Voisin & Degeimbre Beauraing, Belgium, 1932 (Our Lady of Beauraing)

 

Feastday not known                                   

Born not known                   

Died not Known

                                                                       

On the evening of November 29th 1932 in the small Belgium town of Beauraing, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to five children between November 1932 and January 1933.  On the first occasion of the apparitions four of the five Fernande Voisin (15yrs), Andreee Degeimbre (14yrs), Gilberte Degeimbre (9yrs) and Albert Voisin (11 yrs) were on their way to the local convent school to meet Albert’s sister Gilberte Voisin (13yrs) who had stayed behind to study. Albert ran ahead of the girls and rang the door to the convent. As he waited for a sister to come to the door, he turned around  and looked toward the street and railroad bridge “Look! The Virgin, dressed in white, is walking above the bridge!” he cried out. The girls did not believe him but when they turned around they saw the figure of a beautiful Lady in white walking above the bridge and the grotto by the convent with clouds covering her feet. The sister who came to the door could not see the Blessed Vigin Mary, but Gilberte Voisin did. This was the first of thirty three apparitions of Our Lady to the children of Beauraing between November 29th 1932 and January 3rd 1933.

 

 

 

 

Chronology of the visions

 

December 1, 1932

The children receive four different visits from the Blessed Virgin Mary. No verbal dialogue. 1

 

December 2, 1932

Albert was the first to speak asking her, “Are you the Immaculate Virgin?” The Lady smiled and nodded Her head. The children asked the Blessed Virgin what she wanted of them to which she replied “Always be good.” Disappearing. Re-appearing she asked “Is it true you will always be good?”  “Yes!” cried out Andre “we will always be good” The Blessed Virgin smiled and disappeared. 2

 

December 3-7, 1932

During the course of the following week the Virgin Mary appeared again and asked that they all attend mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception December 8. 3

 

December 8, 1932 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception)

A crowd of 15,000 pilgrims assembled expecting a great miracle but they only saw the children in ecstasy impervious to lighted matches held at their hands, pin pricks or lights shone in their eyes. 4

 

December 17, 1932

The Blessed Virgin asked for a chapel to be built.  5

 

December 21, 1932

The Blessed Virgin, luminous with heavenly light told the children “I am the Immaculate Virgin.” 6

 

December 23 1932

Fernande asked her “Why do you come?” The Blessed Virgin stated “That people might come here on pilgrimages.” 7

 

December 28, 1932

The Blessed Virgin told the children that on the 3rd of January would be her final apparition at which point she would speak to them separately. 8

 

December 29, 1932

The Blessed Virgin opened Her arms in Her usual gesture of farewell. This time Fernande saw a Heart of Gold, surrounded by glittering rays accompanied by Mary’s exhortation “Pray, pray, very much.” 9

 

December 31, 1932

All the children saw Mary’s golden heart. 10

 

January 1, 1933

The Blessed Virgin spoke to Gilbert Voisin asking her to “pray always” with the emphasis on always. 11

 

January 2, 1933

The Blessed Virgin told all the children that the next day she would speak to each of them separately and confide to each a secret. 13

 

January 3, 1933

A large crowd of between 30,000 and 35,000 pilgrims assembled as the children began their rosary. Mary spoke to Gilbert Voisin “I will convert sinners” and then “Goodbye.” To Andre she said “I am the mother of God, the Queen of Heaven. Pray always.” After a disappointing and pregnant pause Fernande along with many in the crowd heard a vision of a clap of thunder and then he privately saw a ball of fire on the hawthorn tree where the Blessed Virgin appeared and asked him “Do you love my Son and Me?” to which Fernande replied that he did. The Blessed Virgin continued “Then sacrifice yourself for me” glowed with extraordinary brilliance and then said “Goodbye.” 14

 

The secrets given to the children have never been revealed.

 

References

1. Sharkey, A Woman clothed with the Sun;  Beevers, The Sun Her Mantle;  Sharkey & Debergh, Our Lady of Beauraing, Indiana, 1973; F. Toussaint & C. Joset, Beauraing, Les Apparitions, (Desclée De Brouwer)

2. ibid

3. ibid

4. ibid

5. ibid

6. ibid

7. ibid

8. ibid

9. ibid

10. ibid

11. ibid

12. ibid

13. ibid

14. ibid