The Virgin Mary Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima— visions of the Virgin Mary brought pilgrimages to these sites. It's Christmas Day and I'm reading National Geographic's "Mary: Most Powerful Woman in the World". Mary is everywhere— marigolds named for her, Bloody Mary drinks, Hail Mary passes to win football games. MiracleHunter.com reports 2000 Virgin Mary apparitions but just 16 approved by the Vatican. In the Middle Ages prayers to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost failed to heal the dying, but prayers to The Virgin Mary worked— that's why Notre Dame de Chartres, Paris, Reims, Amiens Cathedrals were built. France celebrates not Napoleon's birthday on August 15, but Assumption of the Virgin Mary so I went to Chartres and followed the Virgin's Veil parade around town snapping many photos from behind. The Bishop never whacked me with his giant crozier, but the Virgin did— all my parade photos came out white! Just realized my favorite paintings of Giotto, Leonardo, Lippi, David all have the Virgin Mary in them for She is the cause of our joy, seat of wisdom, mirror of justice, house of gold, mother of divine grace, Queen of Peace, spiritual vessel of the Grail Quest that illumined my heart with abundance of light. Peter Y. Chou Mountain View, 12-25-2016

National Geographic: December 2015 "Mary: Most Powerful Woman in the World"