In the 1970s, a woman from Dozulé claimed that Jesus appeared to her 49 times, giving her various messages, including an instruction to build a large cross measuring 7.38 meters on top of a hill.

The Vatican’s department responsible for examining the practices and beliefs of Catholics, under Pope Leon XIV, stated that the apparition was not authentic.

ALSO READ: Pope Leo XIV meets Belgian abuse survivors

It said: “The Cross does not need to be 7.38 meters of iron or cement to be visible. It is raised daily in hearts, carried through kindness, and expressed through forgiveness.”

The statement added that among the messages the woman claimed to have received was a prophecy that the world would end in the year 2000, which did not happen  further proving that the apparition was false.

In Catholic belief, it is held that the Virgin Mary and Jesus can appear to people to deliver special messages intended for the faithful.

ALSO READ:  Pope Leo XIV to Visit Turkey and Lebanon

However, the Vatican follows a strict process to verify such apparitions before officially recognizing them, to prevent people from exploiting false claims for wrongdoing, including collecting money from believers.

One of the apparitions officially recognized by the Vatican is that of the Virgin Mary appearing to a woman in Mexico in 1531, and that of Jesus appearing to Sister Faustina Kowalska in 1930.