Visions of Mary

I am not Catholic, but became interested in Mary after observing in society, and within my own heart, a longing for the divine feminine. The vivid accounts of her visitations around the world and the beautiful artwork are both fascinating and comforting. This gorgeous volume is a feast for the eyes as well as the soul.

She is the Mary of Jesus as well as she is everyone's Mary. See her here in all colors and incarnations.

In their new book Visions of Mary (Harry N. Abrams, December, 2004, hardcover, 144 pages) authors Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua have collaborated to present a stunning look at the image of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Moving beyond the trite "coffee-table art" approach, DiPasqua and Calamari share an eclectic and broad ranging composition of pictures, ranging from statues of her international apparitions to simple home shrines. As a compliment to the outstanding photography and artwork that fill its pages, Visions of Mary includes comprehensive reference material written in an engaging style.

This is an extraordinary book. It's gorgeous, beautifully written, and both moving and entertaining, and it has taught me many things I never knew about the Virgin Mary. For instance, I'd never heard of Our Lady of Knock, who appeared in a country church in Ireland three times in 1879 and 1980 with a crown on her head and a rose under the crown as stunned villagers prayed before her. She effected more than three hundred cures, starting with a young girl born deaf whose hearing was restored and including the Archbishop of Toronto. The book presents the full richness and variety of the cult of Mary through profiles of dozens of such officially recognized apparitions and through a rich trove of color photographs of everything from pious graffiti on a New York slum wall to Our Lady of Salette, the patroness of France. I plan to give this to several of my friends, because I believe it will appeal equally to the deeply religious, the historically curious, and lovers of art. Wonderful!

Once again authors Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua have given us a written and pictorial testimony to the love that the mother of Jesus has for her children. The history of her many visits on earth are presented with clarity and love. The cultural response of the people is shown with great photographic depiction. The authors tell of the 350 official titles given to Mary. They write about the history and the reaction of the people involved with over 20 of Mary's earthly visits to humankind. I am personally proud to be one of several who were fortunate to share some of the over 40 holy cards used to show the imagery of Mary regarding several of her visits and titles. By reading the book I'm sure that you will learn more to enhance your knowledge and love for Mary and Jesus plus be visually uplifted.