The Vatican has officially rejected claims of supernatural apparitions of Jesus Christ in Dozulé, France, which were reported in the 1970s. The phenomenon, which included reports of Jesus appearing to a Catholic mother, Madeleine Aumont, and instructing her to build an enormous cross, has been declared not true.
Pope Leo XIV, who recently canonized two new saints, including a millennial, affirmed this decision through a doctrinal office statement, emphasizing that the cross of Christ is the summit of revelation and that the Church’s focus should remain on Christ and the Gospel.
There is a smaller cross on display in the town, which serves as a reminder that the Church’s decision is a reminder that our hope isn’t in private revelations or sensational claims, but in the power of the sacraments and the truth of the Gospel.
The Vatican’s discernment here safeguards authentic devotion. This is about protecting believers from confusion. The Vatican isn’t closing the door on devotion. Instead, Pope Leo is keeping the focus where it belongs — on Christ.