THE PAPAL STATEMENT

The Apparition has appeared during different nights and is still appearing in varying forms: Sometimes in complete body and oth­ers in half, always surrounded by a white glittering halo appearing either from the dome openings or from the space between the domes on which she used to move and march and bow before the Cross on the church roof, giving it a magnificent light. She used also to face multitudes of people in front of the church and bless them with her hands and with nods from her blessed head. In some other times the Apparition was in the form of a body of celestial glittering white cloud or in the form of light proceeded by some spiritual forms such as doves of great speed. The Apparition used to appear for a long period that reached in certain times two hours and a quarter as happened on April 30, 1968, when her complete glittering Appari­tion stayed from 2:45 to 5:00 a.m.

 

The appearances have been witnessed by many thousands of citizens and foreigners belonging to different religions and sects, together with groups of religious organizations and scientific and professional personages and all other categories of people, who have proclaimed and announced their witnesses confirming the certainty of the Virgin's appearances-all giving the same particu­lars as to description and form and time and place, thus proving a whole agreement in witnessing that has elevated the matter of ap­pearance above any doubt or any lack of proof or evidence.

 

These appearances have been accompanied by two important matters: The first is the vivid spirit of belief in God, the Other World and the Saints; thus having many of the unbelievers and those of weak belief repent through this cause of belief. The second is the miraculous cure that has occurred to many patients whose cases have been examined by all concerned medically and scientifically.

 

The Papal Residence has collected the evidences that have been looked after by authorized personalities and committees of clergy­men who have been pursuing and investigating and who even had the chance to observe the blessed apparition for themselves and recording their research and witness in official reports which they submitted to His Holiness The Pope Anba Kyrillos VI.

 

The Papal Residence, by issuing this statement, declares with complete faith, great rejoicing and with gratitude submitted through self-humiliation to Almighty God that the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared several times in clear and steady forms during many dif­ferent nights for varying periods, that reached in some of them to more than two hours continually, since the second of April 1968 up to now in the Coptic Orthodox Church in Zeitun, Cairo, that is in Matariya Road through which the Holy Family had passed during their settlement in Egypt as well-known historically.

 

We hope that this blessing will be a sign of peace to the world and an omen of prosperity to our beloved patron and blessed na­tion.