Marian Visionaries in Roman Catholicism as Popular Theologians: ‘The Lady of All Nations’ of Amsterdam

Abstract

In Roman Catholicism, women as visionaries of the Virgin Mary achieve a global prestige as initiators of devotions, shrines, and large-scale movements. Ida Peerdeman (1905–1996), who described visions of ‘the Lady of All Nations’ in Amsterdam between 1945 and 1959, is the latest seer to gain recognition by the Roman Catholic Church (through the local bishop) and to inspire a large-scale network. This article argues that women in traditional Roman Catholicism have had little opportunity to influence mainstream theological and devotional ideas, except through the medium of visionary experiences. In this sense, they are ‘popular theologians’, articulating the aspirations and sentiments of many Catholics. They draw upon existing Catholic Mariological ideas but work creatively with them. Like other theologians, they are subject to the development of ideas, which may result in contradiction and change. Ida Peerdeman serves as an exemplar in this respect.