The Vatican is set to hold a press conference on May 17, 2024, to discuss supernatural phenomena and apparitions. The conference will be led by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, Monsignor Armando Matteo, and Sister Daniela Del Gaudio. According to reports from various sources including The Sun, National Catholic Reporter, USA Today, NewsNation and Fox News, the Vatican has not held a similar event since 1978. During the press conference, the Vatican is expected to present new provisions from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith regarding apparitions and supernatural phenomena. The surge in reports of such phenomena by mainstream media may have prompted this event.
The term 'apparition' refers to a spiritual or supernatural visitor, most likely involving a divine entity such as a saint or the Virgin Mary. The Catholic Church urges 'extreme prudence' before attributing phenomena to a supernatural force and encourages thorough investigation by diocesan bishops and further scrutiny by Rome.
Historically, investigations of supernatural events have been left to local bishops due to limited resources at the Vatican. False apparitions may be the result of misunderstandings, psychological problems or deliberate forgeries and fakes. Sites like Medjugorje draw millions of visitors and some have tried to monetize relics or false apparitions.
Exorcism guidelines have been revised by the church repeatedly due to potential danger. In 1976, Annelise Michel, a German woman, died from dehydration and malnutrition after ten months of exorcism. The Vatican's document on discernment of supernatural phenomena will provide clear guidelines and norms for the investigation of apparitions and other phenomena.
The last time the Vatican doctrinal office released guidance on apparitions was in 1978 under Pope Paul VI. The Miracle of Fátima in 1917 is one of the most well-documented apparitions in modern history, with tens of thousands of people claiming to witness the sun move erratically across the sky and produce radiant colors for several minutes. The Catholic Church recognized the supernatural aspect of this event in 1930 and formally approved it a decade later.
The Vatican's document on human dignity, released last month, denounced gender theory, gender transitions, and surrogate pregnancies as violating basic moral precepts.
