Mary’s Apparition
The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in Šiluva in 1608. Children from a nearby village who were keeping sheep in the land of the old church saw, atop a large rock, a young woman holding a baby in her arms and weeping bitterly. One of the little shepherds ran to fetch Šiluva’s Calvinist catechism teacher. He, together with a teacher named Saliamonas, came to the place of the rock and also saw the young woman crying, just as the shepherds had. Gathering his courage, the catechist asked her: “Young woman, why are you weeping?” She answered, “I’m weeping because my Son used to be worshipped in this place, but now people only plough and sow.” Having said this, she disappeared. News about Mary’s apparition spread rapidly. It is reported that an old blind man, groping around, located the place where the chest with the old church’s deed and other valuables was buried. On finding it, he suddenly regained his sight.
