The apparitions (1933)

From 15th January to 2nd March 2, 1933, ‘Our Lady’, who presents herself as the Virgin of the Poor, appears eight times to Mariette Beco.

Mariette Beco was born on 25th March 1921. She is the eldest of a family of seven children. The family is experiencing difficult living conditions and lives in a modest isolated working house, set back from the road, away from the village of Banneux, in front of a large fir wood.

On Sunday evening, 15th January 1933, Our Lady appeared in the garden of Beco’s small house for the first time. She called Mariette by the wave of her hand, but Mariette’s mother forbade her to go out.

Wednesday, 18th January 1933 at 7 p.m., Mariette was in the garden and prayed on her knees. Suddenly, Mariette left the garden and entered the road where the lady called her.

On the way to Mary, Mariette fell on her knees twice. A third time, she knelt near the ditch, in front of a puddle of water from the spring. The Lady spoke to her, “Push your hands in the water.” Mariette did it and repeated what the Lady said to her, “This source is reserved for me. Good evening. Goodbye.”

On Thursday, 19th January 1933, the weather was very bad. Mariette was on her knees in the path. The lady appeared to her. Mariette asked her, “Who are you, beautiful lady?”  Mary replied, “I am the Virgin of the Poor.” The Virgin led the child to the way to the spring. Mariette questioned her again, “Beautiful Lady, you told me yesterday: this spring is reserved for me. Why for me?” Mariette thought herself, believing that the spring is for her. With a smile, the Virgin answered, “This spring is reserved for all Nations… to relieve the sick.”  “Thank you, thank you!” said Mariette. The Virgin continued, “I will pray for you. Goodbye.”

On Friday, 20th January 1933, Mariette stayed in her bed all day long: she did not sleep well. She woke up at 6:45 p.m., got dressed and left home. When the Virgin appeared again, Mariette exclaimed, “Oh, here she is.” Then she asks, “What do you desire, my beautiful Lady?” The Virgin answered her with a smile, “I would like a little chapel.” The Virgin extended her hands out and blessed the child with Her right hand.

After three weeks of calmness, The Virgin interrupted her visits. Mariette, however, remained faithful: she prayed at 7 p.m. in the garden every day.

On Saturday, 11th February 1933, once again, Mariette was driven on the road. The child knelt twice, dipping his hands in the water at the spring and making a sign of the cross. Suddenly, she got up and ran towards the house and cried. She did not understand what the Virgin told her, “I come to relieve suffering.” She did not understand the word “relieve.” But she knew it was something good, since the Virgin  smiled at her.

Three days passed by. On Wednesday evening, 15th February, the Virgin appeared to her for the sixth time. Mariette passed on Father Jamin’s request to Mary, she said, “Holy Virgin, Mr. Chaplain told me to ask you for a sign.” The Virgin answered, “Believe in me, I will believe in you.” For Mariette, She added, “Pray a lot. Goodbye.” The Virgin entrusted a secret to the child.

On 20th February 1933, Mariette was kneeling again on the snow despite the cold. Suddenly, she prayed louder and faster. She left the garden, knelt twice on the road and then at the spring where she prayed and cried because Mary went away too fast. As usual, the Virgin was smiling to her and said, “My dear child, pray very much.” After that, She stopped smiling and said again in a more serious voice before leaving her, “Goodbye.

Mariette was waiting for ten days before seeing the Virgin again for one last time. She appeared on Thursday, 2nd March 1933. It had been raining a lot since at 3 p.m. She went out at 7 p.m. She was on the third rosary when suddenly it stopped raining. She was silent, extended her arms, got up, took a step on and knelt. After crying a lot at home, Mariette delivered the message entrusted by Mary: “I am the Mother of the Saviour, Mother of God. Pray a lot.”  Before leaving her, the Virgin laid Her hands on her, saying, “Goodbye.”

The present Chapel of the Apparitions was built and inaugurated in the summer of 1933. The reality of the apparitions and the message was made known by Bishop Kerkhofs of Liège, on 22nd August 1949.