We have seen how over the course of time, as the Catholic Encyclopedia phrased it, a “cultus of Mary”, along with the trappings of idol worship took hold; – both in Rome and in the Eastern Orthodox churches. That hold is increasing even today. Now it is beginning to cut across not only denominational but religious lines. The notion of Mary as a near-godlike figure is beginning to serve as the uniting force between Catholic & Protestant & Hindu & New Age Goddess worshipers & even Muslims. All of this is fed by the ‘Apparitions Phenomena’ that are increasing in frequency and scope. Where will it lead?
PART IX – ANGEL OF LIGHT
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24) “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. (2Corinthians 11:14)
Archbishop Sheen, Catholic spokesman and TV personality nonpareil of the 1950’ & 60’s offered a very interesting insight on the conjunction of reported Marian apparitions and the Catholic Church’s drive to unite the religions of the world. “Our Lady has been chosen to be known by the name of FATIMA, which was the name of the daughter of Mohammed, because She has come not only for the conversion of Russia but also for the millions of Mohammedans…without whom there could never be true world peace.” [i]
And so, this constructed Marian personality has captured the imaginations of Catholics and Orthodox and even some Christians of other denominations. Now it has spread across theologies to Muslims, and Hindu, – and others. One writer described her as “the one entity that can unite all of mankind under one religious umbrella.”[ii] Take for instance the reported apparitions of Mary at Fatima, Portugal in 1917. A figure claiming to be Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary to be exact, was seen there by 3 children in multiple apparitions and tens of thousands were witnesses to some form of the event. Many of those witnesses reported seeing the sun zig-zag and plunge toward the earth before resuming its normal place in the sky. Mary is said to have revealed three secrets there to the children, and we’ll discuss those later. For now let it be said that what happened at Fatima were signal events in modern Catholic belief.[iii] That said, it is what has happened since that is amazing. In 2004 Portuguese media covered what was described as an “uncommon ecumenical experience” when about 60 Hindus arrived at the Fatima Shrine and conducted a religious ritual. The Hindus see Mary here as a manifestation or one of their gods.[iv] In 1992 over 500,000 Muslims turned out to venerate a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, in Bombay, India.[v]
Then there is Egypt. The late 1960’s saw multiple apparitions by Mary at a Coptic Church on the outskirts of Cairo. Muslims and Christians alike flocked to see the apparitions.[vi] One woman was quoted as saying, “There were Muslims and Christians, and everyone was as one, one religion together”. The events were broadcast by Egyptian TV, professionally photographed and “personally witnessed” by Egyptian President Nasser.[vii] Viewing the photos, I saw a floating, praying woman, bathed in light with halos and doves; – very much reminiscent of a holograph. Yet that was not the end of Mary in Egypt. In 2000 and 2001 there were appearances in Assuit, in Upper Egypt.[viii] In the case of the events in Zeitoun, outside Cairo, it was reported that Muslims collapsed, prayed and wept, before the appearance of the “lady composed of light.”[ix] And so the words of Bishop Sheen seem prophetic indeed: As do those of the late Pope John Paul who believed that Mary would be the key to joining the Catholic and Muslim faiths.[x]
You must understand that the Archbishop and the Pope knew of what they spoke. There is an interesting connection between the Catholic and Islamic views of Mary. She is mentioned over 30 times in the Koran. That is more than in the Bible. She is said to be the #1 woman in heaven. Interestingly, the woman who is to rank #2 is Mohammed’s own daughter named Fatima.[xi] It is through her and her husband Ali that the Shiite branch of Islam is descended and from which the Mahdi is to come.
Now beginning in 1981 in Medjugorje, in Bosnia-Hercegovina, there seems to have been an explosion of Marian apparitions. This phenomenon is being reported in not only Catholic nations but Hindu and Islamic ones as well. Egypt, Syria, Israel, Australia, Africa, Japan and Iraq are included.[xii] At Medjugore she appeared as the Queen of Peace. Since that time her message has been consistent: Peace, Unity, Tolerance. Muslims and Orthodox are all “equal before my Son…You are all my children”.[xiii] These apparitions are accompanied by miraculous events. There are healings and the sun dances and spins in the sky. That ‘miracle of the sun’, first seen at Fatima, has been reportedly repeated at “dozens of locations” and seen by “literally millions.” About 100,000 saw it in Puerto Rico in 1993, – about 120,000 in Ecuador two years later. These are but confirmations to those faithful in her redeeming / healing powers. She is calling for the unity of the entire planet. So a movement has begun, naming her the Lady of All Nations. But this Mary has told her followers that unity will only come when she is recognized as equal with Jesus in the work of Redemption; – When she is named Co-Redemptrix. It follows then that her followers have petitioned the Pope to do just that.[xiv] [xv]
The practical outworking of all of this can be seen in almost all of the Muslim nations of the Middle East. Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Muslim are all united in a growing veneration of Mary. The presence of Catholic schools and even the prayers of priests are accepted and held in high esteem by the Islamic population.[xvi] Mainline Protestant churches too are jumping on the bandwagon. A Methodist church on the south side of Chicago is one example. Individually, many Protestants are adapting personal Marian devotions.[xvii] Millions from all denominations flock to the sites where Mary is said to have appeared. They are seeking physical healing, and spiritual comfort, denomination and theology are no barriers. Mary is fast becoming the ‘Great Uniter.’
[i] Human Interest Stories From The Life Of The Archbishop, Archbishop Fulton J Sheen, Cause of Canonization of the Servant of God
[ii] Darrell G Young, Mary: Icon of Religious Unity and Peace, Focus On Jerusalem, 2002
[iii] Our Lady of Fatima, Wikipedia
[iv] Michael Prabhu, Metamorphose, India, July 8 & May 9, 2004
[v] TA McMahon, Mary Who?, The Berean Call
[vi] Darrell G Young, Mary: Icon of Religious Unity and Peace, Focus On Jerusalem, 2002
[vii] Amargi Hillier, Egypt’s 1960’s Remarkable Virgin Mary Sightings, Tour Egypt
[viii] Mary’s Icon Miraculous Egypt, Theotokia, site monitored April 13, 2007
[ix] TA McMahon, Mary Who?, The Berean Call
[x] Darrell G Young, Mary: Icon of Religious Unity and Peace, Focus On Jerusalem, 2002
[xi] Chuck Missler, Who Was Mary?, The Islamic Mary, Koinia House, 1997
[xii] Jim Tetlow, Roger Oakland, Brad Myers, Queen of All, chapter one: Apparitions
[xiii] Richard J Beyer, Medjugorje Day By Day, Ave Maria Press, 1993 & Dr Joe Van Koevering, From a lecture entitled: The Pope, The Prophecy and The Promise, given at the International Prophecy Conference 2007
[xiv] Jim Tetlow, Roger Oakland, Brad Myers, Queen of All, chapter one: Apparitions
[xv] Josef Kunzli editor, The Messages of Our Lady of All Nations, Queenship Publishing, 1996, pg 85
[xvi] Perry Stone, The Pope, The Eagle And The Iron Sickle, Voice of Evangelism, 2006, pgs 77-78
[xvii] David Van Biema, Hail Mary, Time Magazine, March 21, 2005
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