apparitions

An apparition is a reported sensory appearance of a person or object not physically present. Apparitions are usually described visually, but they can include sounds, voices, or other sensations perceived as real. They are often linked to religious or supernatural meanings and may be interpreted as messages, warnings, or signs. In many traditions, apparitions are considered significant rather than simple hallucinations.

Accounts of apparitions appear in many cultures and historical periods. In Western Christian tradition, Marian apparitions describe appearances of the Virgin Mary; in other cultures, figures such as saints, ancestors, or protective spirits are reported. Apparitions are frequently associated with places of significance, such as shrines, disaster sites, or graves, and can inspire pilgrimages, rituals, or social change. Folklore and ghost tales often feature similar phenomena.

Scholarly explanations outside theology emphasize naturalistic and psychological factors. Expectation, suggestion, and memory distortion can shape reports. Pareidolia—the tendency to perceive familiar forms in random stimuli—along with sleep phenomena and near-death experiences can produce vivid experiences. Environmental factors (temperature changes, infrasound) and social context can influence perception and reporting. Skeptics stress the lack of verifiable evidence and the subjective nature of such experiences.

Notable cases cited in history include Lourdes (1858) and Fatima (1917), which had lasting religious and cultural influence. Many religious authorities investigate claims and may endorse them, while secular researchers treat apparitions as cultural, psychological, or sociological phenomena rather than proven events. The study of apparitions thus intersects theology, anthropology, psychology, and folklore.