SACRED CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

Notification*

With regard to the alleged apparitions and revelations of "Our Lady of All Nations", said to have taken place in Amsterdam, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith considers it advisable to make the following declaration.

On 7 May 1956, the Bishop of the Diocese of Haarlem (Netherlands), following on a careful examination of the case concerning the supposed apparitions and revelations of "Our Lady of All Nations", declared that he "found no evidence of the supernatural nature of the apparitions". He therefore prohibited public veneration of the picture of "Our Lady of All Nations" and the spreading of writings which attributed a supernatural origin to these apparitions and revelations.

On 2 March 1957, the same Ordinary repeated the above statement. The Holy Office, in a letter dated 13 March of the same year, praised the Bishop’s prudence and pastoral concern and approved of the measures taken. Moreover, in reply to an appeal of the Bishop of Haarlem, dated 29 March 1972, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on 24 May of the same year, confirmed the previous decision on the matter.

At the present time, following on further developments and after a fresh and deeper examination of the case, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith confirms by the present notification the judgment already expressed by the competent ecclesiastical authority, and invites priests and laity to discontinue all forms of propaganda with regard to the alleged apparitions and revelations of "Our Lady of All Nations". It exhorts all, moreover, to express their devotion to the Most Holy Virgin, Queen of the Universe (cf. Encyclical Letter Ad Caeli Reginam, AAS 30 [1954], pp. 625-640) by forms of piety which are recognized and recommended by the Church.

Rome, 25 May 1974.

* L’Osservatore Romano, English Ed., June 27, 1974, page 12.