https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatic...stat-marian-devotion-slovakia-mount-zvir.html Vatican grants ‘Nihil obstat’ for Marian devotion on Mount Zvir in Slovakia The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has sent a letter to the Archbishop of Prešov for Byzantine Rite Catholics, confirming the many spiritual fruits connected to Mount Zvir, in Slovakia, where apparitions of Mary allegedly occurred between 1990 and 1995 near the small village of Litmanová. Catholic faithful pray at the site of alleged Marian apparitions near Litmanovà, Slovakia By Vatican News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith—thanks to the new norms published last year—has granted the go-ahead (nihil obstat) after evaluating the spiritual fruits connected to the alleged Marian apparitions that are said to have occurred between 1990 and 1995 in Litmanová, on Mount Zvir, in Slovakia. Cardinal Prefect Víctor Manuel Fernández sent a letter addressed to Archbishop Jonáš Jozef Maxim, Archieparch of Prešov for Byzantine Rite Catholics. (Read the letter in English here) He wrote in response to the archbishop’s request, who cites the countless “sincere and profound confessions” and conversions, expressing appreciation for the “many spiritual fruits obtained by the pilgrims who continue to frequent the place” despite the alleged phenomenon having concluded thirty years ago. Analyzing the related messages, the Dicastery said they contain “precious invitations to conversion.” These include statements such as: “Let Jesus free you… And do not allow your Enemy to limit your freedom, for which Jesus shed so much blood.” The Blessed Virgin Mary presents herself as “happy” and invites the faithful to find the true path to happiness in the recognition of being loved unconditionally: “I love you just as you are… I want you to be happy, but this world will not make you happy.” Several messages encourage the faithful by showing that the path of the Gospel is not complicated. “He wants you ever more simple.” Finding joy and peace in the Lord enables us to witness and spread peace, the message notes. They also postulate the need for a response and engagement with the Lord’s initiative, imitating Christ, who gives Himself out of love. Loving our brothers and sisters becomes the summary of our response and our fulfillment. In the letter, Cardinal Fernández acknowledges that a limited number of messages contain “some ambiguities and unclear aspects.” However, taking into account what had already been stated by the doctrinal commission on the case in a 2011 report, it is believed that these are due to the internal interpretation of the alleged visionaries. These few messages, in fact, do not present themselves as locutions but rather as interior experiences. Those who live them attempt to translate them into words, which necessarily turn out to be imprecise. For this reason, Archbishop Maxim is invited to publish a collection “excluding those few statements that may cause confusion and disturb the faith of the simple.” The Dicastery reiterates that the nihil obstat does not imply the recognition of the supernatural authenticity of the alleged apparitions, but “nevertheless permits the approval of public worship and the communication to the faithful that, if they wish, they may approach this spiritual proposal without risk.” The alleged apparitions began on August 5, 1990, three kilometers from Litmanová, a small village of Byzantine Catholic tradition in the mountains of northern Slovakia, and involved three children: Ivetka Korcáková, 11 years old; Katka Ceselková, 12; and Mitko Ceselka, 9. The Blessed Virgin Mary presented herself under the title of “Immaculate Purity.” Sent from my iPhone
https://litmanova.net/ The village Litmanova in Slovakia is located 11 kilometers from the town of Stara Lubovna. Only a few hundred people live in this village and they are almost entirely Greek (Byzantine) Catholic. They are in full communion with the Pope in Rome and the Catholic Church. The Greek Catholics in Litmanova who are of Carpatho-Rusyn nationality and speak a language called Rusyn. They also speak and understand Slovak. From August 5, 1990, to August 6, 1995, Our Lady appeared to two young girls - Ivetka Korcakova and Katka Ceselkova- on Mount Zvir, which is less than 4 kilometers from the village. Ivetka (born in 1978.) was a visionary to whom Our Lady gave her messages . Starting April 1991, Katka (born in 1977.), served as a witness to the apparitions. From that time, she could see Our Lady, but she was unable to hear her. The apparitions took place in a hay-barn, in a small room (2.8 x 4 m). The girls received visits and messages from the Blessed Mother on the first Sunday of every month, following the first Friday. Before the apparition, the girls would pray and then the Holy Virgin would appear from what seemed like fog. She would usually sit on a narrow wooden bench along the wall. During the apparition, the girls would enter into the ecstasy, paying no attention to the surroundings, gazing at the apparition with gentle smiles. During these apparitions, the Virgin Mary encouraged the youth to attend church services. She asked them to offer sacrifices along with prayers in reparation for their sins, the sins of Slovakia and the sins of the world. Thousand of pilgrims accompanied the apparition on the mountain. About 100 meters from the hay-barn the Holy Virgin blessed a well and she recommended that people drink from this spring. According to the testimonies of many witnesses, numerous miraculous healings are said to have occurred.
November 11, 1990 Disaster and Prayer of Slovakia There were many people present. We prayed two decades of the rosary and then began the Divine Liturgy. We had an apparition: The Blessed Mother began to form herself out of the mist - first as outline, then fully visible. She told us that when the message was delivered, only two of us and the priests should remain in the room. During the Divine Liturgy, we did not see her, but only after it had ended. When the people began to pray, they continued with the holy rosary, but we could not hear them because the Blessed Mother appeared again. She told us that she could not longer bear to look at the sins of Slovakia, where her children have so much, yet do not worship her Son and Her. Her son will send a disaster to Slovakia; but if people will convert, and begin to pray more sincerely and more fervently, the disaster could be gradually postponed. The Blessed Mother was deeply sad, and urged us to spread this message throughout Slovakia so that all the people of Slovakia would come and pray here. November 18, 1990 Forgiveness and love We went to the field and there were many people. On the way up, we prayed and sang. Then, the people began to sing this hymn: "We have made a wreath for you, Mary...." We looked to the side and we saw the Blessed Mother with roses around her feet. As we climbed higher, the people sang "Jesus and Mary are coming with us." We looked to the right and saw the Blessed Mother holding Jesus in her arms. She was barefoot and Jesus was wrapped in a white cloth. We all sang together the song: "When we finished the rosary...", and we saw the Blessed Mother walking with a rosary. Then we turned around but we no longer saw her. When we arrived at the place of the apparitions, we knelt and prayed as always. Then, the Blessed Mother appeared again with Jesus in her arms. Jesus was crying wearily. She gave us a message, saying that very few people make sacrifice. Jesus made Himself a sacrifice for all nations. She asked: "Why don't men make sacrifices as Jesus did so many years ago? She told us that people have many material things, they have everything they want and would even kill each other for more possessions. They only seek to accumulate more. Jesus Himself taught us to love one another, and to forgive one another." The Blessed Mother said: “Even if the water in the spring has some dirt,if anything is immersed in it, the water is still good." She urged us to spread the message throughout Slovakia. Then, she asked us to tell the people not to lie but to speak the truth. She also asked why there were not more people coming to pray with us. A woman came to us with a piece of paper on which was written that her son had abandoned the faith. She asked how she could bring back to believe in God.The Blessed Mother replied: "Her son became distracted from the faith when he went to Prague to pursue his studies. He fell in with a bad group and began to change. He became ashamed to say he was a Christian." The Blessed Mother said that his mother should pray for him. She should fast and then the Blessed Mother would take care of everything. January 20, 1991 I will come at the right time The Virgin Mary once again expressed her gratitude to the girls, but this time she appeared particularly sorrowful. She said: ”I am deeply saddened that my children are killing each other shedding blood, even though I am your loving Mother. The war in the Persian Gulf is not the will of God. For several years now, the world has been under the influence of the Devil. Slovakia stands on the bring of a great disaster, but as our loving Mother, I am ready to help you. It is entirely up to you whether you will turn to me and pray. If you, my children, believe that the disaster is inevitable, then it will come. But if you resist and place yourself be fully in God's hands, praying: “Let God's will be done”, the catastrophe will be averted, for "I will come at the right time." I am your beloved Mother, and I invite all my dear children at this time to carry a blessed object with you. By doing so, the Devil will have less power over you.” February 17, 1991 I have to cry over you According to the testimony of Yvetka, the Virgin Mary was very sad. She was wearing a black dress and black veil, holding a wooden rosary in her hands. She said: "My children, I beg you to repent. Please understand that you have one Father and one Mother who are waiting for you at heaven. A mother should be happy about her children and take delight in them, but I must weep over you because you are lost in your sins. Someone asked the girl to inquire about Turzovka (Village in the north-west of Slovakia). The girls had never heard of Turzovka. Mary replied: “I wish the church to be built in Turzovka.”
September 8, 1991 God's visit is close My dear children! "Your eyes are clouded with your sin. I am deeply saddened that Satan has held the world in his grasp for so many years. But I am saddens me even more is that I must say this on my feast day: God's visit is near, and so - seek love." May 8, 1994 Be mature in love My dear children! Thank you for coming here. I want to tell you, that you know the Lord, your God so little... You talk too much about God, but not live according to His ways. Your deeds, your heart and your words have not yet matured in love. This world is full of filth and corruption, and it is sick. Do not think as this world thinks. Do not desire what this world desire. I love you, and I am deeply concerned for your heart. August 7, 1994 I love you My dear children! I am glad that you came into my heart. Thank you. The time in which you live is very serious. And only through this way you can survive spiritually. I want to give you The Heart of Jesus. So that, one day, we will all meet in heaven, at home. I love you, just the way you are. Each of my sons and daughters should say to me: "My mother, now I want to change my life. I want to go to the Father, and I completely trust you that you will help me reach him." I love you. I love you...! I want you to be happy, but this world will never make you happy. I look forward to...!
Under 'Pope Francis', a fundamental shift occurred in relation to the process of approving apparitions. Previously, the Holy Catholic Church would issue a ruling on whether or not a supposed apparition constitutes a supernatural event. Under the new process, such rulings are no longer given. It almost seems like 'Pope Francis' did not believe in Marian apparitions or wanted to suppress them. Under the new process, it is now about "spiritual fruits". Anyway, the Nihil Obstat given here, or any statements yet to come in relation to other Marian apparitions, do not really provide guidance on whether an apparition is true or not. It is almost as if the plan was to obscure actual Marian apparitions which had been Church-approved, witnessed, and scientifically examined, such as Akita or Lourdes. With the new Nihil Obstats-process, we cannot really tell if the Queen of Heaven and Earth truly appeared in the location in question, or not. Validity and truth are simply not considered anymore under the Vatican's new process. I find this very sad, because it takes away points of orientation and reliability that the Holy Catholic Church had previously offered regarding apparitions of Our Lady. With this in mind, I remain sceptical about Litmanova, Medjugorje, etc. By the way, the form in which Our Lady (or perhaps the demon pretending to be her) speaks in both locations s0unds similar - a bit soft and fluffy. This language and tone are in contrast to true and approved apparitions such as Fatima and Akita, where the tone of the Mother of God is noticeably starker and more serious. Of course, I might be wrong. I am not saying with certainty that Litmanova, Medjugorje, etc. are wrong. I am simply sceptical (more so about Medjugorje); but after having looked at evidence, I am not sceptical about Fatima and Akita anymore. The messages of Fatima, Akita, and other approved apparitions, such as Quito, are among my guidelines in these trying times. God bless!
Thanks for this reminder and clarification. I went ahead and posted it because Anthony Stine mentioned it on his YouTube channel.
Of course, thank you so much, dear Brian. I do of course recognise the Nihil Obstat-ruling, and it is good things get posted. I just wanted to add my two cents, as a mere layman, about the new approval-process by the Vatican, which is not an approval at all anymore, and many folks may not be aware of that. I posted off the cuff, without checking, so I am happy to stand corrected, what I said is my understanding as far as it goes. Regarding the new process of the Vatican in relation to apparitions of the Blessed Virgin, I almost get the impression it is meant to obscure things. As if it does not matter anymore whether Our Lady truly appeared or not, but instead the new approach seems more fluffy, almost akin to relativism. As for me, I will stick to believe in the apparitions that have been truly approved as worthy of belief that they are supernatural. This includes Fatima, Akita, Quito, Lourdes, Champion (Wisconsin), La Salette, etc. Anything that comes out of the Vatican under the new process (Medjugorje, Litmanova, and anything yet to come), I plan to mostly ignore it. God bless!
That’s a safe and prudent approach, one which I share. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit the Champion WI Shrine three times now. I’ll be out in Pulaski Wisconsin the first week of August. I just looked it up and I’ll only be 35 miles from the Shrine: So I’ll get to make another visit August 6 on my way home.
I would call the Vatican moves as muddying the waters. Making true discernment much, much more difficult for Catholics. Modernist heretics hate anything to do with Our Lady. That guy in charge now of these things, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández. I would not trust him to do my shopping. He even looks bad. He reminds me of something out of a Dracula movie. Having a quick look through all the messages they seem fine, in fact wonderful, to me.
