Vatican urges caution over weeping Madonnas and other supposed apparitions

The Vatican issued new guidelines on Friday recommending a cautious approach to supposed supernatural events such as weeping Madonnas and blood-dripping crucifixes that have for centuries whipped up the Catholic faithful.

Pope Francis has seemed sceptical of such phenomena, telling Italian RAI TV last year that Virgin Mary apparitions are “not always real” and that he likes seeing her as “pointing to Jesus” rather than drawing attention to herself.

Incidents reported by the faithful...