ukazanja

Ukazanja, in South Slavic languages, is the plural of ukazanje, meaning an appearance or revelation. The term comes from the verb ukazati, to show or reveal. In religious contexts, ukazanja refers to claimed manifestations of the divine, saints, or holy figures disclosed to individuals or groups, often with messages, visions, or signs. While frequently linked to Marian apparitions, it can also apply to other appearances in Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and local folk traditions. In practice, ukazanja may inspire devotion, pilgrimages, and the erection of shrines or processions around the site of the appearance.

Historically, many ukazanja became focal points of local religious life, shaping feast days, calendars, and community identity. They also appear in literature, art, and folklore, contributing to cultural heritage even when belief varies.

Evaluation by churches varies. Ecclesiastical authorities usually investigate to assess authenticity and the potential for public devotion. Outcomes range from formal acknowledgment to cautious or negative judgments, or to endorsement of private devotion without official sanction. In many cases, believers maintain practice irrespective of formal recognition.

Today, ukazanja is studied in religious studies and anthropology as an example of how communities interpret extraordinary experiences and negotiate belief, tradition, and institutional authority.

Related topics include apparitions, visions, and religious experiences.