SAN NICOLAS DE LOS ARROYOS, Argentina (RNS) Once a month, thousands of devout Catholics descend on this small industrial city, where a woman with little education but great faith said she began seeing visions of the Virgin Mary on Sept. 25, 1983.

After all these years the crowds flocking to a shrine built on the site are as big as ever, and they could well grow still further now that the local bishop has declared that the visions are genuine.

Not that the devout needed much encouragement.

Just a few weeks ago, for example, despite bitter cold and torrential rains — it’s winter in Argentina — pilgrims from around the country filed through the streets to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolas. Continue reading →