Dibs

A seventeen-year-old South African girl who claims that the Virgin Mary has visited her twenty times, sat on her bed and given her healing powers is now writing a book about her experiences. Francesca Zackey remains defiant, even though the Church has officially asked her to stop blessing pilgrims, according to South Africa’s Independent Online. According to that country’s Sunday Times, Zackey claims to have “received her first visitation on May 7.

“‘It was 8pm and I was in the study with my family when I smelled the beautiful scent of roses. I also felt the power of the Holy Spirit leading me to my bedroom where I found the Virgin Mary sitting on my bed. My Lady looked beautiful. She had blue eyes and long brown hair. She was wearing a royal-blue veil and light was coming from her open hands.’ Zackey said she spoke to the Virgin Mary in tongues, asking if she was ‘Our Lady,’ and the answer was ‘Yes.’ The Virgin then said: ‘I love all my children.’ The teenager said she and the Virgin prayed from 8pm to 1am.”

According to the Times, the teen added that her visitor “cried about abortions and gay marriages, and told me this was not from God.”

Thousands of pilgrims have flocked to the Zackey home to meet the visionary. According to the Independent, “Tragedy struck in June when a 37-year-old woman, at Francesca’s behest, stared into the sun to see Mary and lost her sight.”

Whoops.

“Francesca is said to have been instructed to have the book finished by Wednesday — the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady. The 18-year-old plans to hand over the book to the team of priests assigned to investigate whether her claims are real. ‘She has the right to write these things down,’ said Catholic Bishops’ Conference spokesperson Father Chris Townsend. ‘But it’s important to note the investigation is ongoing and people must approach the book with care.’”