Mary first, then Jesus, appear to a Muslim woman

Nahed Mahmoud Metwalli comes from an influential Muslim family, fiercely hostile to Christianity and Christians. She was the Dean of Students of Helmiet El-Zaitoun High School for girls, the largest school of its kind in Cairo, Egypt (about 4000 girls). The school is not far from the Basilica built after the Marian apparitions of 1968-69 in Zeitourn. Her attitude towards young Christian girls - students and some staff - used to be very hostile and harsh. 

"I thought it was my duty to act in this way", she later admitted in her various talks to witness about her conversion. But this was without counting on the loving power of these Christian girls and women, one of whom in particular, her new secretary, had managed to establish a friendship with her. In fact, it was in her presence, while she was mocking the image of Mary she wore as a medal, that Nahed saw the Blessed Virgin appear before her, dressed and veiled in blue. This vision was followed, another time, during a night of doubts and insomnia, by a vision of Jesus, who said to Nahed: "Be at peace, you will have a mission that will be revealed to you in due course."

All this, without ever having read the Gospel or even known who this man was who spoke to her, and who bore a strong resemblance to Christ as described in a passage from St John's Book of Revelation (4:4). "He whom all these elders had been waiting for finally arrived and made his way to the Throne, while all showed him extraordinary respect," Nahed reported, recounting how she felt the absolute need to follow Him as He made his way to the Throne. Now seated on the Throne, this "man" asked her three times: "So, Nahed, is it over? Is it really over? Are you sure?" Just as Paul heard the question: "Why are you persecuting me?" And Nahed, overwhelmed, answered him three times: "Yes, it's all over!"

She would learn a few days later that this "man" she had never seen was Christ, when she recognized him in a photo of the Shroud of Turin: "It's him, but much more beautiful," she said on seeing the portrait.

Her conversion to Christianity was now underway, sealed by her baptism in 1988. Since then, the former persecutor has become the target of persecution in her own country. She has escaped several kidnapping attempts and eventually fled to Europe under a new name to devote herself to evangelization.

Adapted and translated from Aleteia