Queen of All book cover

Queen of All

Queen of Rome, Queen of Islam, Queen of All:
The Marian Apparitions plan to unite all religions Under the Roman Catholic Church

Mary...Millions of Catholics travel to shrines to pray before her image. But what is not commonly known is that Muslims also hold her in high regard, and even among Hindus and Buddhists there is worship of goddesses that bear a striking resemblance to the Catholic Mary.

Chapter One: Queen of All

Apparitions!

          She appears as a living, breathing, three-dimensional lady enveloped in exquisite light. Visionaries and seers describe a beautiful, young woman glowing in radiant splendor. Seers, while describing her as brilliant to behold and arrayed with every splendor, admit that the "Queen of Heaven" transcends human description.

Marian followers also report seeing strange lights and glorious visions that often accompany an apparition. Visions of angels, glowing orbs, tongues of fire, mysterious solar phenomena, and peculiar luminous clouds have been sighted. Because of the tremendous pleasure and joy experienced by visionaries during an apparition, the term ecstasy[1] is the word most often used to describe this event. Those who have witnessed her, admit that they are paralyzed and enraptured by her beauty and charm.

Numerous healings and miracles have been reported at apparition sites around the globe. In addition, the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary has repeatedly announced that her most significant signs and wonders are yet future! She admits that she has not yet revealed her full glory to the world. She predicts heavenly signs and wonders that the whole world will soon witness. Consider the following messages received by three separate visionaries:

My sign is emerging. God wills it thus. Only my children recognize it, as it reveals itself in secrecy, and they praise the Eternal One for it. Today I cannot reveal my power to the whole world. I must withdraw with my children. In secrecy I will perform miracles on the souls until the number of sacrifices has become full. ?Then I can reveal myself to the whole world?[2]

Soon, I will come, my children! Soon, I will be in your midst with a great light. I will enlighten the entire world. Many souls will cry because they did not listen to my call. ?I will pass above everyone in a cloud and everyone will see me. What will become of those who insulted me and made a laughing stock of me? ?I will come soon, my sons, to travel through the entire world. I will give a great sign in the sky for those who will still want to be saved. All those who have recourse to me, who have a look of repentance, this will be sufficient to save them.[3]

I wish to also tell you that before my apparitions end completely, I shall be seen by every denomination and religion throughout this world.  I will be seen among all people, not for just a moment, but everyone will have a chance to see me. As I appeared in Zeitoun, I shall appear again so everyone may see me.  Pray and help my plans to be realized, not just here, but throughout the world.[4] 

The Numbers are Staggering

          Consider that 15 to 20 million Marian followers visit a single shrine in Guadalupe, Mexico, every single year! The shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared in 1531 to seer Juan Diego. On December 12, 1999, the anniversary of the Virgin Mary's appearance, five million pilgrims visited the shrine to pay honor to Our Lady.[5] In addition, 1999 marked the first time in church history that the feast of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe was celebrated by all bishops and priests in the Western Hemisphere. In an apostolic exhortation delivered during his visit to Mexico in 1999, Pope John Paul II elevated December 12 to a holy day for the Catholic Church.[6]

In war-torn Bosnia, an estimated 30 million pilgrims have visited Medjugorje since the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary began in 1981.[7] Besides the six visionaries who regularly receive messages from the Virgin, thousands of pilgrims claim to see signs and wonders; experience healing; and hear the voice of Mary at Medjugorje. Visiting Medjugorje is a painstaking task involving many hours by bus over war-torn roads. The millions of pilgrims who venture to Medjugorje do so with the knowledge that their pilgrimage will be difficult and dangerous -- yet they continue to come in droves.

In Conyers, Georgia, seer Nancy Fowler has received up to 100,000 visitors to her farm on a single day.[8] The pilgrims come from all over, many traveling great distances to hear the most recent message from the Blessed Mother. At the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, in Emmitsburg, Maryland, attendance has increased to 500,000 per year.[9]

Marian Apparitions Everywhere

Marian apparitions from almost every state in America are being reported -- many of these sites are drawing thousands. From New York City to San Francisco numerous reported visitations from the Queen of Heaven have been documented.[10] The sheer number of Marian followers and their determination to hear from the Virgin reveals that these individuals are not merely curious sightseers, but rather a huge, growing flock of Marian disciples.

Five and one-half million pilgrims visit a single apparition site in Lourdes, France annually.[11] Poland's Marian shrine Our Lady of Czestochowa (a favorite of the late Pope John Paul II) draws an estimated five million pilgrims a year.[12] A single apparition site in Knock, Ireland, has drawn millions who come to pray to Our Lady of Knock and visit the Apparition Gable. This Marian shrine has been honored by four popes during the 20th century, including Pope John Paul II, who went on pilgrimage to Knock, Ireland in 1979.[13]

In Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico, a location where the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared more than 50 years ago, multiplied thousands of religious devotees come from all over the world. The site has become so popular that preparations are underway to construct a statue of the Virgin twice as high as New York's Statue of Liberty. A local newspaper reports that:

The grand scale heroic statue of Our Lady of the Rosary, part of the projected 500-acre Mystical City complex, will top at 1,500 feet. It will have room inside to contain radio and TV stations, various chapels, apartments, a food court, conference rooms and an observation deck.[14]

At the famous apparition site in Fatima, Portugal, pilgrims numbering more than one million are in attendance during the October 13th anniversary of the 1917 apparition. Total annual attendance at Fatima is estimated to be 4.5 million, and growing.[15] The list of major apparition sites goes on and on.

Thousands gather every year in Amsterdam to celebrate the International Day of Prayer of the Lady and Mother of All Nations. Scores of priests, bishops and cardinals preside over the event, where thousands of participants from over seventy countries and six continents converge to honor the Lady of All Nations.[16]  This apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared to visionary Ida Peerdeman numerous times. Her main message was that she wants unity. This unity will come only when the Church and pope officially proclaim the Lady of All Nations as Co-Redemptrix.[17]  To date, millions of faithful Marian advocates have petitioned Rome to officially name her Co-Redemptrix.[18]

Growing Worldwide Popularity

The popularity of the apparitions and her messages has grown to mammoth proportions. Marian historians are quick to point out that apparitions of Mary have been recorded throughout the centuries, but never in the history of Marian apparitions has she appeared with such consistency and frequency as in our day.

In 1997, Newsweek ran a cover story on the Virgin Mary. In the article they write: "In many ways, the 20th century has belonged to Mary. From almost every continent, visionaries have reported more than 400 'apparitions' of the Virgin -- more than in the previous three centuries combined.... Taken together, these visions point to what the Marian Movement believes is a millennial 'Age of Mary.'"[19]

We might expect this phenomenon to occur in countries that are predominately Catholic, but apparitions are being reported from Japan to Africa, from Korea to Australia, from Iraq to Israel, from Egypt to Syria. Whether looking deep within the former Soviet Union or among the peoples of India, one thing is found in common -- they are all allegedly being visited by a woman who calls herself Mary, the Queen of Heaven, Our Lady. Father Robert Faricy, quoted in the book Queen of the Cosmos, states:

 Never in the history of Christianity has the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to so many people over so long a period of time with such regularity. Moreover, it seems that the apparitions at Medjugorje have ushered in a new Marian age. There are reports of her appearing everywhere.[20]

 In his book Call of the Ages, author Thomas W. Petrisko writes: "Millions and millions on all continents of the globe have heard and responded to the Virgin Mary's apparitions and messages. Indeed, there is a significant upswing in attendance at Marian shrines everywhere."[21]

The Rev. Charles Dickson, Ph.D., a Lutheran minister, reported this trend in Queen Magazine: "People around the world are traveling enormous distances to demonstrate in person their veneration of the Mother of Our Lord."[22] He goes on to state that France alone has 937 pilgrimage shrines and that at the most popular Marian shrine in France, attendance has increased ten percent in two years.

There are over 1500 Marian pilgrimage shrines in Italy, which account for 85% of all their shrines.[23] These are not backyard grottos, but rather significant shrines where Marian followers pilgrimage to! And while devotion to Mary is most noticeable in Catholic countries, Marian devotion is attracting an enormous following from every religion, race and nation.

Concerning the growing number of apparitions worldwide, noted Catholic Marian author Michael Brown wrote: "[During the second half of the 20th century Marian apparitions] grew to remarkable proportion ? if every daily or weekly apparition is counted in cases where a seer had more than one, the number would not be calculable....the French periodical Le Monde once estimated twenty-one thousand apparitions between 1976 and 1986!"[24]

Our Lady's Ecumenical Peace Plan

A consistent message given by the thousands of apparitions currently manifesting worldwide is one of peace, unity, and tolerance. At Medjugorje, the apparition of Mary has stated:

Dear children, today I invite you to peace. I have come here as the Queen of Peace and I desire to enrich you with my Motherly Peace.... I invite you to become carriers and witnesses of my peace to this unpeaceful world. Let peace rule in the whole world.[25]

In another message, Mary told the seers: "Tell this priest, tell everyone, that it is you who are divided on earth. The Muslims and the Orthodox, for the same reason as Catholics, are equal before my Son and I. You are all my children."[26] Mary's message of peace, unity, and tolerance is one that a distressed and perplexed world craves.

Her reported messages in Betania, Venezuela typify her words of hope given around the world: "My children, I am giving you a piece of Heaven.... Betania, Venezuela. It is for everyone, not only Catholics.... My message is of faith, love, and hope. More than anything, it brings reconciliation between people and nations. It is the only thing that can save this century from war and eternal death."[27]

          According to Charles Dickson, author of A Protestant Pastor Looks at Mary, Mary transcends our cultural and even religious boundaries:

A Muslim student visiting Rome wants especially to see the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Surprised? The poetry of a Syrian mystic is replete with Marian devotion. Surprised? Martin Luther recommended prayer to Mary. Surprised? An American Pentecostalist minister begins to visit shrines of Marian apparitions. Surprised? Muslims refer to Mary as il-Sittneh, or Our Lady. Surprised? A chapter in the Koran is named after her. Surprised? Mary's deep kindness as a mother is portrayed in Chinese art. Surprised? And now a presbyterian minister has written a book recommending praying the rosary. Still surprised? ? a closer investigation of both past history and current events points out that Mary has a universal appeal that transcends our cultural, geographical, and even religious boundaries.[28]

Let the Walls Come Down

          In 2005, Time Magazine featured an image of Mary as The Mother of God on the cover with the title "Hail, Mary -- Catholics have long revered her, but now Protestants are finding their own reasons to celebrate the mother of Jesus." The article explains the stunning trend of the growing Marian devotion among Protestant churches:

In a shift whose ideological breadth is unusual in the fragmented Protestant world, a long-standing wall around Mary appears to be eroding?Mary is also gaining popularity at Protestant divinity schools, where her icons adorn future pastor's walls.[29]

          The article cites examples that were previously unimaginable. For instance, in a Methodist church on Chicago's South Side, flanking the altar are two Mary statues with fresh roses at their feet, and hanging from the hands of the baby Jesus is a Rosary. The altar cover presents the church's most stunning image: Mary again, this time totally surrounded by a multi-colored halo.

          R. Albert Mohler, Jr. -- president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary -- makes the following comments concerning the Time Magazine article on Mary:

The Time cover story is part of a larger phenomenon, with many mainline Protestants turning to a reconsideration of Mary and incorporating the veneration of Mary into personal devotions and corporate worship. Some are going so far as to acknowledge Mary as an intercessor, addressing prayers to her as well as to other saints. Surprisingly enough, some Protestants now argue that believers should pray to Mary, and should request her intercession.[30]

The Queen Promises Unity

Almost all of the apparitions have stated that Mary is going to usher in a new era of peace and unity. Under her mantle all people will gather in peace and solve the problems facing the world. Her emphasis on unity and ecumenism has increasingly garnered attention from the media. The Los Angeles Times reported in an article entitled "Mary's Rising Popularity Goes Beyond Faith" that:

A growing number of Americans from all Christian denominations are reaching out to the Virgin Mary as a comforting conduit of spirituality and a symbol of peace in troubled times.... Reported sightings of Mary have steadily increased across the globe in recent years.... Her maternal gaze seems to have an ecumenical appeal.... It's not just Roman Catholics who are interested in Mary and following the apparitions.... Each day, thousands of people bring their troubles to the sites where the Virgin is claimed to have appeared.[31]

One of the best witnessed series of apparitions occurred at a Coptic Orthodox church in Zeitoun, Egypt, a suburb of Cairo. People from many countries and of varied religious backgrounds witnessed the apparitions from 1968 to1973. It is estimated that the total number of witnesses numbered in the millions! Moslems, Copts, Roman Catholics, Protestants, and others were united in their adoration of the Lady who seemed to be composed of light. Moslems chanted from the Koran: "Mary, God has chosen thee. And purified thee; He has chosen thee above all women." At Zeitoun, as well as countless other sites around the globe, the phenomenon draws together people from every conceivable background.

The following message from the "Lady and Mother of All Nations" states her clear mission:

Try to understand the reason for My coming on this day. The Lord Jesus Christ has selected this great day for "the Lady of All Nations." Her mission is to establish unity among Her nations. She is sent to make one great Community of Her nations. To gather all nations into one Community, that is the task set before the world in this present time, which I have heralded repeatedly.[32]

The Queen's Appeal

In 1996, Life Magazine featured Mary on the cover and asked these questions: "Why are two billion Hail Marys said daily? Why did five million people, many non-Christian, visit Lourdes this year to drink the healing waters? Why did more than 10 million trek to Guadalupe to pray to Our Lady??Why the apparitions? Why are Mary hymns creeping into Methodist songbooks??What is it about Mary?"[33] The Life article goes on to list numerous apparitions and to quote various statistics. For instance, Life notes that "In Italy, 50 weeping Madonna statues have been reported in the past two years." 

Life explains that Mary's popularity is not just among Catholics: "One of the intriguing aspects of the latest rise of Mary is this: The emotional need for her is so irresistible to a troubled world that people without an obvious link to the Virgin are being drawn to her. It's not news that Muslims revere Mary as a pure and holy saint -- she's mentioned 34 times in the Koran, ?but to see large numbers of Muslims making pilgrimages to Christian Marian shrines is a remarkable thing. Interdenominational Marian prayer groups are springing up throughout the world."[34]

There can be no doubt that her ecumenical messages and her maternal appearances attract multitudes. In addition, there is another aspect to the apparitions that is also drawing many. Reported miracles, signs, and wonders have risen sharply in recent decades. In a world that seeks interaction with the supernatural, it is no surprise that many flock to the miraculous. These miracles, if true, would rival the miracles performed in Moses' day. Consider the phenomenon known as "the Miracle of the Sun" commonly reported at sites around the globe.

Miracle of the Sun

At the Fatima apparition site, on October 13, 1917, 70,000 people witnessed the sun fall from the sky. These eyewitnesses said that they watched as the sun fell from heaven toward the crowd and then return to its normal position in the sky. Many thought this was signaling the end of the world and were sure they would perish. Here is a brief recount of the events at Fatima:

Just when it seemed that the ball of fire would fall upon and destroy them, the miracle ceased and the sun resumed its normal place in the sky, shining forth as peacefully as ever. When the people arose from the ground, cries of astonishment were heard on all sides. Their clothes, which had been soaking wet and muddy, now were clean and dry. Many of the sick and crippled had been cured of their afflictions.[35]

The Miracle of the Sun is a common, albeit fantastic, event at many apparition sites. At dozens of locations, literally millions have reported the sun miracle. It happened before a crowd of 100,000 in Puerto Rico on April 23, 1991, which was the 38th anniversary of the apparitions there.[36] It happened again in the Philippines on March 5, 1993, in front of a crowd of 300,000.[37] In El Cajas, Ecuador 120,000 pilgrims were in attendance when the miracle of the sun occurred there in the late 1980's. Similar events have been recorded at such apparition sites as Medjugorje, Bosnia; Denver, Colorado; Lubbock, Texas; and Conyers, Georgia.

The Miracle of the Sun is one of many supernatural wonders reported at apparition sites around the globe. Here is an abridged summary of the miracles reported at just one apparition site:

The appearances of the Mother of God in Medjugorje have been accompanied by a number of miracles, including physical healings (now numbered at 360), reports of the sun dancing or spinning in the sky, rosary links and medals that apparently change from silver to gold, and other phenomenon....Just as Christ worked miracles during his earthly life to authenticate his teaching and ministry, so Our Lady of Medjugorje seems to be using them to validate her presence and messages, which, as always, direct us to her Son.[38]

Queen of All

          While the title of this book may seem presumptuous, as we continue to document, it will become clear that the Queen of Heaven is truly gathering a massive, global following from ever religion and race. The many books on Marian apparitions express that there is a growing consensus that the world is looking for a heavenly Mother -- one who is tender, merciful, and non-judgmental, with the power and influence to solve our problems. Global peace, unity, and tolerance are repeatedly heralded by the Queen of Peace -- as she is often called. This is a common reason for the Marian apparition's universal appeal. The Lady and Mother of All Nations -- a title she ascribed to herself at a popular apparition site -- presents herself as kind and approachable, while at the same time claiming heavenly access and authority.

          In addition to maternal charm, the apparitions draw millions due to the numerous reported signs, wonders, and miracles. The testimony of pilgrims to a physical or emotional healing has proven irresistible to people from all walks of life. This combination of qualities that the apparitions put forth -- a caring Mother, a powerful intercessor, a bridge-builder, and a miracle worker -- has proved successful in bringing together multitudes who would not normally associate. In these difficult days, when our global problems seem insurmountable, a growing number are turning to the Queen of All as perhaps the world's best advocate.


[1] Ecstasy comes from the Greek word ekstasis, meaning trance. In the Book of Acts, both Peter and Paul fell into a trance (Gr. ekstasis) during a vision from God (Refer to Acts 10:10; 22:17).
[2] Thomas Petrisko, Call of the Ages, Santa Barbara, CA, Queenship Publishing, 1995, p. 303. Message received by Barbara Ruess, Marienfried, Germany, June 25, 1946.
[3] Timothy Green Beckley & Art Crockett, Secret Prophecy of Fatima Revealed, New Brunswick, NJ, Inner Light Publications, 1991, pp. 106, 107. Message received by Italian visionary Rosa Quattrini. Compare this Marian message with Zechariah 5, where we are told of a woman, whom God refers to as "Wickedness," who goes forth throughout the entire earth.
[4] "Your Mother of Light to the World." Online posting: www.movingheartfoundation.com/wd4-m-sept24.htm, Message given to Chris Courtis a visionary in Maryland, U.S.A., on September 24, 2004. Accessed November 2, 2005.
[5] "5 Million Pilgrims Visit Virgin's Shrine," Orange County Register, Dec. 13, 1999, p. 20.
[6] Margaret Rameriz, "Huge Throng Hails Virgin of Guadalupe," Los Angeles Times, Dec. 12, 1999, p. B13.
[7] Wayne Weible, The Final Harvest, Brewster, MA, Paraclette Press, 1999, p. xiv.
[8] "Virgin Mary's Messenger Draws Huge Crowd for Final Sermon," Los Angeles Times, Oct. 14, 1998, p. A16.
[9] Petrisko, p. xxix.
[10] Mark Garvey,  Searching for Mary: An Exploration of Marian Apparitions Across the U.S., New York,  The Penguin Group, 1998, p. 25.
[11] Charles Dickson,  A Protestant Pastor Looks at Mary, Huntington, Indiana, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing division, 1996, p. 103.
[12] Ibid., p. 104. Also known as Our Lady of Jasna Gora or the Black Madonna.
[13] Knock: The Apparition Gable From 1879 To the Present, Cashin Printing Services, pp. 3, 19.
[14] Steve Beauclair,  "Skyscraper statue slated for Sabana Grande: $42 million Virgin Mary part of Mystical City," Caribbean Business, Feb. 26, 1998, Late News cover story. Note: The 305 foot high statue will be set on a 1,200 foot base, giving a structure whose total height is 1,500 feet.
[15] Dickson, pp.103, 104.
[16] 3rd International Day of Prayer of The Lady of All Nations, Amsterdam, May 31, 1999, The Family of Mary Coredemptrix, Videocassette, 1999.
[17] Josef Kunzli, editor, The Messages of The Lady of All Nations, Santa Barbara, CA, Queenship Publishing, 1996, p. 85.
[18] 3rd International Day of Prayer of The Lady of All Nations.
[19] Kenneth L. Woodward, "Hail, Mary," Newsweek, Aug. 25, 1997, p. 50.
[20] Jan Connell, Queen of the Cosmos, Brewster, MA, Paraclete Press, 1990, p. 4.
[21] Petrisko, p. xxix.
[22] Rev. Charles Dickson, Ph.D., Queen Magazine, March-April 1994.
[23] Br. Francis Mary, F.F.I., Marian Shrines of Italy, San Francisco, CA, Ignatius Press, 2000.
[24] Michael H. Brown, The Last Secret, Ann Arbor, MI, Servant Publications, 1998, p. 281.
[25] "Message given July 25, 1990," Online posting: www.medjugorje.org/msg90.htm, May 1, 2000.
[26] Richard J. Beyer, Medjugorje Day By Day, Notre Dame, IN., Ave Maria Press, 1993, April 6th meditation.
[27] "Betania - I come to reconcile them," Online posting: http://members.aol.com/bjw1106/marian9.htm, Aug. 28, 1998.
[28] Dickson, A Protestant Pastor Looks at Mary, p. 60.
[29] David Van Biema, "Hail, Mary," Time Magazine, March 21, 2005, pp. 62, 68.
[30] R. Albert Mohler, Jr., The Christian Post, "Mary for Protestants? A New Look at an Old Question," March 18,
2005.
[31] Elaine Gale, "Mary's Rising Popularity Goes Beyond Faith," Los Angeles Times, Dec. 25, 1998, p. A41.
[32] Kunzli, p. 89. Message given on May 31, 1955.
[33] Robert Sullivan, "The Mystery of Mary," Life Magazine, Dec., 1996, p. 45.
[34] Ibid., pp. 45, 58, 60.
[35] Our Lady of Fatima's Peace Plan From Heaven, Tan Books and Publishers, Inc., 1983,
pp. 7, 8.
[36] Thomas W. Petrisko, editor, "Our Lady of the Rosary in Puerto Rico," Our Lady Queen of Peace, McKees Rock, PA, Pittsburgh Center for Peace, Special Edition I, 2nd Printing, Winter 1992, p. 13.
[37] "Filipinos flock to glimpse vision of Mary," The Tennessean, Volume 89, Number 66, Mar. 7, 1993, p. 2A.
[38] Beyer, Introduction.

--Excerpt used by author's permission. © Copyrighted material


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