One of the First Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin

One night while Gregory was meditating on the doctrines of the faith during a sleepless night, someone appeared to him in human form, aged in appearance, clothed in garments denoting a sacred dignity, with a face characterized by a sense of grace and virtue. Gregory, frightened at this sight, rose from his bed and asked the old man who he was and why he had come. The unknown person spoke in a subdued voice, and, after calming his distress, told Gregory that he had appeared by divine will to clear up his doubts by revealing to him the truth of the faith. Reassured by these words, Gregory looked at the old man with a mixture of joy and fright. The apparition held up his hand, as if to point with his finger at something in the opposite direction. Gregory, turning his gaze in the direction indicated, saw before him a second figure with female features and a noble aspect far surpassing normal human beauty. Gregory was frightened again and he lowered his eyes. Although he could not bear to look upon the apparition, Gregory heard their speech as they discussed the problems that were troubling him. From their words, Gregory not only obtained an exact understanding of the doctrine of the faith but also was able to discover the names of the two persons who had appeared to him, for they called each other by name. For it is said that he heard the female person exhorting John the Evangelist to explain to the young man the mystery of the true faith. John, in his turn, declared that he was completely willing to please the Mother of God. And so the discussion came to a close, and after they had made it quite clear and precise for him, the two disappeared from his sight.