Our Lady of Laus
| Our Lady of Laus | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Saint-Étienne-le-Laus, France |
| Date | 1664-1718 |
| Witness | Benoîte Rencurel |
| Type | Marian apparition |
| Holy See approval | May 5, 2008, during the Pontificate of Benedict XVI |
Our Lady of Laus (French: Notre-Dame du Laus) or Refuge of Sinners denotes Marian apparitions that took place between 1664 and 1718 in Saint-Étienne-le-Laus, France to Benoite Rencurel, a young shepherdess. They were approved by the Holy See on May 5, 2008.
Situated in Dauphiné, in southern France at the foot of the Alps, just southeast of Gap, is the vale of Laus. Its name means lake in the local dialect as there once was one at the bottom of the basin. In 1666 the hamlet held twenty households scattered in little huts. The inhabitants had built a chapel dedicated to the Annunciation, Notre-Dame de Bon Recontre (Our Lady of the Good Encounter, i.e., the Annunciation).
Benoite was born in September 16, 1647, into extreme poverty in the village of St Etienne d’Avancon. Her father died when she was only seven. By the time Benoite was twelve she took employment tending sheep
In May 1664, the seventeen-year-old Benoite saw an apparition of St. Maurice, a 3rd-century martyr who was greatly honored at Laus. This was near a nearby chapel, then in ruins, dedicated to St. Maurice. He warned her that if she remained in that area, the local guards would take her flock if they found it there. St. Maurice told the shepherdess to go to the Valley of Kilns, above Saint-Étienne, where she would see the Mother of God.
On May 16 Benoite took her sheep to the Valley of Kilns. She came to a grotto, when Mary, holding the child Jesus in her arms, appeared to her. Her offer to share the hard bread she had made the beautiful lady smile, but she left without saying a word. For a period of about 4 months, the Lady came back every day, and Benoite heard her speak. Others could not hear what Mary said. On August 29, the Lady told Benoite that her name is Mary.
The Lady instructed Benoite to go to Laus from her own village nearby and to look for her there “where you will smell a very nice perfume". Benoite made her way to Laus and found an old Chapel dedicated to Notre Dame de Bon Rencontre and while the smell of the beautiful perfume was there, the Chapel was in a bad condition. “It is my desire that a new chapel be built here in honour of my beloved Son. It will become a place of conversion for numerous sinners and I shall appear here very often” said the beautiful lady.
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