The Appearance of the Holy Virgin in Banneux, Belgium

We still find ourselves in Belgium, not far from Beauraing, but in a more northwesterly direction, in the small town Banneux. Here, the Holy Virgin appeared to a little girl eight times in 1933. Banneux is located in the picturesque surroundings in the plateau of the Belgian Ardennes, at a height of about 325 meters. The village can be reached from the city Luik (Liège), a short distance of about 10 km. Banneux can also be reached from Spa, which lies southeast of Luik, close to the Eupen-Malmedy area. This area was one of the biggest battlefields of World War 1 and claimed thousands of lives. Banneux can be reached from Spa by taking the road to Verviers and taking a left exit about 7 km before Theux. The voyage is about 20 km. Banneux can also be reached by taking the train to Pepinster and taking a taxi from there.

Banneux belongs to the Louveigné congregation and lies on the road from Louveigné to Pepinster. About 1 km from the church one arrives at a simple house, a worker-dwelling which belonged to the Beco family. The terrain is very marshy and humid and is aptly called "Fange" - the French name for or sludge or mud. The house looks on to a big pine forest which extends from there over the entire eastern part of Belgium, right to the Eiffel forest in Germany.

At the time of the appearance in 1933, the family Beco consisted of the father, mother and seven children, four children were added later. The oldest daughter was little Mariette which was born on March 25th, 1921. It was on a Friday, the festival of the message from Mary, the day on which the cross was glorified. But at the Beco's, religion was relegated to the background, something which left its stamp on Mariette.

It was winter in Belgium and the entire region was covered by a thick mantel of snow. The wind was cold and all the brooks had ice in them. Little Mariette, who at the time was about 12 years old, sat at the kitchen window at seven o'clock in the evening to see when her brother Julien, who went for a walk with friends, came home. From the kitchen window she could look over the garden, all the way to the road. While gazing out, she also threw an occasional glance at the baby lying fast asleep in a crib.

Suddenly Mariette saw a radiant lady on the other side of the road who was walking slightly to her left. "O Mama, there's a beautiful lady in the garden. It is Our Dear Lady who is smiling at me. She is very beautiful." Mariette grabs a rosary and starts to pray while staring outside. The lady beckons to her and she wants to go, but her mother refuses. She did not know what the light meant and was scared it was a witch or some evil being. After a while the figure vanished.

That was the first appearance, on the 15th of January, 1933.

Three days later, on Wednesday 18th January, Mariette experienced a feeling of expectation. She went outside at exactly 7 o'clock, knelt in the garden and prayed in silence, while watching the place where she saw the appearance previously. Suddenly she saw Our Dear Lady appearing above the forest, at first very small, becoming gradually bigger as she approached. She passed two trees and then stood above the ground, which was covered with snow and ice. A little gray cloud covered her feet, but she was still standing above the ground. While Mariette was praying softly, she looked at the apparition who was smiling at her. She then saw Our Dear Lady moving her lips. This continued for twenty minutes, after which the Heavenly Mother gestured to Mariette to follow her. Together, they went to the highway until the apparition halted at a small source. Then the Holy Virgin told Mariette:

"Put your hands in the water."

Mariette obeyed, on which the Holy Virgin told her:

"Dedicate this source to me."

She then said good-bye: "Au revoir".

As she moved away, she became steadily smaller. It was the second appearance.

On the 19th of January, also at about 7 o'clock, Mariette went outside again. This time, her father accompanied her. When Mariette saw the Holy Virgin, she called out: "There she is! Who are you, beautiful lady?". Mary answered

"I am the Virgin of the Poor."

To the question as to why the source should be dedicated to her, the Holy Virgin replied smilingly:

"The source is for all nations and sick people."

After Mariette thanked her, the Holy Virgin disappeared in her well-known manner and called to her:

"I will pray for you. Au revoir."

It was the third appearance.

On Friday 20th January, 1933 Mariette felt slightly ill, but he nevertheless went outside at 7 o'clock that evening, expecting an appearance. At this meeting the Holy Mother expressed the wish that a small chapel be built. After making the sign of the cross over Mariette, the excitement proved to be too much for the little girl, because she lost consciousness. With the help of a neighbor and her father, she was carried back inside, put to bed, after which she fell into a deep sleep. It was the fourth appearance.

From the 21st January until the 10th February, Mariette waited outside despite the severe cold. The Holy Virgin did not appear. However, on the 11th February, when she put her hands in the fountain, the Holy Virgin appeared with these words:

"I come to relieve suffering. Au revoir."

She disappeared; it was the fifth appearance.

The next appearance took place on the 15 February. At this meeting Mariette told her that the Chaplain wished for a sign. Her answer was:

"Believe in me."

She then gave Mariette a secret message and said:

"Pray regularly. Au revoir."

It was the sixth appearance. On Monday 20th February the countryside was still covered with ice and snow. At this meeting the Holy Virgin led Mariette to the source and told her:

"My dear child, pray regularly. Au revoir."

 It was the seventh meeting. On Thursday March 2, 1933, it stopped snowing but hard rain was coming down on the terrain. Suddenly the weather cleared, the clouds disappeared and the stars became visible. Then the holy Virgin appeared to Mariette Beco for the eight and last time. She was very serious this time and said:

"I am the Mother of the Saviour, Mother of God".

With a sad look, she addressed her for the last time:

"Pray regularly. Farewell."

She then blessed Mariette with the sign of the cross and laid her hands on her forehead before leaving.

Through the effort of Monseigneur Kerkhof, the Holy Virgin's appearances to Mariette in 1949 were accepted as genuine. Behind the simple labourer cottage of the Beco family, a small chapel was erected. Behind the altar is a painting wherein little Mariette is depicted with Mary who appears to her. The tree-lined road to the source is also shown. Many tiles have been put against the wall around the painting - the words on them express the gratitude of pilgrims who were healed. Some crutches which are no longer needed are also visible.

At the source is a statue of the Holy Virgin. Die source is partially concealed with a round cover with a five pointed star depicting the five races. On the other side is a block of stone with an image of Monseigneur Kerkhof, four stones on each side commemorate the eight appearances. At the back a large arch has been built; everything is decorated with beautiful flowers.

On the terrain of the appearances there are also a line of small taps from which water from the sources can be drunk. A big hospital has been erected, as well as covered parking for the thousands of pilgrims which stream to Banneux annually. Not far from the chapel are a few meeting places with benches where prayer services can be held. The place is really worth a walk; the entire countryside consists of bushes and trees. In the center of the forest is a pretty little chapel dedicated to the angel Michael, and further is a way of the cross, built by Hungarian pilgrims.

If one arrives at the place of the appearances and one hears the rustling pine tress, it is as if the trees are still talking about the Queen of the Heavens who descended between them, years ago. Her Light is still woven into the trees, and her holy presence is noticeable over the large, peaceful area. The small chapel still radiates her love for all who visit it.

When we entered, the feeling was more like a cry for help: "Mon coeur, mon coeur!" (my heart, my heart) she called. Her sorrow, she said, was so great for poor, poor humanity; not only for the poor, but also for the rich who think that they have the all the wealth the world can offer in their grasp. It was in fact they who were so poor in spiritual light. That is why she gave so bountifully to little Mariette. She made herself known in a sea of light, later she embraced Mariette as a symbol of all the unprotected children of the world whom she and her Son loves so much.

In Mark 10:15-16 we read: "Verily I say unto you, Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them and blessed them."

This was the way the Holy Virgin blessed Mariette. Symbolically, she blessed all the children of the world, in the spirit of the gospel of Christ. She cares for ill people and sinners. She prays to the heavenly Trinity for our neighbor, and their prayers are answered in the chapel at the source which is like a stream living water from heaven. The road of heavenly love-light stretches symbolically from Mariette's house to the source where the Lady of Banneux preceded Mariette seven times in her robe of light.

She descended in Light, and in Light she ascended again on each occasion. Her instructions to Mariette was as follows:

"I wish for a chapel here"; "Believe in Me", "Pray regularly." She is there as an ambassador from the heavens for her Son. She opens the road to heaven for the prayers of the pilgrims, the communication of man with God. She brings relief to thousands of sick people. The source's healing water is sent in bottles all over the world.

Here, the Virgin of Banneux also wears a small blue belt which, as in Lourdes, is the symbol of living water; the true heavenly healing and forgiving love. Mariette described the details of the appearance to a painter precisely; the painting now hangs in the chapel. Mariette told him that the lady was young and very, very beautiful. On her head she wears a crown of light needles. She is adorned in radiating light and wears a shimmering white robe, a white veil and a blue belt. She keeps always keeps her hands upright in prayer.

On her right forearm she wears a white rosary. She also wears a golden cross. Her right foot is uncovered and wears a golden rose. In Rue du Bac in Paris, the same foot crushes the snake of the beginning. The golden rose is the conquering of the sins of the beginning. Oh, if only all people were so full of faith as this poor little girl. Then all people would see the Holy Virgin and she would show them the road to her Son. She is the Virgin of the poor. She enlightens souls, answers prayers and represents her Son.

Banneux is like Lourdes, known for its answers to prayers, healing of the sick; the sick of body and also the sick needing rest. On the road to Louveigné is a colony of weak, undernourished and poor children. In Banneux the Virgin carries the poor person up to her Son, the great Physician and Saviour She calls on the faithful for help and service in His Name. He is the Alpha and Omega, the source of all Godly healing.

May I humbly account how I experienced Christ's great grace at this source. We brought a few flowers with us from South Africa which I gave to Her in the name of Her Son. First we laid the flowers on the altar in the chapel. After that we took them with us to the source and left them there. A little later we were in the forest where an unknown scent of flowers surrounded us. It stayed with us the entire time we remained there. However, there wasn't a flower in sight!

The source, the symbol of living water, was at first a thin spout from the ground, just as in Lourdes. The water from the fountain is now collected in a little dam where the following words are written: "Put your hands in the water. This source is destined for all races."

When I prayed in front of the source, I gave myself again to Jesus Christ, and kept my hands in the water. I gave myself completely to the power of Christ. You can never give yourself over enough in His hands and make yourself available in His service. When I withdrew my hands, my wrists were very sore. I could not understand this. Later, when we were in Lourdes, they pained even more. I still did not understand but I knew it was God's will, always correct. My wrists did the same at all holy places; years later the same thing happened in Israel.

Two years later I asked my great Master, "Why did you give me the pain in my wrists in Banneux?" His answer was: "You carry my wounds in your wrists. On the cross, the nails did not pass through my hands, but through my wrists. Follow me." I thanked God for the explanation of the pain. Now the pain was a privilege. It was later scientifically established, from a study of the Shroud of Turin, the burial cloth of Christ, that the nails indeed passed through His wrists and not through His hands. Scientists also established anatomically that His hands would never have been able to carry the weight.

Later, the wrist wounds would reveal even bigger secrets. It is however, so difficult to reveal this to the world which does not understand. Still, we must testify; testify that people of all races may have direct communication with the Heavenly Family. If you have a question, do not expect an answer immediately. If you pray, give the prayer itself over in His hands. At His time, an answer is always given which is often scientifically confirmed as in the case above. We never pray for ourselves, because God cares for us. We do, however, try to do His will in everything that we tackle. It was also the case in our pilgrimage to all the holy places. Walk in His footsteps; if you tire, He will carry you, if you wear His cross and His wounds.

The message of Banneux is also a message for all nations; the poor of all nations. It is a message of universal love. The five-pointed star placed above the source, is the symbol of the five races, which forms a star of light. The star symbolically radiates Godly Light, which the Holy Virgin distributes so richly on the way to the source. The source is power for all the poor. Where Lourdes washes souls, Banneux washes the nations. Here, cleansing and unification with the heavens take place. The one point of the star radiates to the other and forms an eternal circle of God's Light in us, all of us unified. All people should be as one spiritually. They should all stand together on one point, namely the love for her Son.

Our Heavenly Family suffers with us. "Mon coeur, mon coeur!" she called as we entered the chapel. She pointed to the wound in her heart that never heals. She is truly there in Banneux to hear prayers. That explains the scent of flowers after I left the flowers at the source. And so she is still on the road with us on our way to God's Kingdom of Light. She is the true Mother who helps her Son and relieves His task. May the poor of all nations be enriched by the Godly Light which burns for us eternally. May our lamps always be full, so that they will always remain burning to the glory of the Holy Family.