An initiative of the Mary of Nazareth Association January 18 – Second apparition of Mary in Banneux (Belgium, 1933) A Muslim child’s prayer to the Virgin Mary A supernatural event occurred on August 21, 2004, in Bechouate, a small city north of Lebanon, in the Bekaa plain, a border area where the various warring factions sell cannabis and poppy, in an isolated Christian enclave among Shiite villages. Before a statue of Our Lady of Pontmain, a young boy pronounced a prayer "bigger than himself": "Hail to you, Virgin Mary, Queen of the world, of peace and of love. Old men, children and women are dying violent deaths all around the world. Bring peace, love and freedom over the face of the earth, O Queen of the World." Because of the child’s identity – a Jordan Sunni, the Virgin acted as a bridge between the Christian and Muslim communities, divided by wars and political loyalties. The child's prayer contains an act of faith and expresses that through Mary can come three gifts needed for the entire region: peace, love and freedom. Christians and Muslims come to pray in this small church. Mary's presence, manifested by signs and healings, reassures and brings a sense of safety, helping all sides to envision the possibility of living the called-for "reconciliation" together as one nation. www.mariedenazareth.com www.mariedenazareth.com Let’s pray together Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen.