point to Christ and say, "This is your groom." The dream was repeated three times on three successive nights. The young lady told her family about the dream and asked me, with tears streaming down her cheeks, what she is to do.
What is stranger still, another girl came to me the next week, and she had the same dream. The Virgin spoke to her using the same words. Pointing to Christ, She said, "This is your groom!" The other girl, deeply moved, then asked me the same question, "What am I to do?"
3. THE VIRGIN AND THE VIAL OF OIL:
When the liturgy was over on Wednesday, and I was talking to some ladies in a side altar, a lady with a fair Complexion and round face, and of medium height, and dressed in white, offered me a vial of oil, bidding me to have a look at the vial. Strangely enough, I saw the figure of the Virgin on the vial.
The lady smiled, offered me some oil and then disappeared.
During a whole year, I went on looking for that lady. After each sermon, I used to ask for information about her, but no trace of her was to be found.
In a meeting with His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, may God preserve him, in his cell at the monastery, I offered him half the oil and kept the other half. I wonder, was it the Virgin?!
4. THE VIRGIN AND NECK CANGER:
O God! How this lady cried! It was almost a flood of tears! She was bitterly crying in the altar, and she went on crying heartily after everyone else had gone. So, I approached her and asked her what was wrong.
She replied that she had taken it to heart that the Virgin did not help her. According to her, "The Virgin mediates for a lot of people and cures them, and yet She leaves this malignant tumour in my neck... My young children are in need of me, and yet the doctors say that I have only forty days to live."
I assured her that, if she prayed fervently enough that night, and besought the Virgin's help, She would surely come to her aid. Then, I anointed her with holy oil.
That night, the lady prayed earnestly and insistently beseeching the Virgin to help her. She then fell asleep in tears. The Virgin came to her, and in a loving merciful tone reassured her saying, "Don't be afraid, I am going to cure you." The Virgin, touched the woman's neck with Her hand and extracted the malignant tumour, and placed it on a chest of drawers in the room.
The next day, the lady hurried to the church, in great joy, carrying the tumour in a handkerchief. I had her stand in the middle of the congregation and tell her story and narrate how merciful God had been to her!
5. SEVEN CROSSES AND THE WORD 'AVNOTI' IN COPTIC LETTERS:
The son had an incurable mental disease. So, the husband could not stand the depressing atmosphere at home, and deserted it with no intention of coming back. The mother gave way to her tears.
One day, the mother came to the church, feeling very bitter, and said that she believed in the Virgin and in God's mercy, though she was not a Christian herself. I answered her that God extended his mercy to everyone, and I advised her to make a round of the Church and to ask for the mediation of the Virgin that She might have pity on her and help her.
Before she left, she asked for some holy oil to anoint her mad son with.
After two whole months, the mother, escorted by her 15 years old son, came back to church and said that the boy had been completely cured and had become sane again. The husband, too, returned home. The family were reunited and they lived happily.
She said that her son's cure was effected thus. She asked for a paper and a pen and wrote something and showed it to me. I saw seven crosses with the Coptic word 'Avnoti' to their right and left. That was the beginning of his cure. May God's name be blessed!
I showed the paper to the congregation after the evening mass. But, O God! The people snatched the paper, and I saw it go from hand to hand until it finally disappeared!
How sorry I was! I should have liked to keep that paper with the seven crosses and Coptic word on it. But our people cannot help being emotional.
6. THE VIRGIN RESTORES HER SIGHT TO HER:
Mrs. S.S.T. has asked that this miracle should be mentioned, so that God's name may be glorified.
The lady grieved very much, and fell asleep, and when she awoke she found that she had lost her eye-sight.
The doctors could not help her. But she saw the Virgin in a vision, and She assured her that she would recover her sight at the end of the liturgy.
The Virgin made Her apparition on the church dome, and the sign of the cross over her eyes. The lady, in her joy tried to embrace the Virgin, but her hands held nothing. The lady went home, with her heart gladdened and her sight restored through the mediation of the Mother of the True Light. The above-mentioned miracle was published at the time when it occurred.
7. THE VIRGIN AND THE LOVE OF THE POOR:
The "Charity Committee" at the Virgin's church at Zeitoun bought a lot of heavy cotton material for the poor and orphans, for 300 pounds. That kind of cloth was hard to get at that time. So, one of the richer folk, who went to the church, offered to buy part of the material for himself, and of course pay the price.
Hardly had a day gone by, when the Virgin appeared to him in a dream, gently blaming him, and asking him to send the material back at once.
Blessed be our Lady, the Mother of our Saviour, who is so kind to the poor!
8. A SERIOUS AILMENT IN THE EAR:
Mrs. A.F. had a serious ailment in the ear which the doctors could find no cure for. She was at a loss what to do as medicine was of no avail. She placed her ear on the Virgin's picture at her home, and with great faith, prayed the Virgin not to fail her, having resorted to the Virgin's help.
She felt faith and hope pervading her self. She slept and at night, the Virgin came to her saying, "I have heard your call and here I am.... I have come to cure you." The lady awoke, fully recovered.
9. THE BIBLE AND THE BULLET:
M.H. is the only son of a widow. He volunteered to join the army, and was sent to the battle-field during the October war (1973). The young man, who is also a deacon at the Virgin's Church, asked me to give him a Bible to place in his pocket to protect him from danger. I gave him one.
As God willed, he was hit by a bullet that could have reached his heart. However, its passage was stopped by the Bible, though it could have penetrated a wall. I followed the hole made by the bullet in the Bible and saw that it ended at the words: "And who is he that will harm you, if we be followers of that which is good?..... and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled" (1 Peter 3:13,14). I showed the Bible at all the churches where I gave sermons, and at the different monasteries and in various towns, other than Cairo. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, may God preserve him, also showed it to the heads of the different sects and to his visitors.
Blessed be the Lord! How truly you keep us from all harm! "He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways," and "there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."
10. THE CURE OF THE GENERAL:
General George Habib, at the head of his tanks and armoured cars, rushed through the Ber-Lev line. So, the Jєωs hastened to flood the whole area with Napalm that gives forth a terribly intense heat--3000 degrees C.--; heat enough to let iron melt.
In the midst of the terrible fire, George cried out three times from the depths of his heart invoking the succour of Christ. He, then passed out. When he came to, he found himself outside the line of fire! Who dragged him to safety?
I visited him at the military hospital at Helmeya, and then at El-Maadi, and gave him Holy Communion. It was said that when they took off his helmet, they had to tear away the flesh of his head with it.
I asked him what he did while leading his troops.
He said that he was reciting Psalm No91 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the Shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust."
He had an exacerbation and serious complications. So, I hurried to visit him. He said, "Please, ask our Lady to come at once, before it is too late."
Thank God! The Virgin Came to his help. Through plastic surgery, parts of the skin of his thigh were fitted on to his head. He is now fully recovered, and has resumed his work, having undergone many surgical operations, and having been helped by the Virgin. He said that the Virgin used to come and change the dressings. She touched his leg, and it was cured. She came back and touched his back, and it became well. She finally returned and touched his head, and it healed!
11. THE EYES IN THE VIRGIN'S PICTURE CLOSE AND OPEN:
Dr. S.T. from El-sinbelwien was highly diabetic and seriously ill. His wife brought him to the Virgin's Church seeking the Virgin's mediation. The family settled in Heliopolis to be able to visit the church from time to time.
The family resorted to prayer, and while doing so, they smelled incense. They were amazed to see the picture of the Virgin, that was on the opposite wall, close and open Her eyes very slowly for several times. The book of prayers became soaked with oil! The sick man was fully recovered.
The family still keeps the book of prayers and the oil up to the present day.
12. THE VIRGIN MAKES HER APPARITION ON THE BIBLE:
Mrs. Angele Habib had wished, from all her heart, to see the Virgin as She made Her apparition over the domes of the church. But that was not to be. So, she was greatly disappointed and cried bitterly.
She always had a Bible with her, placing it under her pillow when she went to sleep. One night, she begged, with tears, to see the Virgin. She woke up to find the Virgin's picture, with Christ in Her arms, imprinted on the Bible with oil.
The lady still keeps the Bible, and shows it to the Fathers. She says that she has shown it to his reverence Bishop Anba Agregaryous.
The Virgin never fails us, being our loving Mother. Blessed be thou, who art the pride of our race!
13. THE STORY OF THE PEBBLE:
gαyed Guirguis is a senior inspector at the Ministry of Education. While he was making his rounds, he had a meal and he suffered from food poisoning. He went on vomiting till his tongue got dry and stuck to his palate. He felt extremely exhausted and on the point of death. He was alone as he lived away from his family. He asked for the Virgin's help. In the midst of his prayers, he felt a figure get into his room, and sit on the edge of his bed. It was the Virgin, in full glory. She reached out Her hand to him, and beckoned as if She were expelling something out of his body, and then She went out. The patient felt as if an electric current had passed through his body restoring him to full health. By his side he had a pebble that fell to the ground. It broke into two halves. There, sure enough, the Virgin's picture was imprinted on the pebble. She had an angel standing at one side, and three persons kneeling near the hem of Her overflowing dress.
The Virgin has left Her picture as a clear evidence of Her visit.
14. THE VIRGIN GETS OUT OF THE PICTURE, BLESSES THE HOUSE AND GETS BACK:
Engineer R.A.B. has an ancient picture of the Virgin at home, a picture that dates to over a hundred years back. At 11 O'clock A..M. on Thursday 17/2/1972, he was reading the Pope's sermon that was published in El-Gamhoureya newspaper. His wife was at his side reading the Pope's sermon in Watani weekly paper... He saw the Virgin come out of Her picture and stand over the window-sill. She had all the dimensions of real life. He was so amazed that he could not utter a word for a minute or two. Then he controlled himself and drew his wife's attention to what he saw. The Virgin returned to Her picture.
On Friday morning (18/2/72), he went to Holy Communion. He told the Father, who received his confessions, what he saw. The Father counselled him to have the picture placed in a special shrine, without any glass, so that the picture may be a source of blessing. The engineer had side lights fitted in, and El-Mahabba Society prepared the shrine that had a glass screen. When the shrine was lit; the glass screen, which dimmed the picture, fell and broke into pieces.
The engineer, then carried the picture to His Holiness Pope Shenouda III who dedicated it to St. George's Church at Kotsika.
El-Mahabba Bookshop charged the engineer 10 pounds for the shrine. He paid that sum of money. On the same day, when he returned home, the postman delivered him a letter, sent by his bank, and announcing that one of his investment certificates had won 10 pounds.
15. THE VIRGIN SAVES A CHILD FROM UNDER THE WHEELS OF AN EXPRESS TRAIN:
The mother and her child had moved to visit the Virgin at Her Church at Zeitoun. So, they came from Alexandria especially for that purpose. When they were trying to get off the train, at a station seven kilometres off Cairo, they were pushed by the multitudes. The mother fell away from the rails and was not injured. As for the twelve years old son, he fell under the wheels.
The mother screamed and passed out.
When she came to, she found her son by her side calling: "Mother! Mother!"
In amazement, the mother asked him how he made good his escape. He replied that he found, by his side, a Lady in white garments and with light emanating from Her face. She placed Her hand over his head and he bent it. Seven wagons passed over him. The Lady reassured him saying, "Don't be afraid, I am your Mother, the Virgin." When the last wagon passed, he rose and saw the Lady disappear. However, he still feels the Lady tenderly touch his hand, and Her beautiful sight still haunts his memory.
Blessed be our Lady and the pride of our race. You take good care of your children, and hurry to their protection and help.
P.S. We made a recording of the story as told by the mother and her son, and took a photograph for the boy, with marks of the rails showing clearly on his back.
16. THE VIRGIN'S APPARITION IN GUIZA:
An elderly person entered the church, carrying a blade in his hand. He was in a rage and started threatening everyone that tried to stop him saying, "You Copts are causing me a nervous breakdown through the ringing of your church bells... The priest has got to be killed!..."
Poor man! He was suffering from his nerves, and his left hand was paralysed. He entered the church full of rage and of spite. He was as strong as an excited bull, and the people found great difficulty in stopping him.
The priest had to hide in the altar. After much ado, that fellow was taken out of the church. As he went out, he waved his hand in a threatening manner saying that he would be back as the priest had to be killed.
The next day he returned. But this time, he was composed and calm. He wished to say 'a word of truth'. During the night, after he had excitedly entered the church, he saw the Virgin who blamed him in a gentle voice for his foul behaviour. She touched his paralysed hand and it immediately came to life. He added, "O Christian brethren, you are my folk, and you are dear to my heart... but where is the priest?"
--"What for? To kill him?"
--"No, but to kiss his feet." Here, the priest made his appearance, and the man actually bowed and kissed his feet. The two embraced each other.
O how strange! and it all took place through the mediation of the Virgin.
17. THE VIRGIN IN MANSOURA:
A needle pierced her hand, and was buried deep in the flesh. She was operated on twice to get the needle out, but in vain. Only one thing remained to be done, and that was to amputate the girl's hand, lest the needle should be carried by the blood stream into the heart.
The girl was told to pray, and to ask for the mediation of our kind-hearted Mother, the Virgin. The girl prayed, and then went to sleep, all the time repeating the one phrase, "O Virgin!"
In her sleep, the Virgin came to her. The Virgin asked her, in a tender loving voice, to reach out her hand. She then extracted the needle, placed it in a table-cloth, drew a blood cross, and wrote her blessed name, "Mary". She patted the girl and left her with a sweet smile.
I was invited to give a sermon in El-Mansoura. And there, at the entrance of the church, at Toreil, I saw a frame inside which were exhibited the table cloth, the needle, the cross in blood, and the signature of the Virgin Mary.
When this miracle was announced, a lot of people travelled to Mansoura, and saw the miracle for themselves.
18. THE BRAIN HAEMORRHAGE:
She was extremely happy when she gave birth to that child. It was a God-send which she had to wait many years for.
Her happiness did not last for long. The child had a brain haemorrhage. The doctors lost hope though some advised the performance of an operation. The chances of success in that operation do not exceed 1%.
Here, the mother resorted to the Virgin. She came to me in the altar, and I counselled her to place the name of the child in the altar whenever she came to church.
At Christmas, and immediately before I gave the sermon, I received a letter that contained bills for thirty pounds. The woman who sent the letter said that she at last had a visit from the Virgin who had pity on her, and cured her child. That sum of money was part of the fees that could have been paid to the surgeons, had the operation been performed. The mother donated it to the poor. I told the congregation about the miracle and the donation. As for the lady's name and address, they are kept at church. She didn't like to have her name announced. May God's name be glorified, and our Mother the Virgin be thanked.
19. A MAN FOLLOWING ME:
On my way to the altar, to make the final preparations for mass, I went through the door leading to the baptism room. A man stood in my way wishing to have a word with me. I asked him to come another time as it was already late then. But he insisted, and gave me a sealed envelope which I took and placed on the altar and then forgot all about it.
So, a deacon gave it back to me. Then, I got into the administration room and left it there. So, Father Constantin handed it back to me. I cast a look at it and saw that it had a strange address:
"The Needy Families that cannot beg." Inside was the exact sum of money which I gave to the "unknown needy families"--which figure was a secret unknown to any one but me. It was already the first day of the month, and I didn't have, till that moment, the money which should be given to the needy families.
So, these questions still remain.... Who was that person who stood in my way and offered me the money?
How did he know?!
This incident strengthened in me the belief that: WHAT WE FORGET GOD REMEMBERS AND WHAT WE DISREGARD GOD DISPOSES.
20. HELP ME OUT OF MY DIFFICULTIES:
He worked in the field of education and he incurred a lot of expenses: those of the marriage of his two daughters. He became a bankrupt and had to sell the furniture of his home and the gold bracelets of his wife, and he ran in debt.
Then something happened which nearly put him out of mind: L.E. 500, in his trusteeship at school, were stolen. The next day might bring along with it an auditor who would certainly discover the loss and send him to prison. Scandal and disgrace were staring him in the face.
+ He made up his mind to commit ѕυιcιdє.
+ As a final resort, he came to seek the church's help and asked me to save him. "Help me out of my difficulties," he cried out desperately.
I asked him to wait till I came back from the sermon. It was Sunday evening, and more than a thousand attended evening mass. I placed a note in front of me so as not to forget that wretched person waiting in the administration room. Nevertheless, I concluded my sermon and forgot to ask the congregation to help him. The people left. When I remembered the man, my head turned round O God! Why have I forgotten?! What should I do?!
At that very moment I was told that a woman inside the altar was asking for me. She was dressed in white and looked extremely pious. Smiling, she gave me a sum of money and said something. Her words keep coming back to my ears till the present day. "Help someone out of his difficulties," she said.
O God! the very words of the man in the administration room! The sum that pious lady paid was L.E. 500, the very sum needed!
+ Who was that lady?!
+ As for the reason why I forgot...
It so happened that God might offer the solution Himself.
Topic: Zeitoun Marian Apparition?? (Read 2886 times)