Dictionary published with 2,600 apparitions of the Virgin Mary

January 3, 2011. The Vatican has only officially recognized 15 apparitions, but this does not necessarily mean that the others are not valid. Theologian René Laurentin specializes in the study of the Virgin Mary and has cataloged and published all the apparitions in his book “Dictionary of Apparitions of the Virgin Mary.” It includes around 2,600 entries on the apparitions of the Virgin Mary from around the world.

Msgr. Rene Laurentin

Author, “Dictionary of Apparitions of the Virgin Mary”

“The French edition has 2,400 apparitions. I added about 100 more entries to the Italian version, so this one has some 2,500 articles. It's better than the French edition because it has new apparitions from Brazil, where I went this May, as well as the Italian apparitions.”

Angelo Serra

Editor, “Dictionary of Apparitions of the Virgin Mary”

“The original dictionary was published in French in 2007. We immediately became interested in it, but we had to wait for it to be translated, to be more precise with the technical aspects. Monsignor Laurentin added some modifications to the Italian edition. Mainly corrections and updates of apparitions that allegedly took place between the publication of the French and Italian edition.”

Since 1954, the author has studied the apparitions of the Virgin, which has made him one of the world's leading experts in the field.

Msgr. Rene Laurentin

Author, “Dictionary of Apparitions of the Virgin Mary”

“At that time the apparitions were merely an object of piety, not theology. I began to study the theology behind it and realized that an apparition can not bring a new message.”

Monsignor Laurentin assures that the Virgin appears to remind “to our deaf ears the urgency of the message of Christ.” Something he says that occurred in a special way in Lourdes.

Msgr. Rene Laurentin

Author, “Dictionary of Apparitions of the Virgin Mary”

“I have no preference for any apparition because it is always the Virgin, but what happened to Bernadette in Lourdes was very pure, very simple.”

The book makes for an essential guide for the curious, devotees and scholars of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary from across the globe.