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The Vatican’s doctrinal office is centralizing its authority over the investigation of alleged Marian apparitions and other religious phenomena under new norms.
“The Church has stated that the faithful are never forced to believe in this phenomenon. They are never obliged. There’s no obligation,” Fernández said.
Officials from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith discussed problems that could come up in examining apparitions in November 1974.
May 13 is the optional memorial of Our Lady of Fátima, arguably the most prominent approved apparition of the 20th century.
The Holy See Press Office announced that Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández will unveil new norms for discernment regarding “apparitions and other supernatural phenomena.”
An institution has been formed in Rome to study alleged Marian apparitions and other supernatural phenomena in the Catholic Church.
There is only one Vatican-approved Marian apparition that took place on the African continent: Our Lady of Kibeho.