Apparitions in Serednie (Ukraine), Russia

1954 - 1955

Serednje, a village at the foot of the mountain of the same name, is located in western Ukraine, approximately along the (imaginary) line connecting Warsaw with Odessa and at the intersection of this line with the one connecting Kiev in Russia with Cluj in Romania. The village is located in the valley of the Kalush River, one of the numerous tributaries of the Dniester. The district center of the region to which Serednje belongs is the town of Novo Ušica, located between Kamenetz-Podolsk and Vinniza. Novo Ušica is located about 20 kilometers north of Serednje. The region to which Serednie belongs belonged to Poland for some time after the First World War, but at the start of the Second World War it was incorporated back into the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. The entire Ukraine was already dedicated to the Mother of God in a special way by King Yaroslav the Wise in the year 1037, together with all the spiritual and secular Great Empire under the leadership of the Metropolitan of Kiev, whereby She was proclaimed “Queen of the Land and Protector.” (Pokrowa) of the people”. The Ukraine is sometimes called “Mary's Eastern Dowry”.

Ukraine is one of the parts of the Orthodox East where the movement for reunification with the Church of Rome has been going on for centuries, but has been disrupted time and again. This happened, for example, in the last century, when most of this area came back under Russian sovereignty and, through renegade unionized priests (who recognize papal authority), the reunification with Rome was reversed. After the Second World War, during the "Synod" of March 1946 canceled the reunification of the Ukrainians with the Church of Rome and the country was reunited with the "Russian Mother Church". There were then four bishops who were united with Rome. They were arrested and with them numerous priests. , monastics and also laypeople. Since then, there is no longer an official Church reunited with Rome in Ukraine.

It is against this background that one should view the messages and apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which occurred in Serednje in the years 1954-1955. They started in December 1954 and it is good to remember that the “Marian Year” was coming to an end, which Pope Pius It will be understood that these events in Serednje did not easily reach the West. Communist newspapers and magazines obviously show even less interest in supernatural manifestations than those appearing in the Christian West. People therefore had to rely on what Ukrainian exiles living in the West heard about this from their fellow countrymen on the spot. However, the main issues were already known after a few years, as evidenced, for example, by an article that appeared in June 1958 in the then Weekly Magazine of the Archdiocese of Utrecht, “Up”. It not only tells about the apparitions, but also says that an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as She appeared in Serednje, was published in the Toronto magazine for Ukrainian Catholics, “Nasja Meta” (Our Purpose). . For some time now a fuller account of the events in Serednje has become available. It was published in Toronto in the magazine “The Light” of the Basilian Fathers. It is taken from a letter written by authorized persons from Ukraine and sent to the West. For understandable reasons, no names are mentioned. Translations of this article in The Light can now be found - as far as we know - in “The Messenger of the Near Kingdom of God” (ed. L. Wyckens in Loppem (Belgium) 3rd year no. 7, December 1971; in “Vers Demain ” (Canada) July-August 1972 and in “Das Zeichen Mariens”, 6th year no. 5, September 1972 (Switzerland).

As to the dates on which the apparitions took place the following. The Church in Ukraine adheres to the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind our Gregorian calendar, as does the Greek Church. So in Ukraine the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is celebrated on December 8, but in our country it is already December 21. The report of events has followed the Western calendar as much as possible.
Now follows the article from The Light, reproduced here in translation:

The information obtained regarding the apparitions in Ukraine is taken from a letter written by a responsible person who lives on the other side of the Iron Curtain. The Church authorities in Ukraine are unable to conduct an investigation due to government interference.

As to the dates on which the apparitions took place the following. The Church in Ukraine adheres to the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind our Gregorian calendar, as does the Greek Church. So in Ukraine the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is celebrated on December 8, but in our country it is already December 21. The report of events has followed the Western calendar as much as possible.
Now follows the article from The Light, reproduced here in translation:

The information obtained regarding the apparitions in Ukraine is taken from a letter written by a responsible person who lives on the other side of the Iron Curtain. The Church authorities in Ukraine are unable to conduct an investigation due to government interference.

The apparitions took place in the years 1954-1955. There is no doubt that the Soviet Union is aware of the miraculous events in Serednie. As early as 1959, the communist press attacked the believers who visited the place of the apparitions. The communist press stated, among other things:
“It is the priests who organized the miracle of Serednje and declared a "miraculous" spring located there as "holy". The faithful have begun to gather here and the country's unions are actively spreading nationalist anti-Soviet propaganda."

The person who was said to have had the apparitions was a girl who was twenty years old in 1954 and was named Hanusha (Anna). Below is the story, as told by herself.

First appearance:

“On December 20, 1954 (December 7 in Ukraine) I attended Holy Mass in the parish church of the village of Serednje, in the West of Ukraine, not far from Kalush. I prayed my Rosary for various intentions. Shortly before the consecration I lost track of my thoughts during my prayer and it dawned on me that I no longer saw anything, neither the altar, nor the priest, nor the people in the church. Everything had disappeared before my eyes. Before me I saw the mountain of Serednje at the place where the spring is located and the water emerges. I had never seen that place before. I also saw the Blessed Virgin standing before me. She wore a white dress and a wide blue belt of cloth over it. Twelve stars formed a wreath around Her head and radiated their light up to heaven. She wore no shoes and Her feet were white as snow. It was impossible to behold Her radiance and beauty. She stretched out Her hands, expressing the beauty of God's grace. Fixing Her gaze on me, the Immaculate Virgin said to me in a voice full of sorrow:

My daughter, my daughter, my daughter! You see the great number of graces that I bear, and yet I am unable to bestow them. Indeed, a large number of My sons and daughters have turned away from Me and no longer ask for My graces. It is the Jubilee Year in My honor and I earnestly desire to help the poor sinners. After all, the great disaster is near, as in the time of Noah. The people will be destroyed, not by water but by fire, because they have sinned against God. From the beginning of the world, men had never sunk as low as they are now. This is the age of Satan's empire. I will remain on this mountain; from here I survey the universe. I see many sinners and through the water that flows from the spring I will distribute My graces.
Anyone who comes here in a spirit of penitence for his sins and drinks of this water in faith will be strengthened in soul and body and will not die when the catastrophe breaks out.”

The Holy Mother of God then desired that a cave be built on the spot where She stood and that an image of the Immaculate Conception be placed therein, so that people might know where She had appeared. She then asked that a spring be prepared, the water of which could be consecrated, and She ordered that a Catholic priest from the Ukraine should secretly bless this spring on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. At the end of the vision I woke up as if from a dream. I felt as if I was already in heaven and everything else no longer mattered. My heart was, as it were, immersed in a flame of love and I felt as if I were surrounded by tongues of fire. I had the impression that the whole world was watching me. Tears welled up in my eyes and I would certainly have died if help had not come from God.
Later I climbed Mount Serednje and went to the site of the Shrine of Our Lady. There I paid Her my first honor. Then I climbed further up to the place where She had appeared. She is the Altar, the Tabernacle, the Gate of Heaven.

Once again I knelt down to honor Her and kissed the place where She had stood. Kneeling down, I began to pray. I asked Jesus for forgiveness and I asked the Blessed Virgin to help me make reparation for the insults and insults, for the lukewarmness, impatience and coldness from which a large number of people suffer who serve in the service of God. God stand. I also prayed for those who had left the Catholic Church and asked forgiveness for all the sins I had committed in thought, word and deed. I begged the Immaculate Conception to have mercy on those priests who had fallen away from the faith and to return them to the fold of the True Church for the salvation of souls. I saw that there was an urgent need for this; hence my prayers for those intentions.

There was no one with me at the time. There was a light breeze blowing and I felt the grains of sand blowing against my face. I heard the rushing of the waters and through this water the gifts of the Holy Spirit overflowed into my soul. My heart rested like a ship in the harbor of divine Love. Here I felt the presence of God, of His Majesty and Beauty in an angelic and spiritual atmosphere. I didn't understand what was happening to me, but I couldn't escape this holy place. When I finally descended the mountain, I felt light-hearted and free, as if I were being carried in someone's arms. On account of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, I went to the church to visit the pastor and inform him of the instructions I had received, which had been revealed to me by the holy will of God. Meanwhile I wasn't feeling well at all and I wondered how the priest would take what I had to say to him. I offered Holy Mass and Communion with my prayers to implore from the Blessed Virgin the grace that this priest's heart would be open to God's intentions. After Holy Mass I asked the priest to bless the well at the designated place. However, he replied that he needed time to consider the matter fully and that he wanted to seek advice and asked me to come back.

When I came back it was raining and the ground was very muddy. I was afraid that rain and mud might ruin the whole thing. When I saw the priest, I asked him if he would bless the well. He replied, “I will go and bless the water, but tell me where the spring is.” “The source is on Serednje mountain; I will guide you.”
The pastor asked if any other people would be present. I replied that there would be two priests present and a guard of honor of sixteen reliable people with a sense of responsibility. The pastor thought that the best time for the blessing of the well would be after Holy Mass on the feast day of the Immaculate Conception, because the Holy Year that we had dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of Mary was now soon coming to an end. The pastor had believed me and would therefore grant the request.

On the morning of the Feast it was clear that it would be a beautiful day. After the Holy Mass, sixteen people were asked to form a guard of honor, without having any idea of what had happened. Previously, they had already decorated the cave on Mount Serednje and a statue of the Immaculate Conception had been placed in the cave.
After the ceremony in the church, the priest went to the mountain, venerated the Holy Mother of God and asked to show him the right place where the source should be blessed. The blessing then took place, to the great joy of the witnesses who had been chosen to attend the ceremony.

A short time after the priest left, two other priests arrived at that place. One of them was a Catholic priest from Ukraine and the other was one of the Latin Rite. They brought with them the Blessed Sacrament, which was placed before the image, as if, so to speak, it was placed in Her arms. The priest from Ukraine gave a beautiful speech. Then they sang a “Moleben” (hymn of praise) in honor of the Blessed Virgin and after the litany the people were blessed with the Blessed Sacrament and they sang the song “Mnohaya Lita” (many years) for the Pope, for the clergy and for the people. After the ceremony, confession was heard and Holy Communion was distributed.

Second appearance (The mountain in the light):

Suddenly a thunderstorm broke out that seemed to have come from nowhere. It was noted that this shower was confined to Mount Serednje, while the sky remained clear over the rest of the area. The wind blew out the candles; those present got sand and dust in their eyes and faces from the wind. Two other persons, who should have been present at the location of the ceremony, had arrived late for certain reasons. Both knew the local situation very well, but were still unable to find the right path because of the clouds hanging around the mountain. Unsuccessful, they had to return to Dubowetz, where they sat under the parapet of an enclosure and racked their brains, trying to understand why they had not been able to reach the source of Mount Serednje.

That same evening, between 6 and 7 o'clock, after the vespers of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the entire Mount Serednje seemed illuminated by a mysterious light. From a distance it looked like an entire village was on fire, but when one got closer, one saw no flames at all. The entire mountain seemed to be bathed in golden colors and illuminated, and above it the clear sky shone. In the distance one heard choirs of Angels singing. The Holy Spirit had illuminated this place, for it is in this place that the Holy Mother of God will dispense Her graces. The ground around the mountain was covered with white snow, but there was no snow elsewhere. Many people, except me, have seen this miracle with their own eyes, which was also observed by the residents of the villages in the area. The moon was visible to the people of Dolnya and Lwiv.
At dawn, while it was still almost dark, a mother with her twins, Michaela and Theresia, 6 years old, visited the cave to honor Mary. They were the first pilgrims of the radiant Serednje Mountain.

Afterwards, other people, whose curiosity was aroused by the unusual shine of the mountain, began to climb its slopes. They wanted to reach the top with such fervor that in their haste they crossed frozen streams, ditches and ditches instead of following the road where there are bridges and crossings. When they reached the top and found the statue of the Blessed Virgin in the cave, they became convinced that the glow they had observed was of extraterrestrial origin. Many fell to their knees weeping, began to pray and left their gifts. After the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of 1954, men, women and children came in increasing numbers from the villages and towns of the surrounding area to the mountain of Serednje

Third appearance:

One day - I don't remember when it was - the entire cave was filled with light. The Immaculate Virgin appeared to me in such bright light that I could not look at Her. I saw only the bottom edge of Her white garment. Full of emotion, I felt unable to lift my eyes to Her beauty either; I felt unworthy of that. I saw only Her feet, which had no shoes and they were white as snow. I had tears in my eyes and didn't know what was happening to me.

Fourth appearance:

Before Lent of 1955 arrived, I had another apparition. Jesus Christ stood on a rock outside the cave. His attitude was full of seriousness and dignity like that of a king. He wore a white tunic held together by a cord. The outer garment was red and hung down from His shoulders in folds. An immense crowd of people was seen standing before Him. He raised His right hand in sign of absolution and He granted forgiveness to all who had received the grace of the Sacrament of Confession.

Fifth appearance:

On the feast day of Candlemas, I was alone on the mountain near the cave. I prayed to Mary for the sinners and asked Her that She would not release any of them from Her protection. While I was thus praying, I saw the Mother of God in the cave, dressed in a dark robe. In Her heart She had a wide open wound and several smaller ones. The Blessed Virgin pointed with her finger to Her wounded Heart. She looked sad and worried. Her eyes were focused on the ground. She told me the following:

My daughter, behold My wounded Heart. You have asked Me to show mercy to sinners, and yet: None of them cooperates with Me and none wants to make reparation for the sins and insults they do to My Son. Most people who come here do it out of curiosity and their disbelief wounds My Heart.”

My eyes filled with tears seeing the deep sorrow of the Holy Mother of God. That She suffered so much from the unworthiness of Her sons and daughters filled me with great confusion and I felt a severe pain in my left side. I continued to do my best before the Blessed Virgin for sinners, asking Her to intercede with Her Son. I asked Her that, if necessary, we would be punished on earth in order to be saved for heaven. I prayed that we would live solely for Christ and that the will of the Heavenly Father would always be done.

Sixth appearance:

On the first Sunday of Lent the following happened. I prayed at the cave and then I saw the Blessed Virgin walking around in the sand near the spring. She wore a long white dress that trailed along the ground behind Her. From Her form, as it were, a number of small lightnings emerged, golden rays, which fell like so many arrows on the water and between the shrubs along the path She took. I knelt down to kiss the footprints that I assumed were left by Her and was inconsolable when I saw that no one else was present to witness this apparition. I prayed for the Church and for

our people and with that intention I offered myself as a sacrifice. Once again I left this place crying and ashamed.

Seventh appearance:

On the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25 in Ukraine and April 7 in our era), I was praying at the grotto when I saw the Blessed Virgin. She wore a long, cream-colored cloak. She was walking around in the sand, a few meters outside the cave. She seemed very sad to me and seemed to be looking for something all around her. Perhaps She wanted to indicate that only a few want to accept the graces that She may offer, as a result of which most of Her graces are lost. Then She said with sorrow:

“Fine! Fine! Fine!"

Then She knelt towards the cave, with Her cloak spread wide on the sand, and began to pray from a pale blue rosary that hung from Her right hand to the ground. I heard Her pray the Lord's Prayer and I quietly repeated the words She spoke. This appearance of the Mother of God struck me deeply, because I felt that perhaps the time of the judgment would be near. There is so much sin and wickedness being committed and so many hearts hardened against grace. I began to pray to obtain the grace of a salutary penitence.

Eighth appearance:

On the first of May there were a large number of people present who prayed the rosary in front of the cave. Suddenly I saw Christ as King on the mountain, far above the cave. He sat on a throne and was dressed in red. In His right hand He carried a bishop's cross. His face was turned south. I prayed for the Kingdom of God on earth and that He might rule over all hearts.

Ninth appearance:

While attending Holy Mass in the village on May 15, I was taken in spirit to the cave on Mount Serednje. In the cave I saw the Blessed Virgin dressed in blue. She shone like the sun and stood with Her feet on a black snake. When She pressed the snake with Her white foot, it writhed to free itself. When She did this a second time, the snake seemed doomed to powerlessness. But on the third time, the snake turned its head from side to side and opened its mouth, revealing white, pointed teeth.

Tenth appearance:

On Ascension Day a large crowd attended and prayed at the cave. The Blessed Virgin appeared and expressed Her wish that a priest should be present and that a cross should be erected in one of the two places She designated for that purpose. The Blessed Virgin was dressed in white and wore a wide, blue, knotted belt. She also wore a long veil. She did not determine which priest should be invited or what shape the cross should have. The place She indicated for the cross was 3 to 4 meters below the cave and the other place was a little above the spring basin near the three springs.

Eleventh appearance:

On the last Sunday of May, dedicated to the Queen of Heaven, the following happened. The day before, at nightfall, many people from different regions had gathered at the cave to honor Mary, the Queen of Heaven. They spent the night in prayer and sang songs in Her honor. Shortly before dawn I was praying the rosary when I suddenly noticed that it became much lighter in the cave. I saw two clouds, above which a crescent moon appeared. Then a second crescent moon appeared and a third; they had all turned up the points. Above these crescent moons the Blessed Virgin appeared. Above Her head, Angels held a crown. The apparition shone on all sides with an indescribably strong light. A legion of Angels in the sky accompanied the Blessed Virgin.

Twelfth appearance:

Immediately after the previous appearance, another followed. In a blinding light the Holy Trinity appeared above the head of the Blessed Virgin. I saw the Persons of God the Father and of the Son, and above them hovered a Dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Countless Angels accompanied this apparition and I had difficulty controlling the ecstasy of my heart.

Thirteenth appearance:

On June 5, 1955, the feast of Pentecost, many people who were sick in soul or body were at the cave. We all prayed on our knees. I saw an enormous star spreading its light over all who were gathered here. No one saw anything, although their hearts were filled with love.

Fourteenth appearance:

The next day, June 6, 1955, many people visited the cave on their way to Holy Mass in the church. We prayed the rosary and were down to the last decade. It was almost time to go to church. I saw that the words of those who prayed with a sincere heart turned into wonderful red roses. They were collected by the Angels and handed over to the Mother of God. This pressed them with joy to Her Heart. Unfortunately, the words that came out of some people's mouths did not turn into roses.

Fifteenth appearance:

On the Feast of the Sacred Heart in 1955 there were many people in the cave. Among them were a large number of soldiers. They were half naked and using offensive language and appeared to be preparing for a bath. The people were appalled at their rudeness and decided to return to church. There we sang a “Moleben” (hymn of reparation) and received the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament. After this ceremony I would have liked to return to the spring, but I was convinced that I would do better to remain at a distance while the soldiers were still up there. Much later, when most people had already left, my desire to return to the cave became irresistible. Suddenly I saw the Blessed Virgin walking sadly to the side of the cave. She kept her head bowed and wrung her hands in sorrow. I decided to go straight to the cave and do my utmost to ease Her sorrows.

Sixteenth appearance:

At harvest time I was accompanied by a widow and a young girl, and we had climbed the mountain to the basin of the three springs. After we had said our prayers, I felt a great desire to go to the place where the Blessed Virgin appeared most often. I wanted to ask for a certain grace from Her. When I reached that place, I began to pray my rosary, contemplating the mystery of Serednje and its meaning. Then I heard a voice on my right saying:

“Rome will be destroyed. The Holy Father will be killed. Rome will rise again and will be renewed by the mountain of Serednje. From this mountain faith will spread throughout the world. There will be one single faith and one single shepherd. This will (then) be Peace on earth and people will marvel at My great mercy”

I couldn't tell if it was Mary's voice or the Holy Spirit's. I thought about the words I had just heard, wondering whether these words had a literal meaning or a symbolic one. I prayed for relief on these matters. Then suddenly I heard the voice of Christ saying sadly:

“Those who should be closest to Me are trampling underfoot My Truth and My Faith. Under duress, many Ukrainian Catholic priests have renounced their faith and joined the Orthodox Church, which is controlled by the communists.”

Then I understood the meaning of the words I had just heard. It was a spiritual downfall of Rome. Many apostate priests, who had already preached the Doctrine of Christ, would now insult the Holy Father and make fun of things which they themselves had previously taught. So it was a spiritual downfall of Rome and a symbolic murder of the Holy Father.

Seventeenth appearance:

On the Saturday before the feast of the Assumption of Mary, I attended Holy Mass. During Holy Mass I had a vision of the mountain of Serednje. The cave was brightly lit. Mary appeared as the Immaculate Conception, dressed in white and wearing a wide belt of blue cloth. She seemed extremely sad and worried and looked around as if looking for someone who needed Her help.

A few steps in front of the Blessed Virgin stood Saint Michael the Archangel. He was of medium build, had dark hair and was very handsome. He wore a short white tunic. In his right hand he held a flaming sword and his silver wings sparkled like the sun. Turning south, he waved his sword three times. The sword cut through the air like lightning, leaving a tail of fire. With each blow the lightning of fire increased.

Eighteenth appearance:

On the morning of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, September 28, 1955, a large number of our people gathered at the basin of the three springs. They prayed the rosary together, followed by a song of praise and then a “Panakhida” (De Frofundis) for the faithful souls. While praying I saw the Blessed Virgin. She looked beautiful in a dark dress. She seemed to be very happy and with a smile She stretched Her arms out to the crowd, as if She wanted to embrace us all and press them to Her Heart. I never wanted to leave this place again and I wanted to pray like never before.

Nineteenth appearance:

At the end of the Feast of Christ the King in October 1955, I was saying my daily prayers during Holy Mass. Suddenly I was transported in spirit into a completely different environment. I saw Christ as King on His throne. His face and figure shone with glory. His feet were covered with a piece of white linen. From His form came rays of light. Before this tremendous beauty, the universe was expanding. In the crowd of human heads one saw lilies here and there among them. Both the lilies and the heads of the people were bowed low to worship their King. In the shape of a cross I lay stretched out at the feet of King Christ. I offered myself as a sacrifice before the crowd, for my own sins and for the sins of the world. On Christ's left I saw a priest standing in gold-colored priestly robes. He blessed the people with a chalice. With the priest there was a tangle of darkness that cast their shadows on him.

Twentieth appearance:

On November 21, 1955, the parish festival of the church of Dobowetz, I saw a large number of souls from purgatory. During Holy Mass they faced the Tabernacle. I felt a great desire to rush to the aid of these faithful souls and I asked Jesus to have mercy on them. Later I arranged for a Holy Mass to be said for these deceased on the day before the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. During this Holy Mass for the faithful souls, I saw a large number of them standing in rows in the darkness. As I looked at them, the Blessed Virgin passed by them and showered Her graces. As She walked further, the dark faces became lighter.

So far, the account of the events of the years 1954-1955, as they took place in Serednje and were published in the article in “The Light”. The Blessed Virgin Mary also appeared there as the Mediatrix of all graces and the main themes of Her message are very closely linked to the post-war messages that She also brought to the West, especially as “The Lady of All Nations”. . Also in the Ukraine She further brought Her admonitions about the events in the Church of Rome and about the eventual creation of one flock and one Shepherd.

As far as we know, these apparitions were not approved by Rome.