A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance by Mary the mother of Jesus, or a series of related such appearances during a period of time.
The Marian Vision of Saint Bernard, by Fra Bartolommeo, c. 1504. Uffizi, Florence
Statue of Our Lady of La Salette, an apparition reported to have occurred in France
Our Lady of Guadalupe is widely considered integral to the cultural identity of Mexico and Latin American culture.
Jetzer being tricked. Jetzer was a Dominican friar in Bern, and some of his brothers tricked him into thinking he was receiving a revelation from the Virgin Mary. Eventually he realized the truth. As punishment for this scandal, four Dominicans were burned at the stake by order of Pope Julius II with an audience of 30,000 people on May 1, 1509.
A number of people have claimed to have had visions of Jesus Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding his mother, Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited controversy. The Catholic Church endorses a fraction of these claims, and various visionaries it accepts have achieved beatification, or even sainthood.
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio, 1601–02
Saint Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church by Tiepolo, c. 1746
Saint Francis embracing Christ on the Cross, by Murillo, 1668.