Top 100 Marian Apparitions

According to pious tradition, the miraculous events surrounding Our Lady of Trsat began on May 10, 1291, when the Holy House of Nazareth—the very home where the Virgin Mary received the Annunciation and lived with the Holy Family—was miraculously transported by angels to the hill of Trsat in Rijeka, Croatia. Local woodcutters were the first to discover the sudden appearance of the small, humble stone dwelling, which rested on the hillside entirely without a foundation. The awe-inspiring arrival of the Holy House immediately drew the faithful, who recognized the profound sanctity of the structure that had seemingly descended from the heavens.

The authenticity of this miraculous event was confirmed through a profound vision granted to the local parish priest, Alexander de Georgio. Gravely ill and bedridden, the priest experienced an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. During this heavenly encounter, Mary gently assured him that the structure resting on the hill was indeed her earthly home from Nazareth. As a definitive sign of the truth of her message, she miraculously and instantly cured him of his illness. The priest's sudden healing served as a powerful testament to the community, solidifying their devotion and confirming the divine nature of the site.

Although the Holy House remained in Trsat for only three years before angels reportedly relocated it to Loreto, Italy, in 1294, the spiritual impact on Croatia was permanent. To comfort the grieving locals who mourned the departure of the sacred dwelling, Pope Urban V later gifted them a miraculous icon of the Blessed Mother, known as the "Mother of Grace." Today, the site stands proudly as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat, the oldest Marian shrine in Croatia. It continues to draw countless pilgrims seeking solace, healing, and a deeper connection to the Holy Family, beautifully preserving the legacy of the miraculous events of 1291.