The understood purpose of each apparition is to draw attention to some aspect of the Christian message, given the needs of a particular time and place. Apparitions are often accompanied by other alleged supernatural phenomena, such as medical cures.

Do Protestants believe in apparitions?

While most Protestants skirt the questions of Marian apparitions altogether, the Roman Catholic Church is unable to avoid it. Many in the Catholic church have claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary, but the Catholic church has only approved a small portion of these apparitions.

What apparitions are approved by the Catholic Church?