Marie-Julie Jahenny FAQs
Biography of Purple Scapular Mystic
1. Who was Marie-Julie Jahenny?
Born in 1850, Marie-Julie Jahenny was a Catholic mystic who lived in a rural northwest region of France called Brittany (Breton). In recent years, she has become known primarily for her apparitions in the late 1800s from Jesus and Mary revealing the Purple Scapular of Benediction and Protection. She passed away at the age of ninety.
Her experiences and revelations were approved by the Bishop of Nantes in 1875. At the age of twenty-three, she received from God the stigmata: she bore and suffered the crucifixion wounds of Christ in her body. On several occasions, she undertook extended periods of complete fasting from food, miraculously surviving while consuming only Holy Communion. Many of her prophesies of specific future events came to pass; some have yet to take place.
2. How did Marie-Julie Jahenny live her life?
Marie-Julie Jahenny was prayerful woman who never married. Her parents were peasants. She lived in the family home under the religious rule of the Third Order Franciscans. She had little education, spoke only French, and was not a celebrity. Due to her mystical and physical sufferings, she was often confined to her bed or to a chair.
In her home town she was known for her modest nature, courtesy, and her great love of adoring Jesus’ true presence in the tabernacle at the local Catholic church. She was obedient to her local Catholic priest and to her bishop.
The Purple Scapular
3. What is the Purple Scapular for which she is most widely known?
The Purple Scapular is a sacramental object primarily used for display on a wall in a home. It consists of two large purple wool panels connected by cords. It is a heavenly gift from Mary and Jesus, who showed and explained it Marie-Julie Jahenny. It promises divine protection for families against natural disasters, storms, supernatural chastisements, and even intruders.
Until 2020, it was nearly impossible to find this complex and beautiful hand-made scapular. If you would like to receive an authentic, premium-quality Purple Scapular or read the founder of this website’s account of why everyone should have one, click here.
4. Is the Purple Scapular approved by the Catholic Church?
Yes. Despite unsupported online claims to the contrary, the Purple Scapular is effectively approved. Since its inception, devotion to it has never been suppressed or discouraged by the Church. Introduced for universal devotion by Our Lady herself over one-hundred and forty years ago, it has been in continuous use as a sacramental by the faithful ever since.
5. Does the Purple Scapular’s Church approval differ from other scapulars?
Yes. There are numerous approved Catholic scapulars. Most are associated with a particular religious order (such as the Brown Scapular and the Carmelite Order). Because religious congregations are not formally governed by local bishops, many scapulars have required some type of Vatican or papal approval.
The Purple Scapular, however, is derived from private revelations publicly approved by Jahenny's local bishop (with the support of a Vatican commission). Thus, in accord with Church governance, the approval of the local bishop is all that is required for “official” and complete approval of this scapular by the Catholic Church.
Visions and Prophecies
6. What is an Apparition?
Apparitions are mystical visions or visitations from Jesus, the Mother of God, and sometimes saints or angels. Marie-Julie experienced apparitions from Jesus and Mary throughout her life. She received prophecies from heaven about future events in France and Europe which came to pass during her lifetime, as well as predictions regarding a divine chastisement and eventual triumph of God which have not yet occurred.
7. Did any Marie-Julie Jahenny’s prophesies come to pass?
Yes. Over the decades, sometimes years before specific historical events occurred, she accurately foretold many events, often in great detail. For example: she prophesied the eruption of Mount Pele, which cardinal would be elected pope after the death of Pope Leo XIII, when certain wars would begin (including the Boer War, World War I, and World War II), and specific events regarding nations, political movements, and historical figures.
Many of her prophesies concern extraordinary events that have not yet taken place, such as an unprecedented divine chastisement, three days of darkness, plagues, and, a period of peace in the future ruled by a great Christian king in with the cooperation of an “angelic pope.” In general, her predictions conform to other approved apparitions, including Fatima.
Stigmata and Atonement
8. What is the stigmata?
Marie-Julie received the stigmata at the age of twenty-three. The stigmata, which derives from the Greek word for mark, is a miraculous phenomenon whereby the recipient bears the visible wounds of Jesus Christ during his passion. Many Catholic saints have received the stigmata, including Saint Francis, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, and more recently, Saint Pio. These holy persons are known as stigmatists.
9. What was the nature of Marie-Julie Jahenny’s stigmata wounds?
Mary appeared to Marie-Julie in early 1873 and asked if she was willing to bear the agonies Jesus bore to save mankind from sin. Soon after, Jesus appeared to her bearing his crucifixion wounds. Light streamed from particular wounds in Our Lord’s body and then appeared on Marie-Julie. Her wounds were witnessed by numerous people, and were fully confirmed as actual medical realities over a period of years by a doctor during her bishop’s investigation.
Many of her wounds inexplicably bled profusely, continuously or periodically, without causing Marie-Julie to die. Her pain was tremendous, especially on Fridays. She suffered punctures from the crown of thorns, wounds from scourging (whipping), wounds on her ankles, on her wrists, through her hands, on her forearms, in her sides, and over her heart. There are photographs of her stigmata.
In late 1873, she received a bodily manifestation never recorded before in Church history. Confirmed by family members and other witnesses, a cross and a flower traced in blood appeared on her chest, along with the words, “O Crux Ave,” (Hail to the Cross). O Crux Ave eventually became incorporated into the Purple Scapular prayers.
10. Did the local bishop support Marie-Julie Jahenny?
After a complete investigation (which encompassed the participation of a papal commission and extensive medical observation), Bishop Fournier of Nantes fully approved the supernatural nature of Marie-Julie Jahenny’s experiences. He visited Marie-Julie Jahenny at her home and witnessed her suffering. Bishop Fournier remained a fervent supporter of the authenticity of Marie-Julie Jahenny throughout his life. He wrote the following in a letter dated June 6, 1875, to the doctor assigned to her investigation:
“The reports that I receive daily on Marie-Julie show me more and more the action of God on this soul. He grants her graces of an obvious supernatural order. At the same time she grows in virtue and noble sentiments… She is sincere: what she manifests is supernatural. I see nothing but good, edifying, and in conformity with the principles of spirituality.”
11. Did Marie-Julie Jahenny experience other supernatural phenomena?
Yes. She often experienced mystical unity with Christ called ecstasies, sometimes characterized by terrible suffering for the salvation of souls. She received Holy Communion directly from heaven during an eleven-year period of persecution when she was unjustly deprived of the sacraments under a subsequent bishop (the ban was lifted by Rome after a papal investigation). She was sometimes physically attacked by the devil or his demons (as was Saint John Vianney), especially during the period after she received the stigmata.
She also fasted without eating any natural food for weeks, months, or years. She undertook this special kind of self-denial in response to requests from Jesus or Mary, and announced her fasts beforehand. She miraculously survived during these long periods while consuming only the Holy Eucharist. (During the history of the Church, other mystics and saints have fasted and survived solely on the reception of Communion.)
12. Why did Marie-Julie agree to bear these sufferings?
Mary and Jesus gave Marie-Julie a clear choice whether or not to bear her sufferings in reparation for the sins of other souls, and she freely agreed. According to the teachings of the Catholic Church, saints and holy persons such as Marie-Julie, known as "victim souls," voluntarily undergo physical and mystical agonies, always offered in union with Jesus’ eternal Eucharistic atonement, to merit grace for the salvation of others.
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Mary and Jesus Reveal and Explain
the Purple Scapular to the WorldFrom the mystical vision given to Marie-Julie Jahenny, August 23, 1878. Editor's notes are in parenthesis.
(Marie-Julie Jahenny) This is what the Holy Virgin shows me on her Immaculate Heart. It is a large scapular, larger than ordinary scapulars. It is a little larger than the palm of the hand.
It is a pretty violet (purple), nearly the color of a violet.
Here is what is on top. In the middle are the three nails which crucified Our Lord on the Cross. They are placed above each other, not quite in the shape of the Cross, and at the point of each nail, there is a drop of purple blood.
Above the heads of the nails, there is a kind of large sponge which has pieces of bark that stand out; it is a little like bales of oats.
The three drops of blood join to fall into a small chalice painted red, and the chalice is surrounded by a crown of thorns. There are three little Crosses engraved on the front of the chalice. That is the side of the scapular which is on the middle cloak of the Holy Virgin.
I notice that this scapular is held with two violet ties which go over each shoulder. There are three knots on the left shoulder and two on the right.
The other side of the scapular represents the Holy Virgin Mary sitting, holding her adorable son in her arms, the mouth and the head of Our Lord rest on the heart of the Holy Virgin.
At the bottom of the scapular, and nearly at the feet of Our Lord, is an angel dressed in white, with curly hair. He has on his head a white crown. His belt is red. He holds in his hands a white cloth with which he wipes the feet of Our Lord.
Next to the angel, on the right side of the scapular, there is an engraved ladder.
Behind Our Lord, on the left, is the reed of the Passion painted red, but there is no sponge.
The tears of the Holy Virgin flow onto her breast, to the right, and fall to the feet of the angel.
The scapular is edged with a red band and the cords are made of wool.
(Our Lady then speaks to Marie-Julie Jahenny)
"Let me now, my dear child,” the Virgin Mother said to me, “give you the explanation of this scapular. I am addressing you, my victim and my servant."
(This servant likely refers to Jahenny's spiritual director.)
"My children of the Cross, for a long time my son and I have wished to make known this scapular of benediction. This scapular, my children, is modeled on my heart, because my heart is the emblem of simplicity and humility, which explains the color of violet."
"The nails which have pierced the feet and the hands of my son are barely venerated and are venerable. That is why my son, in his divine wisdom, has had three nails painted on the front of the scapular."
"Those three drops of blood and the chalice represent the generous hearts gathering the blood of my divine son. The red sponge will represent my divine drinking, in a certain sense, the sins of his children, but which his adorable mouth refuses."
"I wish that the background black of the scapular should be violet, but I wish that the nails, the chalice, the sponge and the crown should be on a dark red piece of flannel (wool)."
"This first appearance of this scapular will be a new protection for the times of the chastisements, the calamities and the famines. All those who will wear it will be able to go through storms, tempests and darkness, they will have light as in broad daylight. Such is the power of this unknown scapular."
(Jesus then speaks to Marie-Julie Jahenny)
The Holy Virgin presents the scapular to Our Lord who, in His turn says: "I address you my victim and also my victims and my servant, my children of the Cross. I wish to and I come to give you an idea and a profound idea: When taking me down from the Cross, I was given to My Mother. That descent, that idea—that devotion (to my descent) is little known. I wish that by the reproduction of this scapular, it should enter the hearts of my children of the Cross, and that they hail me by these three greetings:
I hail Thee, Jesus crucified, for granting me life.
I hail thee with all the joy of the angels and saints during your descent from the Cross.
I hail thee with the sadness of your mother while you rested on her Immaculate heart and lap.
(Jesus continues.) "My children, very few souls think of wiping the adorable wounds on my feet when the blood flows and I wish this representation to be known. Little thought is also given to the tears shed by my mother during my passion. Those tears are at the feet of the angel who wipes my sacred feet. By this scapular, I wish you to think about that ladder, that reed, and those nails of my passion."
"My children, any soul, any person who will possess this scapular, will see his family protected, his house will also be protected, firstly from conflagrations (fires), which will never penetrate it."
"This scapular will crush the ungrateful who will blaspheme My Name in the house where it will be exposed. If an impious enters, he will be so struck that his conversion will occur. All those who will wear it will be protected from thunder, sudden death and accidents. During the chastisements they will be protected."
"Whoever places it in the Holy Temple will drive out the impious and the profanations."
Our Lord also adds that by reminding an obstinate soul about this scapular at the time of death, it will reawaken in it faith and conviction, that all those who will think about it and love it will be spared the pains of the soul, that those who will wear it will be sheltered from all danger as if they possessed Heaven, and finally, that this scapular will be like a lightning conductor beneath which the blows of just Divine Wrath will not strike.
Our Lord also says: "Any priest will be able to bless this scapular. You, My victim, will be able to make the model... While wearing this scapular the 'Crux Ave' may be said five or seven times and meditate for one to three minutes on My Passion... I will grant great graces to those who will wish to wear this holy Habit."
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