In 1933, Our Lady appeared to 11-year-old Mariette Beco at Banneux, Belgium. Although Mariette came from a family who were lukewarm in their religious practice, the first apparition on Jan. 15 resulted in Mariette returning to religious class. The second apparition on Jan. 18 resulted in her father returning to the sacraments.

The third apparition took place Jan. 19. Mariette went out to pray and was in the garden. Our Lady appeared to her and Mariette stretched out her hands crying out: “There she is!”

Mariette then asked, “Who are you, beautiful lady?” Our Lady said, “I am the Virgin of the Poor.”

Our Lady led Mariette to a spring and said, “This stream is for all the nations, to bring comfort to the sick.” Mariette repeated these words with a very clear voice and said: “Thank you! Thank you!” Then Our Lady said, “I shall pray for you; goodbye for now.”

On Jan. 20, Our Lady told Mariette that she would like to have a small chapel built. She imposed her hands on Mariette and traced the sign of the cross over her head.

On Feb. 11, Our Lady appeared and Mariette ran with incredible speed to the spring. Mariette dropped to her knees and dipped the tip of her rosary in the water. Our Lady said, “I have come to relieve the suffering.  I shall see you again soon.”

On Feb. 15, Our Lady said to Mariette, “Believe in me and I will believe in you.” She confided a secret to Mariette and before leaving said, “Pray very much. Goodbye.”

On Feb. 20, Our Lady led Mariette to the spring and said, “My beloved child, pray, Pray very much.”

On March 2, torrential rain had been pouring down since three o’clock in the afternoon. Mariette went out at 7 p.m. During the rosary, the rain suddenly stopped. The sky cleared and the stars shone. Mariette grew quiet and extended her arms. Our Lady looked more beautiful than ever before in her visits, but she did not smile. Her face was very serious.

Our Lady said, “I am the Mother of the Saviour, the Mother of God. Pray very much.” She imposed her hands on head of Mariette and traced the sign of the cross. Our Lady said, “Adieu … till we meet in God.” Mariette understood this would be the last apparition and bowed to the earth in heart-rending sobs.

After the apparitions, miraculous cures occurred in Banneux. The great number of miracles helped to convince the parish priest of the authenticity of the apparitions.

On March 19, 1942, the Bishop of Liege authorized the public veneration of Our Lady of Banneux. On Aug. 22, 1949, the supernatural origin of the apparitions in Banneux was officially recognized by the Bishop of Liege, and on Aug. 14, 1956, the Apostolic Nuncio to Brussels solemnly crowned the statue of the Virgin of the Poor.

After the apparitions, Mariette led a very quiet life. In 2008, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the apparitions, Beco explained why she would say nothing of them. “I was no more than a postman who delivers the mail. Once this has been done, the postman is of no importance anymore.”  

On Dec. 2, 2011, Mariette Beco died at the age of 90 in a seniors home at Banneux. The website of the shrine of Our Lady of Banneux said: “Mariette’s last years were those of most elderly persons with both joys and sufferings. The rector of the shrine of Banneux, Fr. Leo Palm, had several encounters with Mariette. He remembers her as a person loved by her family and attached to her son and her grandchildren. Mariette also mourned her two daughters, one who died in her childhood, the second who died in 2008, aged 61.”

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「貧者貞女」督促多祈禱    

1933年,聖母在比利時的巴訥,給十一歲的瑪利特.貝可顯現;她來自冷淡的天主教家庭。第一次顯現在1月15日、星期日,使瑪利特重返參與要理課程;第二次顯示,使她的父親重投教會聖事的懷抱。

1月19日,瑪利特正在家中的花園祈禱,突然見到聖母顯現,那是第三次了。瑪利特不其然張開雙手,驚呼著:「她在那裡!」然後問道:「美麗的女士,妳是誰?」聖母回答說:「我是貧者貞女」。

聖母把瑪利特帶到一個水泉,說:「這水泉是為一切民族,為帶安慰給病人。」瑪利特清脆地再三答道:「謝謝妳!謝謝妳!」聖母接著說:「我會為你祈禱。現在再見了。」

1月20日,向表明,要在該處為她建造一座小聖堂,並在瑪利特的頭上按手並劃一個十字聖號。

2月11日,瑪利特見到了聖母並以極速飛奔到小泉旁,她跪下並把自己的玫瑰唸珠在泉水上點了一下。聖母給她道:「我來是為人減輕痛苦。很快會再和你見面。」

2月15日,:「你信任我,我也會信任你。」聖母向她透露一個秘密。臨離開前,聖母敦促說:「多多祈禱。再見。」

2月19日,聖母領瑪利特到水泉處,一再對她說:「我的孩子,祈禱,要多多祈禱。」

3月2日下午三時起,落著滂沱大雨。下午七時,瑪利特外出,誦唸玫瑰經時,雨突然停止了,天睛星輝。瑪利特靜靜地張開雙手迎接顯現的聖母。聖母容貌顯得更美,卻沒有笑容,神情肅穆,說:「我是救主之母、天主之母。多多祈禱吧。」然後又在瑪利特的頭上按手並劃一個十字聖號;續說:「再見了 ── 直到在天主內再見。」瑪利特明白這是最後一次聖母的顯現,遂跪地叩首,心中說不出難捨的悲傷。

之後,巴訥出現了無數聖蹟,令本堂神父相信一切顯現都是真實的。1942年3月19日,里厄夏主教批准對巴訥聖母的敬禮,更在1949年8月22日,正式承認聖母在巴訥的顯現的超聖來源;1956年8月14日,布魯塞耳的教廷大使隆重地把安貧者貞女聖母像加冕。

聖母顯現後,瑪利特過著平靜的生活。2008年、巴訥聖母顯現七十五週年,瑪利特表示:「我像一個派遞信件的郵差,把信件派了後,這郵差便變得不重要了。」

2011年12月2日,瑪利特.貝可以九十之齡,在巴訥的護老院與世長辭。巴訥聖母堂的官方網站寫著:「瑪利特.貝可的晚年,與其他多數的老年人無異 ── 活在喜悅和病痛之中。良.珀諳神父曾多次和瑪利特見面,記得她是受家人愛戴的,她也深愛自己的兒孫,但亦哀悼兩位先她而去的女兒 ── 一位在孩童期死去,另一位在2008年、61歲時去世。」