By COGwriter
Pretty much everyone has heard of a Jewish woman named Mary.
She is mentioned prominently in the Gospel accounts. She is also mentioned in the Book of Acts.
Some believe that she can assist their salvation. Some believe that she has appeared to people in apparitions since her death.
This article will discuss Mary from a biblical perspective, go into some of the history about people getting involved with Mariology, quote from some concerning the apparitions, and try to explain the role of Mary and the apparitions that claim to be Mary.
Might their be future apparitions claiming to be Mary? What might they mean?
Mary was prophesied in the Old Testament:
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14, NKJV throughout except when noted differently).
Her time in Bethlehem was also indirectly prophesied in the Old Testament:
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting (Micah 5:2).
However, while Mary was prophesied, not much specifically about her was. The idea that Mary was conceived differently from other humans is simply not in the Bible.
The Living Church of God (LCG) correctly teaches:
The Bible never refers to Mary’s "Immaculate Conception"—the doctrine that she was born without sin. (Winnail DS. The Lady of Nations. Tomorrow's World, LCG Magazine).
The Roman Catholic Church teaches:
In the Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of 8 December, 1854, Pius IX pronounced and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary 'in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin.' (Immaculate Conception. Index of New Advent).
LCG teaches that Mary was born like everyone else and did sin (the Bible teaches that all have sinned, Romans 3:23, except Jesus, Hebrews 4;15). The Bible gives no indication that Mary's conception was somehow different than others.
The Eastern Orthodox, like the Living Church of God, reject “the dogma of the immaculate conception of the Virgin" (Clendenin D.B. ed. Eastern Orthodox Theology, 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2003, p. 67). Hence two groups that claim to trace themselves back to the original apostles (see Apostolic Succession) do reject the later added doctrine that Mary was conceived in a manner different than the rest of humanity.
However, we in LCG, similar to the Catholics of Rome and the Orthodox, do teach the Virgin Birth.
Much of what we know about Mary was written by Luke in the Gospel bearing his name (plus he mentions her in the Book of Acts).
Notice what Luke was inspired to write:
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." 34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible." 38 Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her (Luke 1:26-38).
Now this was a bold act of faith on Mary's part. It was absolutely unacceptable in Jewish society at that time to have a baby out of wedlock. The shame and ridicule would tend to be permanent (and she may have been subject to ridicule for it over 30 years after Jesus' birth, cf. John 8:41). Mary knew this may be her fate, yet she agreed. The situation then was severe enough that her fiance, Joseph, probably would have gotten rid of her except that God intervened and had an angel tell him not to (Matthew 1:18-24). Her life could have been subject to permanent ruin from her youth.
Yet, she joyfully agreed.
In Luke's account, he immediately continued with:
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."
46 And Mary said:
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
55 As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever."56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house (Luke 1:39-56).
Mary not only was willing, she was joyous for the opportunity to serve God in that manner.
Luke also recorded:
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:4-20).
So Mary also noticed that Jesus was special at an early stage.
The Catholics of Rome and even many of the Protestant Reformers believed in the idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary.
Notice:
Surprisingly, the Protestant reformers affirmed their belief in Mary’s perpetual virginity. For example, Martin Luther’s (1483-1546) was true to the Catholic tradition when he wrote: “It is an article of faith that Mary is Mother of the Lord and still a virgin. . . . Christ, we believe, came forth from a womb left perfectly intact.”
The French reformer John Calvin (1509-1564) was not as profuse in his praise of Mary as Martin Luther, but he did not deny her perpetual virginity. The term he used most commonly in referring to Mary was “Holy Virgin.”
The Swiss reformer, Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), wrote, on the perpetual virginity of Mary: “I firmly believe that Mary, according to the words of the gospel as a pure Virgin brought forth for us the Son of God and in childbirth and after childbirth forever remained a pure, intact Virgin.” Elsewhere Zwingli affirmed: “I esteem immensely the Mother of God, the ever chaste, immaculate Virgin Mary; Christ was born of a most undefiled Virgin.” (Bacchiocchi S. “MARIOLOGY”. ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 191, 2007).
But even the Rheims New Testament of 1582 (the accepted translation of the Latin Vulgate into English) states:
And he knew her not till she brought forth her first born son: and called his name JESUS (Matthew 1:25, RNT).
That is consistent with the Greek as well.
Basically, scripture only says that she was a virgin until Jesus was born.
The Rheims New Testament of 1582 also teaches:
55. Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called MARY, and his brethren James,
and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude:
56. And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things? (Matthew 13:55-56, RNT).
While some have argued that the term for brethren above (translated as brothers in the NKJV) may mean cousins, the Greek expressions for brothers (adephos) and sisters (adelphe) are what is in the Greek texts. The Greek terms in those verses do not mean cousins (Danker FW, ed. A Greek-Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, p. 18)
Hence, since the Bible does not say Mary would remain a virgin and it shows that Jesus had brothers and sisters, there is no biblical reason to accept the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity.
While Jesus was dying, Mary watched and then Jesus told the Apostle John (called "that disciple" below) to take care of her:
25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" 27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home (John 19:25-27).
After Jesus was resurrected, showed Himself, and left, Mary was with some of the original apostles:
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers (Acts 1:12-14).
Prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, John left and went to Ephesus. It is believed that he took Mary with him.
There is a rebuilt structure in Ephesus that is supposed to be the house that Mary lived in until she died. My wife and I have visited it. According to traditions, Mary was a believer until she died in Ephesus many decades after the visit from Gabriel (you can access photos of what is claimed to have been the site of Mary's last house at Photos of Ephesus). She is still honored to this day by the local residents (Mary holds a special place in Islam).
Although there appears to be a painting in the second century that may show Mary (and she was NOT venerated in it), both the Catholics of Rome and the Living Church of God agree that Mary was not originally adored.
Roman Catholic Church:
Antidicomarianites
An Eastern sect which...was so designated as being the "opponents of Mary"... This doctrine...was afterwards modified so as to teach that, although Our Lord was born of Mary through the Holy Ghost, afterwards Joseph and Mary lived in wedlock and had many other children. The sect denied the formula "ever-Virgin Mary" used in the Greek and Roman Liturgies. The earliest reference to this sect appears in Tertullian, and the doctrines taught by them are expressly mentioned by Origen (Homilia in Lucam, III, 940). Certain Arians, Eudocius and Eunomius, were great supporters of the teaching. (Shipman AJ. Transcribed by Douglas J. Potter. Antidicomarianites. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I. Published 1907. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).Devotion to Our Blessed Lady in its ultimate analysis must be regarded as a practical application of the doctrine of the Communion of Saints. Seeing that this doctrine is not contained, at least explicitly in the earlier forms of the Apostles' Creed, there is perhaps no ground for surprise if we do not meet with any clear traces of the cultus of the Blessed Virgin in the first Christian centuries. The earliest unmistakable examples of the "worship" -- we use the word of course in the relative sense -- of the saints is connected with the veneration paid to the martyrs who gave their lives for the Faith...though writers like Tertullian, Hevidius, and possibly Hegesippus disputed the perpetual virginity of Mary, their more orthodox contemporaries affirmed it. It was natural then that in this atmosphere we should find a continually developing veneration for the sanctity and exalted privileges of Mary...Further, it is quite likely that the mention of the Blessed Virgin in the intercessions of the diptychs of the liturgy goes back to the days before the Council of Nicaea, but we have no definite evidence upon the point, and the same must be said of any form of direct invocation, even for purposes of private devotion (Herbert Thurston. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV. Published 1912. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
Living Church of God:
Remarkable as it may seem, scholarly sources plainly acknowledge that this focus on Mary was totally absent in the early Church. The Catholic Encyclopedia states: "This doctrine is not contained, at least explicitly, in the earlier forms of the Apostles’ Creed, there is perhaps no ground for surprise if we do not meet with any clear traces of the cultus of the Blessed Virgin in the first Christian centuries" (article: "Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary"). Mary was not given the titles "Mother of God" or "Queen of Heaven" until centuries after she had lived. There is no mention in the teachings of Christ or the Apostles of worship, adoration or prayers to Mary, and there is no biblical reference for saying the rosary. Jesus taught His disciples to pray to God the Father (Luke 11:1–2), and to petition in the name of Jesus Christ (John 14:13–14). The Bible lists no festivals devoted to Mary, and offers no examples of anyone praying before a statue of Mary. In the Bible—and the early Church—such practices were condemned as idolatry (see Exodus 20:4–5). The Bible never refers to Mary’s "Immaculate Conception"—the doctrine that she was born without sin. Nor does it teach the "Assumption"—the doctrine that Mary was bodily transported to heaven. Rather, Scripture clearly states that "no one has ascended to heaven" except Jesus (John 3:13). In the last century, apparitions and their supporters have promoted Mary as the "Mediatrix of All Mercies" (thus diminishing Jesus Christ’s true role as revealed in the Bible), and as the "Queen of Peace," though the Bible never refers to her this way. (Winnail DS. The Lady of Nations. Tomorrow's World, LCG Magazine).
Perhaps it should be pointed out that since the first resurrection has not yet occurred (Revelation 20:5) that we in LCG do not believe that it is possible for Mary (or anyone who died other than Jesus) to hear anyone's prayers. Since the Bible teaches that other than Jesus (Hebrews 4:15), "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23), those of us in LCG cannot accept that Mary was without sin.
Furthermore, since the Bible shows that Eve was the mother of all humans (Genesis 3:20), we do not accept that Mary could properly have that title. However, the fact that Mary was blessed is biblical sanctioned, but so were others in the Bible.
Perhaps it should be mentioned that there does not seem to be any proof that the Romans held feasts to Mary before the seventh century.
Although we in the Living Church of God believe that Mary, like all others who have lived and died, is awaiting the resurrection from the dead, many Catholics believe she lives and intercedes for them.
There are documented accounts of apparitions claiming to be Mary since the 1300s (there may even be some prior). In some of them, various prophetic statements have been uttered. Since we in the Living Church of God contend that Mary is dead and awaiting the resurrection, we do not believe that the apparitions are actually Mary.
This is not to say that we believe that all the reports of apparitions are made up or are hallucinations. It's just that we do not believe that according to the Bible that it is possible that any of them could truly be Mary. Several of the comments reported from the apparitions suggest a demonic presence as the alleged "Mary" often makes claims that are against those of the Bible (but, since even Satan can quote the Bible, see Matthew 4, the apparitions sometimes make biblically appropriate statements).
Notice what “Mary” allegedly stated in an apparition to a young girl named Barbara Reiss in Marienfried, Germany on May 26, 1946:
Yes, I am the powerful Mediatrix of Grace. As the world can find mercy only through the sacrifice of the Son with the Father, so can you only find favor with the Son through my intercession. Christ is unknown because I am not known…it will be I who draw the power of God and the love of the Father {that} will renew the fullness of Christ in you…The devil has power over those that do not trust in My heart. (Culligan E. The Last World War and the End of Time. The book was blessed by Pope Paul VI, 1966. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 162)
So, “Mary” is indicating that her “Son” will not be known until she is known. Also notice the claim about being a "Mediatrix" (the feminine form of the term mediator). But the Bible is clear that there is only one mediator and that this can only be Jesus:
For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5, NKJV).
For there is one God, one also mediator of God and men, man Christ JESUS (1 Timothy 2:5, RNT).
Thus any others who claim to be a mediator clearly contradict the Bible (from both the Catholic and Protestant translations) and CANNOT BE OF GOD.
Yet, Pope Leo XIII (as well as other Bishops of Rome) called Mary the Mediatrix and the "co-Redemptress" (another title not hers as only Jesus is our redeemer Titus 2:14; Isaiah 59:20) as well:
The recourse we have to Mary in prayer follows upon the office she continuously fills by the side of the throne of God as Mediatrix of Divine grace; being by worthiness and by merit most acceptable to Him, and, therefore, surpassing in power all the angels and saints in Heaven. Now, this merciful office of hers, perhaps, appears in no other form of prayer so manifestly as it does in the Rosary. For in the Rosary all the part that Mary took as our co-Redemptress comes to us, as it were, set forth, and in such wise as though the facts were even then taking place; and this with much profit to our piety, whether in the contemplation of the succeeding sacred mysteries, or in the prayers which we speak and repeat with the lips (Pope Leo XIII. Iucunda Semper Expectatione On the Rosary. September 8, 1894).
Also notice what the “Mary” apparition on June 25, 1946 reportedly stated:
People must believe that I am the permanent Bride of the Holy Ghost, and the faithful Mediatrix of all graces. My SIGN is already appearing. God wants it so. Only my children recognize this sign because it reveals itself in secret…I cannot manifest my power to the world in general. I must still hold myself aloof…
In secret I will work marvels…Then, I can manifest myself to the world for the glory of the Almighty. Choose my Sign, so that the Triune God will be adored and honored.(Culligan E. The Last World War and the End of Time. The book was blessed by Pope Paul VI, 1966. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 163)
Of course, Jesus taught that after the resurrection no one is married (Matthew 22;30). Nor does the Bible hint that the Holy Spirit somehow married Mary or that she is (or could be) a mediatrix of graces. And since the “Triune God” is not the biblical one (see Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? and Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning), then the apparition is trying to support the Greco-Roman one instead.
Interestingly, the above apparitions both suggest that future ones that many will see are expected.
This also seems to have been the position of at least one Bishop of Rome:
Pope Pius IX (d. 1878): We expect that the Immaculate Virgin and Mother of God, Mary, through her most powerful intercession, will bring it about that our Holy Mother the Catholic Church, after the removal of obstacles and overcoming all errors, will gain in influence from day to day among all nations and in all places, prosper and rule from ocean to ocean…to the ends of the earth…there will be one fold and one shepherd. (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 50)
If this comes to pass, then these “apparitions of Mary” may be one of the many “signs and lying wonders” (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9) that will help persuade the irreligious Europeans in particular (and the world in general) to support the future King of the North (the Beast, which Catholic prophets seem to call the Great Monarch), who will then help persuade the world to accept a more “ecumenical” form of Catholicism.
While many Protestants, justifably, are not involved in praying to Mary or considering her to be their redeemer or mediator, there has been a trend among some Protestants to move towards a view held by the Catholics.
For centuries, there have been Catholic prophets that have uttered statements. Some have come to pass, some have not come to pass, and some are still for the future. But their "prophecies" can be dangerous and do not seem to have been inspired by God.
For one example, while the Bible warns against a coming Beast leader who will work with a False prophet (cf. Revelation 16:13-14), many Catholic prophets are looking forward to a time when a Great Monarch (who is described similarly to how the Bible describes the Beast leader also known as the King of the North) and an Angelic Pastor (who is sometimes described similarly to how the Bible describes the False Prophet/Antichrist) will rise up, crush their opponents (in contradiction to early Christian practices against carnal warfare), and turn the world Catholic.
Interestingly, of the Catholic prophecies show that their Great Monarch will spread Catholicism all over the world (see the article on King of the North), it perhaps should be mentioned that some indicate that Mary will be involved in insuring his success over non-Catholics:
R. Gerald Culleton (20th century): During the reign of the Great Monarch and the Angelic Pastor the Catholic Church will spread throughout the world, conversions will be innumerable…The Blessed Virgin will be the chief one in gaining victory over all heresy and schism because of her power over the demons in the last ages of the world will be especially great. This will be recognized by her enthronement as “Mistress and Queen of Men’s Hearts.” (Culleton, R. Gerald. The Prophets and Our Times. Nihil Obstat: L. Arvin. Imprimatur: Philip G. Scher, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno, November 15, 1941. Reprint 1974, TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 50)
St. Louis-Marie Grignion De Montfort (18th century): The power of Mary over all the devils will be particularly outstanding in the last period of time. She will extend the Kingdom of Christ over the idolaters and Moslems, and there will come glorious era when Mary is the Ruler and Queen of Hearts.(Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 33)
Notice that this “Mary” also has the power over the demons. As the Bible never indicates that she has this power, this is apparently a reference to a demonic manifestation/apparition claiming to be Mary.
Here is another Catholic prophecy:
Anna-Katrina Emmerick (July 12, 1820): I had a vision of the holy Emperor Henry. I saw him at night kneeling alone at the foot of the main alter in a great and beautiful church...and I saw the Blessed Virgin coming down all alone...The wine was as red as blood, and there was also some water. The Mass was short. The Gospel of St. John was not read at the end. When the Mass had ended, Mary came up to Henry (the Emperor), and she extended her right hand towards him, saying that it was in recognition of his purity. Then, she urged him not to falter...(Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 62)
Catholic writer Yves Dupont (20th century): Henry is the Great Monarch, chosen by God to restore all things to Christ...The Blessed Virgin urges him not to falter. (Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 62)
In 1846 there was an apparition claiming to be Mary in La Salette, France that has been accepted by the Vatican. Although not all parts of the message have been accepted by the Vatican, it has been claimed that a Catholic priest named Parent wrote the following related to one (Maximin) of the two children (the other was named Melanie) who claimed to see the apparition:
Furthermore, each secret must contain special prophecies of a particular character. So what would be the particular mark of Maximin’s secret? Principally, it would seem to proclaim the triumph of the Church and above all it would seem to designate the political saviour, referred to in so many prophecies by the popular name of the Grand Monarch. (Priest Parent, quoted by Le Hidec. As cited in THE SECRETS OF LA SALETTE. http://www.crc-internet.org/salette3.htm viewed 09/28/08. Note: I have also seen this in French in a book titled Les mystères du sang royal: de Charlemagne à Louis XVII, existe-t-il une survivance by Daniel Leveillard).
Here is what another Catholics wrote related to Mary:
Blessed Mary of Agreda (17th century): It was revealed to me that through the intercession of the Mother of God all heresies will disappear. The victory over heresies had been reserved by Christ for His Blessed Mother. In the last times, the Lord will in a special manner spread the renown of His Mother: Mary began salvation, and by her intercession it will be completed. Before the second coming of Christ, Mary must, more than ever, shine in mercy, might, and grace in order to bring unbelievers into the Catholic Faith. The power of Mary in the last times over the demons will be very conspicuous. Mary will extend the reign of Christ over the heathen and the Mohammedans…(Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 49)
It is interesting to note that several things attributed to Mary are the same or similar to those of the Great Monarch. Thus, perhaps the Great Monarch (or some of his followers) will somehow claim to have seen Mary.
Protestants who are starting to look more towards “Mary”, may help fulfill the above.
Notice what some Anglican leaders have done:
Archbishop Williams, leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, said in a homily during a Sept. 24 international Mass at Lourdes that when Mary appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 "she came at first as an anonymous figure, a beautiful lady, a mysterious thing, not yet identified as the Lord's spotless mother. "And Bernadette -- uneducated, uninstructed in doctrine -- leaped with joy, recognizing that here was life, here was healing," he said. "Only bit by bit does Bernadette find the words to let the world know; only bit by bit, we might say, does she discover how to listen to the Lady and echo what she has to tell us." He also praised the lives of the saints, saying that their examples "matter so much." The archbishop later was criticized by the England-based Protestant Truth Society, a group of Anglicans and nonconformists committed to upholding the ideals of the Protestant Reformation...Jeremy Brooks, the group's director of ministry, said: "All true Protestants will be appalled that the archbishop of Canterbury has visited Lourdes and preached there. "Lourdes represents everything about Roman Catholicism that the Protestant Reformation rejected, including apparitions, Mariolatry and the veneration of saints," he said in a Sept. 24 statement. "The archbishop's simple presence there is a wholesale compromise, and his sermon -- which included a reference to Mary as 'the mother of God' -- is a complete denial of Protestant orthodoxy." He added, "At a time when our country is crying out for clear biblical leadership, it is nothing short of tragic that our supposedly Protestant archbishop is behaving as little more than a papal puppet." Archbishop Williams was invited to the sanctuaries, where Mary appeared to St. Bernadette 150 years ago, by Bishop Jacques Perrier of Tarbes and Lourdes. His visit is the first in modern times by an archbishop of Canterbury. Archbishop Williams held talks there with German Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, who celebrated the international Mass. Archbishop Williams was joined by an unprecedented pilgrimage of 10 Church of England bishops, some 60 Anglican priests and about 400 Anglican lay worshippers (Anglican archbishop comes under fire for homily at Lourdes CNS - Sept 24, 2008. http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0804863.htm).
Protestants need to understand that by eliminating heresies, Catholic prophecies specifically mean the elimination of Protestantism. And they believe that the Great Monarch (with guidance from their Mary apparitions most likely) will cause this to happen. Notice what the following says about this "great ruler":
Father Laurence Ricci, S.J. (died 1775): "After the rule of Napoleon a time will come when the people will become poor and the world will be punished in three ways: wars, famines, and pestilences. At a time when the whole world seems doomed, God will intervene. With His aide a valiant duke will arise from the ancient German house which was humiliated by the French monarch. This great ruler will restore stolen Church property. Protestantism will cease and the Turkish empire will end. This duke will be the most powerful monarch on earth. At a gathering of men noted for piety and wisdom he will, with the aid of the Pope, introduce new rules, and ban the spirit of confusion. Everywhere there will be one fold and one shepherd." (Conner p.37)
Protestantism will to a great degree cease (and may completely do so) during the reign of the Beast power, the King of the North that Catholics refer to as the Great Monarch (but the Living Church of God, which is not Protestant, is expected, after first being subject to persecutions, to be protected during this time, see There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra).
Mary was a faithful Jewish woman who God used to give birth to and help raise Jesus. This was a great honor to be blessed with. She also became a faithful Christian and like all who have died in the faith, she awaits the resurrection of the dead.
She is not the intercessor between humans and God. She is not the mediator (called mediatrix in the feminine) as that is Jesus' responsibility alone (1 Timothy 2:5). Since Mary was faithful, she would teach that calling her the Mediatrix or "our co-Redeemer" is blasphemous. She, like the Apostle Peter (Acts 10:25-26), would refuse to people bow down to her.
She has not personally been manifested in apparitions. However, since some demonic powers have claimed to be her, it will be no surprise if more apparitions that claim to be Mary will come on the scene in the future. These apparitions claiming to be Mary may be instrumental in convincing the mainly secular Europe to become more Catholic in thought and deed. This, then, may lead to the emergence of a much more united European Beast power that will under the use of force and economic pressure induce people to accept his false form of religion.
While Mary truly can be called blessed, the apparitions that have claimed (and probably in the future will claim) to be her, simply are not. And true Christians need to heed the Bible and not traditions or signs/lying wonders that appear otherwise.
The faithful Mary of the Bible could not be manifested in apparitions and simply could not say many of the things that the apparitions alleged to be her have stated. Mary would condemn the apparitions if she were alive and most certainly will after she herself is resurrected.
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Thiel B., Ph.D. Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions. www.cogwriter.com/Mary-Mother-of-Jesus.htm (c) 2008