Vatican approves public devotion to alleged 1990s Slovak Marian apparitions
July 10, 2025
The prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has authorized the head of an Eastern Catholic church to grant a nihil obstat to alleged Marian apparitions in Litmanová, Slovakia, between 1990 and 1995.
Under 2024 Vatican norms for assessing alleged supernatural phenomena, a nihil obstat (literally, “nothing stands in the way”) is the most positive of six possible outcomes. “Without expressing any certainty about the supernatural authenticity of the phenomenon itself,” a nihil obstat, according to the norms, acknowledges “many signs of the action of the Holy Spirit” and encourages appreciation and promotion of devotion.
In “Let Jesus set you free,” his letter to the head of the Slovak Catholic Church (CNEWA profile), Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández summarized the Blessed Virgin’s alleged messages but cautioned, “Within these alleged messages, we do find some ambiguities and unclear aspects.”
Cardinal Fernández’s letter to Archbishop Jonáš Maxim, MSU, of Prešov concluded:
These considerations allow the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to accept your proposal to proceed with the declaration of “nihil obstat” for the Marian devotion that arose on Mount Zvir.
Although this declaration does not imply recognition of the supernatural authenticity of the alleged apparitions, it nevertheless permits the approval of public devotion and informs the faithful that they can safely approach this spiritual offering, it they so wish, and that the basic contents of the alleged messages can help us live the Gospel of Christ.
At the same time, we entrust Your Excellency with the task of publishing a compilation of the messages that excludes those few statements that could lead to confusion and disturb the faith of ordinary people.
The Vatican released the letter, dated July 4, on July 9.
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Further information:
- Considerations about the Spiritual Experience on Mount Zvir (Litmanová, Slovakia) (Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith)
- NORMS FOR PROCEEDING IN THE DISCERNMENT OF ALLEGED SUPERNATURAL PHENOMENA (Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith)
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