The reported apparitions of Our Lady of the Afflicted in Kortenbos, Belgium
In the neighborhood of Kortenbos, located in the city of Hasselt, Belgium, a series of reported apparitions of Our Lady of the Afflicted took place in 1945. The events centered around a statue of the Virgin Mary that allegedly shed tears for a period of time.
The phenomenon began on March 18, 1945, when a woman named Berthe Noben noticed that a small statue of the Virgin Mary in her home was shedding tears. The news quickly spread, and people from near and far flocked to witness the alleged miracle.
Witnesses claimed that tears flowed from the eyes of the statue intermittently over the course of several weeks. Many individuals reported profound experiences of faith, healing, and conversion while in the presence of the statue. The tears were seen by countless people and received significant attention from the local community.
The statue, known as Our Lady of the Afflicted, became a focal point for prayer and pilgrimage. Devotees offered prayers, lit candles, and sought solace and consolation in the presence of the statue. The reported tears were seen as a sign of the Virgin Mary’s compassion and concern for the suffering and afflicted.
However, it’s important to note that the Catholic Church did not officially approve these reported apparitions as authentic. Church authorities conducted investigations and evaluations but did not grant official recognition to the phenomenon.
Nonetheless, the events surrounding Our Lady of the Afflicted in Kortenbos left a lasting impact on those who witnessed and believed in the reported tears of the statue. The episode served as a source of spiritual inspiration and comfort for many individuals during a challenging period in history.
While not officially recognized by the Church, the devotion to Our Lady of the Afflicted continues in the hearts of those who believe in the intercession and compassion of the Virgin Mary. The statue and the reported tears it shed remain a part of local religious lore and a testament to the enduring power of faith and devotion.
Prayer
Immaculate Virgin Mary,
Mother of God and our most compassionate Mother,
we present ourselves in thy sight in all humility,
and with full confidence we implore thee for thy maternal patronage.
Thou hast been proclaimed by Holy Church the Comforter of the Afflicted,
and to thee constant recourse is had by the sorrowful in their afflictions,
the sick in their maladies, the dying in their agony, the poor in their straitened circumstances,
those who stand in all manner of need in both public and private calamities;
and from thee they all receive consolation and strength.
Our dearest Mother,
turn upon us also, wretched sinners that we are, thy merciful eyes,
and graciously accept our humble and confident prayers.
Aid us in all our spiritual and temporal necessities,
deliver us from all evil and especially from sin, which is the greatest evil,
and from all danger of falling into it;
obtain for us from thy Son Jesus every blessing
of which thou seest we stand in need both in soul and body,
and especially the greatest blessing of all, which is Divine grace.
Comfort our spirits, troubled and afflicted in the midst of the many dangers that threaten us,
and the countless miseries and misfortunes that beset us on every side.
This we ask through that immense joy which filled thy pure soul
in the glorious Resurrection of thy Divine Son.
Obtain tranquillity for Holy Church,
help and comfort for her visible Head, the Sovereign Pontiff, peace for Christian princes, refreshment in their pains for the Holy Souls in Purgatory;
for sinners, the forgiveness of their sins, and for the just, perseverance in well-doing.
Receive us all, our most tender Mother, under thy loving and mighty protection,
that we may be enabled to live virtuously,
die holily and attain to everlasting happiness in Heaven.
Amen.” (Source)
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