Over five-hundred apparitions of the Virgin Mary have been reported throughout the centuries, bathed in a golden light, crying or at peace. Only twelve apparitions have been sanctioned by the Catholic Church. Out of the twelve apparitions five have occurred to young girls and teenagers. Alone or with a group of friends the young women have experienced a religious ecstasy.

Our Lady of Laus

In May of 1664 Benoite Rencurel a young shepherdess witnessed an apparition of the Virgin Mary in Saint-Étienne-le-Laus, France. She was seventeen, praying the Rosary, and watching her flock when an elderly figure of a man appeared and told her to go to the valley above Saint-Étienne “That is where you will see the Mother of God.”

La Salette

On September 19,1846 Mélanie Calvat aged fourteen and Maximin Giraud  aged eleven saw the figure of a woman sat on a rock in tears at the ravin de la Sezia near La Salette, France. The woman was bathed in a resplendent light, golden as the sun. Mélanie Calvat wrote a description of the vision in 1851 

“The clothing of the Most Holy Virgin was silver white and quite brilliant. It was quite intangible. It was made up of light and glory, sparkling and dazzling. There is no expression nor comparison to be found on earth. The most Holy Virgin had a yellow pinafore.

What am I saying, yellow? She had a pinafore more brilliant than several suns put together. It was not a tangible material; it was composed of glory, and the glory was scintillating, and ravishingly beautiful.

    The crown of roses which she placed on her head was so beautiful, so brilliant, that it defies imagination. The different coloured roses were not of this earth; it was a joining together of flowers which crowned the Most Holy Virgin.

   The Most Holy Virgin was tall and well proportioned. She seemed so light that a mere breath could have stirred her, yet she was motionless and perfectly balanced. Her face was majestic, imposing. The voice of the Beautiful Lady was soft. It was enchanting, ravishing, warming to the ears.

The eyes of the majestic Mary appeared thousands of times more beautiful than the rarest brilliants, diamonds, and precious stones. They shone like two suns; but they were soft, softness itself, as clear as a mirror. The Holy Virgin was crying nearly the whole time she was speaking to us. Her tears flowed gently, one by one, down to her knees, then, like sparks of light they disappeared. They were glittering and full of love. I would have liked to comfort her and stop her tears.”

Lourdes

On 11 February 1858, fourteen year old Bernadette Soubirous went with her younger sister Toinette and friend Jeanne Abadie to collect firewood. They had walked to Massabielle and saw a grotto in front of which there was a stream. Bernadette took off her shoes to wade through the water, as she did so she heard a rush of wind but the surrounding tress and bushes did not move. She saw a light in the grotto and a little girl, as small as she was, dressed in white with a blue belt fastened around her waist and golden yellow roses on each foot, the colour of her rosary. 
 

Fatima

Six apparitions of the Virgin Mary occurred in Fatima to three shepherd children Lucia aged, 10, Jacinta aged 7 and Francesco aged 9.  On the 13th of May 1917 Our Blessed Lady appeared for the first time. The young children were playing when they saw a flash of lightening, they naturally thought that a storm was brewing and herded their sheep together to take them home. They saw a second flash of lightening and shortly afterwards above a small holm oak tree they saw a Lady dressed entirely in white and shining more brilliantly than the sun.  

Our lady of Banneux

Between January 15 and March 2, 1933 eleven year old Mariette Beco saw eight visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her first apparition occurred outside her family home. It was seven pm there was snow on the ground and she was sitting at the kitchen window looking out into the darkness for her brother Julien to return from an errand. . While she sat staring into the darkness, she saw a young lady bathed in light. She called out:

“Look mother it is Our Blessed Lady, She is smiling at me”

Contributors 

Revd Jennie Hogan talking with Lady Lucy 

Hayley Lock 

Flora Whiteley 

Sister Margarett Birkett and Hilda Smith 

Rachael House 

Sinead Wheeler 

Sarah Sparkes 

Chutney 3. The Voice of Chutney

Camberwell Green 28^th June 2008

Sisters of Lady is the working title for a series of new collaborative works and events by the artist Lady Lucy. Sisters of Lady Is a creative order of a collaborative kind. Artist Lady Lucy is forming a loose collective of women interested in becoming part of this sisterhood. 

The sisterhoods mission is an investigation into the links between radical female religious figures  and communities and feminist activist  figures and communities. Lady Lucy is seeking contributions for a Pamphlet for the event

Chutney 3 taking place on Camberwell Green on 28^th June.

Lady Lucy invites sisters to contribute a page for a Sisters of Lady Pamphlet. Your contribution could be an act of prayer or protest or neither. A piece of writing, a song, a photograph, a drawing. 

Examples and suggestions for pages so far have included:

Mary Woolstonesrcaft involvement with the Unitarian Church

http://www.new-unity.org/#/mary-wollstonecraft/4533317582

The Monks covers garage band The Nuns

http://www.myspace.com/itsnuntime

Hildegaard Von Bingen

http://www.hildegard-society.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen

Sister Corita Kent

http://www.corita.org/

A page from a contemporary Book of Hours. 

http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=2868

Using your contributions Lucy will  publish and illustrate  a  limited edition artist work in the form of a 12 page printed pamphlet to be distributed at

 The upcoming  event Chutney 3   taking place on Camberwell Green 

Sunday 28th April 2009 

Deadline for contributions is  the 10th of June 2009. 

Sisters of Lady Pamphlet is funded by  The Chutney Preserves. 

http://sistersoflady.wordpress.com

http://chutneypreserves.blogspot.com