The recognition of Pierina Gilli’s Marian apparitions
Positive opinion of the Vatican
In a letter dated 05 July 2024, signed by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican acknowledged the “positive aspects” in terms of faith and morals of the Italian Marian apparitions known as “La Rosa Mistica di Fontanelle” or “Madonna di Montichiari”. The Dicastery revisited its previous judgement of 1984, declaring that Pierina’s messages do not contain any elements contrary to Church doctrine, although it requested clarification on some expressions to avoid theological misunderstandings.
Who was Pierina Gilli (1911-1991)
The Italian visionary Pierina Gilli was born in Montichiari, Lombardy, on 3 August 1911 into a modest, poor peasant family. After refusing an offer of marriage, she was never able to realise her desire to consecrate herself to the Lord due to continuous postponements caused by sudden illnesses. Around the age of thirty, Pierina suddenly had intense spiritual experiences linked to numerous apparitions of the Virgin Mary, who would reveal herself to her as the ‘Mystical Rose’.
Pierina, with humility, kept a diary of her mystical experiences and from these pages we learn about the events that took place during her life and as the Vatican has pointed out, “they express a humble and complete trust in the maternal action of Mary and it is for this reason that we do not find in her attitudes of vainglory, self-sufficiency or vanity, but rather the awareness of having been gratuitously blessed by the nearness of the beautiful Lady, the mystic Rose”.
Pierina led a very withdrawn life. She died on 12 January 1991 in Montichiari, in the locality of Boschetti after a long purification of body and spirit.
Apparitions and Our Lady’s message
The Virgin appeared to Pierina for the first time in the spring of 1947 dressed in purple and wearing a white veil, with an expression of sadness and tears in her eyes. Showing her heart pierced by three swords, the Virgin asked for prayer, penance and sacrifice for the redemption of the world.
On 13th July 1947, the Virgin Mary appeared again to Pierina dressed in white, with three roses, one white, one red and one gold, symbolising prayer, sacrifice and penance. Our Lady urged a devotion to the “Mystical Rose” in favour of all religious institutes and priests and asked that the 13th of July be celebrated every year to atone for the offences committed by consecrated souls.
Various other episodes of apparitions followed.
In 1948 Pierina was questioned by the ecclesiastical authorities and subsequently withdrew to a Franciscan convent in Brescia, under the spiritual guidance of Father Giustino Carpin. The apparitions were few for a long time, but intensified again in 1966.
The apparitions of Fontanelle
In 1966, the Blessed Virgin is said to have appeared to Pierina in the area of Fontanelle in the municipality of Montichiari, near the ancient spring known as San Giorgio. Blessing the spring she is said to have asked that it be called the ‘Fountain of Grace’ and that a pool be built to receive all her children, especially the sick.
Also in this locality, during the feast of Corpus Christi on 9 June 1966, in another apparition among the fields of ripe wheat, Mary would ask that this wheat be ground to become the Eucharistic Bread for many Reparatory Communions, and on 6 August of the same year, the Blessed Virgin would ask that the World Day of Reparatory Communion be celebrated on 13 October.
Devotion and worship
Despite repeated opposition from local bishops, devotion has been strong, making these places an important spiritual point of reference and pilgrimage for thousands of faithful from Italy and abroad.
The cult of ‘Mary Rose Mystic and Mother of the Church’ spread throughout the world. Religious congregations inspired by Rosa Mistica, recognised by the bishops, and a myriad of religious associations sprang up. There would also be numerous conversions and healings.
A long ecclesial journey led to the creation of a shrine in Fontanelle. In April 2001, on the tenth anniversary of Pierina Gilli’s death, Bishop Giulio Sanguineti commissioned a priest to follow the cult in Fontanelle. On 17 December 2019, the Marian site was proclaimed ‘Diocesan Shrine Mystical Rose – Mother of the Church’.
The Vatican’s approval on 05 July marks a new milestone and an important recognition for the cult of Our Lady of Montichiari and Fontanelle and the apparitions of Pierina Gilli.