South African Girl Having Apparitions Of The Virgin Mary
Hundreds of people are flocking to Benoni, a small town east of Johannesburg, South Africa to be blessed by a 17-year-old South African girl who has experienced apparitions of the blessed Virgin Mary around her home. The teenager, Francesca Zackey, first saw the Virgin Mary on May 7, interrupting the family’s meal.
“My brother-in-law asked for an encyclopedia, and as I was replacing the book back, I just smelt the strongest fumes of roses and it just hit me, and I fell to my knees and I started crying the tears of joy,” she said.
Zackey then called her family over and they also smelled roses. She then felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to go to her bedroom, where she saw the Virgin Mary sitting on the right side of her bed.
“She had ice blue eyes, brown hair, long brown hair, and an ice blue cloak. Her hands were open, there was light coming out of her hands,” Zackey said.
At first the teenager was scared by the visions, but then she said she found a strength from the Holy Spirit. In her visions, the mother of Jesus Christ called on Zackey to write a book documenting her vision and to start a youth group.
“She said to me that she wants people to pray with their hearts. She said: ‘I want you to open your house for seven days and I want you to put statues where I have been,”‘.
To date, Zackey has had 20 apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Each site where she has seen her is marked with candles, idols of Mary and roses.
One pilgrim who made the trip to visit Zackey is Theresa Skosana. Upon having Zackey’s hands placed on her chest, Skosana fell to the ground. Zackey then held a hand above Skosana’s head as the 53-year-old woman trembled, winced and clenched her fist. Zackey’s family members and others gathered in the room to recite the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary. After completion of the prayers, Skosana arose to her feet. This scenario has repeated itself numerous times with other pilgrims.
In a world where atheism is on the rise and religious conflict is rampant, it is ever comforting to have another sign from the Heavens that God is watching over us all with His Son Jesus Christ and that He cares deeply for us. There have been countless apparitions like this throughout history, with perhaps the most famous being the Virgin of Guadalupe.
17 Comments, Comment or Ping
Emmanuel Moyana
A word by word reading of the scriptures contradicts Catholicism and some its practices such as the role of the ,”virgin Marry.”The bible teaches that the dead do not anything (Eccle 9:5) and will only wake up on the resurrection 1 Thes 4: 16 - 18; John 5:28,29. Mary too is dead and asleep and waiting for the resurrection of the just. She cannot save anyone. Only Jesus can and in Him only should mankind believe and trust.The bible says Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6). This excludes Mary as a means of attaining salvation. In a world filled with many false religions and false prophets and false visions, the bible is our only protection against deception. As Isaiah 8:20 says, To the law and to the testmony, if they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Jun 12th, 2007
Duke
The harvest is ripe.
The time has come.
The Faithful Witness
Jun 13th, 2007
Carin
if only these apparitions could help save the world from all the evil, but i guess that will happen one step at a time
Jun 13th, 2007
Carol
Just to set the record straight, there are many apparitions some are phoney as a 3 dollar bill others are legit like Fatima, Lourdes, & Akita, Japan.. but the same message is sent, pray, sacrifice & fast.
Mary is an instrument of our Lord Jesus’ unabiding Love for His people, Mary was his Mother, His humanity. Her ‘yes’ through David legacy just as the prophesy foretold. All prayers and petitions that go through Mary, and the Saints, are laid at the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ. We worship our Lord, we venerate Mary for the sacrifices and hardships she went through for us, she still cares for our souls even now.
That legacy is lost on people that don’t understand that she brings people to her Son. Like any family sometimes its easier to ask Mother than to ask Father.It is not idol worship, nor unheard of to find God through Mary. We need not believe in any apparitions but we must still believe in the message, God loves us, we need to pray and sacrifice so this world may be free of the violence and the hate the permeates it daily.
Jun 14th, 2007
Emmanuel Moyana
Carol I have problem when you do not support your satements with the bible. If indeed Mary has such roles as you put it, that shouldnt be left to people like you to “set the record straight.” Let the bible set it straight. Do not speak to the bible, the bible should speak to you. No logic, no common sense reasoning, but the bible only. Why was the bible written if we could rely on logic to be saved? The reason why there are so many churches today is because people choose to follow their own inclininations, persuasions and elect to appeal to common sense reasoning as if God dwells in the realm of common sense. I do not think God is that cheap. 2 Peter 2:2,3 says that, “Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”
So instead of private explanations lets have scriptural explanations. 2 Peter 1:21 says that,”For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” So Carol instead of setting the record straight, let the bible set you straight. Do not defend religion, religion if it is of God will defend you.
Jun 14th, 2007
romy
I went to Francesca Zachey’s house and I have to say I strongly believe the appraritons the young girl has claimed to have are true. The undescribable feelings of love and peace that are present in her house are truely one of divine intervention. Our mother Mary is God’s mother, and God’s will can be done through her. Francesca is a truely blessed girl and I feel honoured to have met and been in her presence. I have always been a devout catholic with a strong faith however since my visit to Francesca’s my faith has grown even more, I feel as if I am floating on a cloud. Thank you God for allowing us to witness this miracle. Praise be to God always.
Jun 19th, 2007
Phuti
It’s not the first time in history that a person that has died appears to the living. Eg, If one knows the scriptures well, when King Saul went to a witch to bring back Prophet Samuel, Samuel did appear to him; also Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus to the 3 desciples that were with Jesus at that time…But Marry? I dont know…Has she now been equal with God? Should she now be worshiped? Is she our mother now? Is our mother not Eve anymore? Even the bible says that Eve is the mother of all creation…Is Marry not born of man? Then that makes her just mere woman like the rest of us stuck in this reality of a life…Woe to him who puts his trust in another man…It is abomination to the Lord that in His name we worship man…What about Melchizedek then? He is not born of a woman, but even him we shall not worship…
It’s so sad that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been defiled to such a level where any man can make Jesus whoever he pleases…Is he not the Son of God that is to set free all Creation? I fear when I consider such perversion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ…Abomination!!!!
Let all know (especially those who believe in Virgin Marry), and remember for it is written in the same bible that you base your false beliefs upon…
“In the day of our Lord and Messiah, ALL MAN will be judged according to his/her deeds here on earth…This obviously includes Virgin Marry…She will also be judged by the One with an iron scepter”…For all you know, she’ll probably enter heaven, and all who worshiped her will be condemned to hell for your foolishness…Never has Marry claimed worship from any of us…For she knew what the rest of us should know…No one goes to the Father except through the Son…
May the Lord remember us in these times of evil deception…May the Lord open our eyes, and deliver us from our own foolishness…May the name of the Lord live forever, and May the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remember us even in our days that we may all be saved…Behold the Lord comes soon in wrath to judge all creation…May we all find mercy in His sight…
Dont you know that the antichrist is he who preaches what is contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?Anyone who perverts this doctrine, it would be better for him/her if he was never born than to be struck by the hand of the Lord in the day of our Lord…
Peace be with you all…
Jun 21st, 2007
Voice of Reason
Emmanuel Moyana, call us back when your church comes up with it’s own spiritual book. Until then, please forgive me if I don’t buy your commentary on the one that was developed within the true Church.
If somebody’s using the Bible outside of the Catholic or Orthodox Churches, it’s like a Sumo wrestler playing basketball. He might hit a shot every now or then, but he’s probably gonna foul out long before he wins the game.
I’m not big on the apparitions. And I know you won’t agree with me on my stance on the Bible (which IS the Word of God) and its use. That’s fine. It’s not really an issue that’s up for debate–it’s established history that the Bible was compiled during the first 4 centuries after Christ–and the guys doing the compiling weren’t “Bible-only” Christians.
Jun 22nd, 2007
Jon Holato
@ Emmanuel Moyana - If you’re looking for scriptural justification as to why Catholics pray to (NOT worship) Mary and why we consider her a mother figure as well, consider the following:
“For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed” (Luke 1:48)
So this establishes a basis for why Catholics consider Mary blessed and pray to her, but for why we consider her as a mother as well let’s take a look at another passage in the scriptures:
“So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” (Rev. 12:17)
It doesn’t take a logician to deduce that this last passage refers to all of us as the children who the dragon seeks to wage war with, after it unsuccessfully tried to corrupt our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hope this helps to clarify things a bit!
Jun 22nd, 2007
Phuti
@Jon Holato and the likes
No offence brother at all, and no condemnation to none at all but please also consider Luke 11:27-28
” 27And it came to pass, as He[Jesus] spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
28But He said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”
From just this passage, one would understand and agree to saying that Marry is blessed for giving birth to Jesus, but even better yet blessed is he who hears the word of the Lord and keep it in his heart…
Is not David blessed? He is certainly blessed, for the bible says that he is made king over Israel forever…What about Abraham? Is he not God’s best friend? Is Jesus not the descendant of David? What about Marry? Is she not the child of Abraham? Then should we also pray to David or Abraham? Remember the story of Lazarus and the rich wicked man? The rich man prayed to Abraham in his agony but even Abraham admitted that salvation was not in his hands…
How come Jesus never mentioned anything about praying to Mary? Remember one time when Jesus was preaching, His mother[Mary] came to Him with His brothers, and when they told Jesus that His mother and brothers are looking for Him He said, “Anyone who hears the word of my Father and follows the ways of my Father is my brother and my mother, and my sister…”, search it in the scriptures, I have seen that verse…
Eve is the mother of all living…Mary is the mother of Jesus. Our mother is Eve, not Mary, and Even then, we should pray to neither…
I appreciate your wisdom in this matter and I will consider your wisdom if your wisdom satisfies the truth. Seek the truth and you will find it. Christ is the Messiah. Daniel wrote about his vision, that ALL kingdoms were given to Him alone. In every occasion where an angel would appear to man, the angel would forbid the man to bow down at him and worship. What more of Mary then when she is just man?
I beg you my brothers, you have every right to believe anything you want to believe in, but make sure it’s the truth. We are taught in the scriptures that the god of this world[Satan] has blinded the people to never see the truth. He will do everything he can to pervert the Gospel which is why there are so many religions in the world claiming to be truelly of Christ and yet against each other…Who’s right then?
Jun 25th, 2007
voice of reason
PHUTI et al,
I don’t think that particular treatment of Luke 11: 27-28 does the text, not the context, justice. It seems, as read from the Greek, that what Jesus has done in this text is turn it around a bit–he actually corrects that angle by which praise should be lavished upon his mother. He acknowledges that she is blessed, but not just because she gave birth and raised Jesus, but rather, she’s blessed BECAUSE she hears the word of God, and keeps it. There’s no other translation that makes sense–it’s a direct reference to his mother from the woman in the crowd by one logic, and Jesus affirms her proclamation by another logic.
Mary, clearly, is of primary favor in the New Testament. Scripture says as much. Luke 1: 28 literally reads, “Hail, full of grace!” or “Hail, one who has been graced!” It’s a past tense usage, suggesting that she has already been “graced,” or “filled with grace.” How is this possible? How can there be “grace” in the world before there’s a savior in the world? There’s no Christ–no Christ means no grace.
This is a problem–logic has to enter in where Scripture doesn’t appear to give the answer.
Christ is the new Adam–all Christians pretty much understand this. What entered the world through a man (sin by Adam) had to be destroyed by a man (Jesus). Where Adam fell short, Christ triumphed.
But Adam didn’t act alone–he had a partner in crime–woman (out of “her man,” literally). Where Eve, the mother of the living, said, “I will serve me. I want to be like God,” Mary, the new Eve, said, “I am the hadmaiden of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to thy word.” (Luke 1: 38).
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, there are 2 key points where Jesus specifically makes the link of “woman” back to Mary. At the beginning of his ministry at the Wedding Feast at Cana (John 2) is the first. He says “Woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” And yet, he does exactly as his mother asks anyway–in deed, his hour HAD come. She tells the people, “Do whatever Jesus tells you to do.” Has there ever been a better sermon than that?
Secondly, he uses “woman” for Mary in John 19, when he says to Mary, regarding the disciple beside her, “Woman, beyond thy son.” And to the disciple, “Behold thy mother.” And hence, she is given to the Church as mother.
This is getting too long. I’ll cut it off.
Jun 25th, 2007
Jon Holato
@ Phuti - those are great passages and I thank you for posting them, they are clear as day evidence from Jesus Himself that we are not to worship Mary, but rather we must be attentive to the word of God and follow it.
That being said, I again stress that Catholics DO NOT worship Mary, but rather just pray to her. Furthermore, in praying to her we’re not asking for her to perform miracles for us (or at least we shouldn’t be), but rather we’re asking her to intercede for us with our Father the Almighty. For example, consider the following line from the Rosary prayer:
“Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen.”
In this passage we are acknowledging Mary as the mother of Jesus Christ, and asking her to pray for us. Note: we are not asking her to forgive sins, as only the Father can do this. Rather, we ask her, as one who has found favor with and been blessed by God, to pray for us so that we too may be blessed with the Holy Spirit as well.
Jun 25th, 2007
Phuti
@Jon Holato and Voice of Reason
Ay man, I dont know anymore, clearly you have wisdom regarding this matter, but it still doesn’t feel right. Clearly your reasoning is sound, but it just doesn’t feel right. The fact is, in this world, there are absolutes. You can be absolutely right, or you can be absolutely wrong. For all I know I could be wrong, and for all you know, you could also be wrong. But that is not the point if we are all in this conversation because of our love for Christ and no one else…
The book of Hebrews explains why we pray to the Father, and how Jesus intercedes for us, and no one else. Before Christ, there were priests who interceded for the people, but Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedeck. He is the one who intercede for us as the scripture says. How come Paul never mentioned anything about Mary? Surely Mary is blessed, but so is Daniel, Job, Elijah and many other prophets. In fact, every one who hears the story of Jesus will call Mary blessed. I called her blessed when I heard of Jesus. And thus the scriptures are fulfilled…We are also blessed because of Christ. Mary is asleep now, just like all of us will be as the Lord wills it. But Christ, He is perfect, never sinned, and is alive even to this day. Mary died because she sinned like the rest of us. We all sinned when Adam sinned. As you have said my brother, that By Adam all died, and By Christ all lived. I understand that Catholics as you say only pray to Mary and not worship her. But what can she do, for the dead have no part amongst the living? Why disturb her in her sleep if you love her so much? By Christ all things were made…Dont you know that He that made them in the beginning made them male and female?
I’m just a guy in search of the Truth, and we all know that Jesus is our truth and no one else. The bible says that Jesus intercedes for us. But if I am wrong, then please pray for me as your brethren that the Lord may correct me, and if you are wrong, I will pray for you brethren that the Lord may correct you too. The bible says that the Antichrist will surely come with cleverly devised doctrines and he will fool many. I could be the case, or you could be the case. But if you love the Lord, and you are sure of your doctrine, then clearly I am doomed and only God can open my eyes to see truth in your wisdom…Let the Lord our God be witness to this conversation, and let His mercy lead us to his Truth…
Peace be with you all
Jun 26th, 2007
Emmanuel Moyana
I would like to congratulate Jon for an objective response to my other article in his other posting on this blog. I however regret the fact that Voice of Reason in his first posting belittled the status of the bible only to quote it when it suited him in his other posting. Its not fair to ignore the bible when it is convenient and then to use it when it agrees with your reasoning. I personally have read some sections in the bible that I am not comfortable with but I have never dismissed it as having been compiled in the fourth century. In any case you do not need to be a rocket scientist to know that to compile the bible is different from authoring its contents. Jesus Himself always referred to the word “scriptures” when talking about the word of God. In those days the word scriptures referred to the books of our modern day old testament. The devil tempted Jesus by twisting the scriptures. Jesus resisted the devil by always saying, “It is written.” (Read Luke chapter 4) Today someone wants to tell us that we do not need to rely on the bible when our master overcame the evil one by using the scriptures. I refuse in the name of Jesus!
The issue that has been by passed in our discussions has been that of the status of the dead. It is not in dispute that Mary died.
The bible states that the dead do not know anything (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
That they do not have anymore part in what is done under the sun (Ecclesiastes 9:6)
The dead cannot remember the Lord in their death (Psalm 6:5)
The dead cannot praise the Lord in their death (Psalm 115:17)
The dead shall come to life only at the resurrection (John 5: 28, 29; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)
The resurrection implies that noone goes to heaven except through a resurrection. In the bible Moses is known to have been resurrected in the one chapter book of Jude. Enoch and Elijah did not see death and were translated. These individuals are alive as we speak even today. However we have not been commanded to pray to them. Only a person who is in the form of God can be prayed to. Mary never had such a status.
Of David the Apostle Peter (the Catholic Church has a role for peter by the way) said David had not gone to heaven (Acts 2:34). However David expected to be resurrected (Psalm 17:15)
Job expected to be resurrected (Job14:14). Paul preached the gospel of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15: 16 – 18)
Voice of Reason mentions that Jesus in John 2 and 19 refers to Mary as woman. In John 19 he then says to John, “son behold thy mother,” and to Mary, “woman behold thy son.” His reasoning and not that of the same passage he refers to is that this means that Mary was given to the Church as a “mother.” He ignores the fact that at this point Mary was a widow hence needed to be looked after especially by her, “children.” Little is known about the relationship of Mary with her children and step children i.e. those of Joseph before their marriage. What is known and revealed in scripture is that they did not believe in Jesus during His earthly ministry. John understood what Jesus meant when he said “son behold thy mother,” and proceeded to take her into his house. John wrote the Gospels of John, 1st to 3rd John and the book of Revelations somewhere after AD 90 several years after the events of John 19 and yet nowhere does he state that Mary was given to the church as a mother. Surely he could have stated that given that the instruction was given to him directly from Jesus Himself.
The Voice of reasoning in his reasoning states that since the bible refers to Jesus is the second Adam, then Mary is the second eve. Such reasoning then places Mary as a wife of Jesus since the first Eve was the wife of the first Adam. This teaching I am sure is not supported even by the Catholic Church itself. Let me add that the bible never says Mary is the second Eve.
I agree and the Catholic Church are in believing in the doctrine of the trinity. I believe that Jesus was God who was manifested in flesh (John 1: 1-3, Philippians 2: 5 – 12). Jesus alone can be prayed to because he is God. Only a Deity can be prayed to. We can emulate Mary of course in that she was found to be a virgin in a sinful city. Nazareth was known for its wickedness but Mary remained pure.
I have nothing against the Catholic Church personally. It’s only that I am a bible believing Christian. I believe that the men who wrote the bible were inspired. What they wrote was an expression of the word of God Himself ( 2 Timothy 3:16).
May God bless you all.
Jun 26th, 2007
voice of reason
Emmanuel Moyana,
I have not belittled the Bible. It is the inspired and inerrant Word of God. What I suggested is that it CANNOT be properly understood outside of the context of of its origin.
To suggest that the Bible alone contains the fullness of the Word of God is NOT supported by Scripture. The Bible DOES NOT make this claim.
Rather, the Bible suggests, not only suggests, but IMPLICITLY states that there may be instructions for the people of God NOT written in Scripture. The Scripture is the Word of God, but NOT all the words of God. In deed, Paul says to the Thessalonians in his second letter to them (Chapter 2): “So then, brethern, stand firm and hold to the TRADITIONS which you were taught by us, either by WORD OF MOUTH or by LETTER.” Paul says IMPLICITLY that “traditions” for the brethren to “hold on” to need not necessarily be contained in Scripture.
So who has the authority to determine what is and what is not of God, if the matter is not contained in Scripture? And who has the authority to properly understand Scripture?
Paul says it’s the Church. In 1 Timothy, Chapter 3, Paul calls the “church of the living God” the “pillar and bulwark of the truth.”
IN DEED, apart from the Church, WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES properly. From the 8th chapter of the book of Acts, we see the Ethiopian reading the scriptures fervently. But it’s not until he humbly submits to the Apostle Philip that he cannot understand the scripture on his own that he is saved.
There are some 25,000 protestant denominations, all with their own idea of what the Scriptures are telling them, but all share the common belief that the Scripture alone has the words to save them. However, there was only 1 “church” that wrote the New Testament and discerned, by the help of the Holy Spirit, what was Scripture, and what was not. That Church also had the power to determine what “traditions,” as Paul said, were traditions of men (corrupt) and traditions of God (those which should be followed, even if not written in scripture).
Only the Catholic, and to some extent, the Orthodox Churches have lineage to that Church, the Church of the New Testament. So Scripture outside of that context will only confuse.
Jun 26th, 2007
Rudolph Basson
Hallucinations can be a symptom of a number of psychopathologies. Also, malingering is a strong possibility, especially considering all the secondary benefits (fame, etc.).
You people need to step back and think about what it is that makes you see something as ridiculous as a teenage girl’s alleged hallucinations as proof of your sky-god’s existence.
Jul 19th, 2007
john pate
Truth,Man created the image of God to himself and four footed beast,fact. God is not bounded, its no secret what God can do.All who claim to know God well shame on you{ no man knows the will of God}.Let me take you back a little ways, Ancient Isralites were comanded by God to place sacifice to the four horns of the altar.Each repersentation of the god head. Holy Father,Holy Mother,Holy Son, Holy Daughter{Yah..he..van..he} our HolyTrinity, the father and mother become one in unity in there image are born sons and daugthers of God.Our Mother the Holy Spirit speaks for us sinner children on our behalf.Remember that Joseph saw {Sun , Moon ,and Stars}.He was blessed above all.
Oct 16th, 2007
Reply to “South African Girl Having Apparitions Of The Virgin Mary”