2004-07-02
Notes on the OIL that exudes from the body of Myrna Al-Akhras Nazzour
The stigmatist and visionary of Soufanieh - Damascus, Syria
(from November 22nd , 1982)
All locations are in
Syria except where noted.
GENERAL
100% pure olive oil - fragrant (roses)
Appears in an unforeseeable manner
Appears and disappears without any control nor
autosuggestion on behalf of Myrna
Often appears in other people's presence
Appears when Myrna is in a conscious state
Appears during ecstasies when Myrna is to see Jesus
or the Virgin Mary
Appears at any time of day or night
Often in relation to the Messages of Soufanieh
Often during religious ceremonies
Disappears when a respectful and a prayerful atmosphere
does not exist or does not last
Evaporates very quickly
Does not stain clothing
When it appears, Myrna anoints the forehead of the
people present
-
never the clergy, she asks them to anoint themselves
Evaporates when there are no more persons to anoint
with the oil on her hands
Some cures occur through this oil
Several spiritual conversions are associated with
the oil
Its colour varies from yellow to green
Can appear several times in the same day (6 times
in Egypt)
Analysed six times and in
different laboratories (in Europe and in Syria)
- all analyses agree:
100% pure olive oil
Thousands of photos and
hundreds of hours of video recorded the event without any
restriction
whatsoever from anyone and in the presence of everyone
Several hundreds of written and audio-visual
testimonies from laity, members of clergy
and religious are
available
EXUDES FROM HER HANDS
During ecstasies.
Oil does not appear below
her wrists in spite of the vertical position of the hand when
she anoints the people
before her
From the palm of the hand - right or left or both
Sometimes appears on the back of the hand
Very rarely on only three fingers: thumb, index and
major
-
right or left hand but not both hands in this way
During private prayer, Myrna and father Elias
Zahlaoui
while
praying in front of the Icon, oil appeared bubbling in Myrna’s hands
that
were initially totally dry beforehand - November 28th , 1982
In sufficient quantity to anoint all the people
that present themselves before her
-
as many as 5,000 persons; Myrna standing for hours – Australia 1993
Sometimes the oil bubbles in her hands and has a
shiny appearance
EXUDES FROM HER FEET
Once, during the ecstasy
of November 26th , 1984
EMANATES FROM HER THROAT
Myrna regurgitated
fragrant oil three times and in quantity during the triduum of the sight deviation in November 1984 (three days of total fasting, Myrna's sight
was deviated, she could only see religious objects and a strong interior
light. Her only food was the daily
Eucharist)
EXUDES FROM THE FOREHEAD
During the triduum
During ecstasies
Sometimes on the
anniversary date of the Phenomenon of Soufanieh
– November 26th
EXUDES FROM THE NECK
During the triduum
During ecstasies
Sometimes on the anniversary date of the Phenomenon
of Soufanieh
In a rectory, with
priests and laity -
from a medal of the
Virgin Mary around her neck (at
Bloudane and Hassake)
During some Eucharistic
celebrations, generally during common Holy Week
among
Catholics and Orthodox
EXUDES FROM THE FACE
During the triduum
During ecstasies
Sometimes on the anniversary date of the Phenomenon
of Soufanieh
Sometimes, during Eucharistic celebrations,
generally during the common
Holy Week among Catholics
and Orthodox
During an ecumenical prayer evening in Australia -
1993
EXUDES FROM THE EYES
During the triduum
During the ecstasies when Myrna sees Jesus Christ
Sometimes during the
anniversary date of the phenomenon of Soufanieh
Sometimes, during Eucharistic celebrations,
generally during the common
Holy Week among Catholics
and Orthodox
EXUDES FROM THE EYES AND
FROM THE FACE
During the triduum
During the
ecstasies when Myrna sees Jesus Christ
Sometimes on the anniversary date of the Phenomenon
of Soufanieh
When bishops of several rites (Catholic: Archbishop Georges Riachi
and Orthodox: Archbishop Afram Aboody)
participate
to the common prayer
- Australia 1993
PLACES
Syria, Lebanon, Egypt,
Jordan
Canada, United States, Australia
France, Belgium, Spain
Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Cyprus
(generally, oil exudes from Myrna’s hands)
While giving her testimony to the Syrian Orthodox
Patriarch – Zakka Iwas 1st -Damascus
While giving her
testimony to the Coptic Catholic Patriarch – Stephanos I - Egypt
In the presence of the Greek Melkite Catholic
Patriarch – Maximos Hakim V
-
during a visit to the United States while visiting
Dr Antoine Mansour,
-
in his
home, in Los Angeles, CA, May 1st , 1988
During the blessing of a statue of Padre Pio in the
centre dedicated to Our Lady of
Soufanieh in Rome (Italy) – “Our Lady of Soufanieh and inter-religious dialogue in the third millennium”
– by Archbishop Luigi Accogli (former Apostolic Nuncio of Syria)
in the presence of
cardinals and fellow bishops – October 1999
In several Catholic or
Orthodox religious institutions in several countries
At the foot of an altar,
during an ecstasy in Belgium - 1990
During Mass (at the church – catholic: Latin, Maronite, Armenian, Melkite, Coptic or Syrian;
orthodox: Armenian, Greek, Coptic or Syrian; or at Soufanieh)
- during the introit (very rare)
- during communion
- after the communion but before the end of the
Mass (very frequent)
- after the Mass, while giving her testimony (very
frequent)
- after the Mass, while singing an hymn to the
Virgin Mary or to Jesus
- after the Mass, in the presence of several
bishops
and
the Apostolic Nuncio of Syria
During a Marian celebration : (at the church or at
Soufanieh or with laity)
- during the prayer of the rosary
- while singing
- while giving her
testimony
While
distributing pictures of Our Lady of Soufanieh – Montreal 1993, Australia 1993
During a meal – at Soufanieh or at friend's house
During thanksgiving prayers
During a vigil of prayer
- at home
- at friend's
- while away from home, in the hosting family
- with people during a retreat in a convent
- with people during a retreat in a church
In monasteries- Vaals,
Holland 1999 and Coimbra, Portugal 1999
In the private chapel of
the Apostolic Nuncio of Syria
In the private chapel of
the former Apostolic Nuncio of Syria – Andrano, Italy 1999
While the Apostolic Nuncio was singing a hymn to
the Virgin Mary
(on
the anniversary date of the Phenomenon at the Maronite Church
and
at Soufanieh)
While listening to a
prelate's testimony on Soufanieh
While giving a testimony to a prelate in a rectory
During a televised interview with father Joseph
Mouwannes (Lebanon)
While praying on the tomb of a defunct – Anita Hosvespian, Glendale, CA – USA
June
1996
During a journey in a car, reminiscing Soufanieh,
returning from Khabab
November
1996
During a journey in a car, on Good Friday between
Portugal and Spain
During an ecstasy in a car between Hauran and
Damascus
While a lady gave her
testimony on her recovery
While holding in her hand a copy of the picture of
Our Lady of Soufanieh -
at Soufanieh and abroad
While
praying in front of the Miraculous Icon at Soufanieh
While praying with a sick person at Soufanieh or in
a hospital
While praying with Moslems
While praying with Jews
While praying in a convent
In the presence of atheists
In the presence of agnostics
In the presence of Protestants
While giving her testimony on the terrace of the Apparitions
During her own birthday
During birthdays: her daughter, her son, her spouse
During several baptisms at Soufanieh – Myriam, her
daughter,
Christine, daughter of Dr
Riyad Hanna (Germany – 1991)
During a baptism at the church
During a baptism; as soon as Myrna gives back the
child to her mother
During a deacon's ordination – Elias Salloum
During a priest's ordination - Georges Battikha
During a funeral ceremony, while praying on the
mortal remains at the home of the
deceased : Mrs Chams
Chayeb Barbara & Mr George Bdeoui
During a visit of condolences
During a speech on Christian unity given by a
prelate
During the engagement celebration of her family
members
During the engagement celebration of friends or
strangers, at home or abroad
- Samir Zaher
During the marriage of her family's members
During the marriage of friends or strangers
During the reception ceremony of engagements /
marriages / baptisms / funerals
While praying for a sick person in a hospital –
father Joseph Malouli – march 2000
During the funerals of father Joseph Malouli –
march 2000
During reconciliatory meetings with couples /
friends in difficulties
At Christmas
At the eve of the new year
On the new year
While improvising an hymn to the Virgin Mary
During a theological symposium on the Messages of
Soufanieh –
Munster, Germany
(September 1991) - father Adel Theodore Khoury
In the presence of several physicians of different
specialties at Soufanieh,
during ecstasies / stigmata :
Neurologist: Dr Philippe
Loron (France)
Pediatrician: Dr Gamil
Margi (Syria)
Surgeons: Dr Antoine Mansour (USA)
Psychanalyst: Andre Patsalides (Syria)
Psychologist: Bibianne Bucaille de La Rocque (France)
Morphopsychologist : Brigitte Sauvegrain (France)
Psychiatrist: Oivind Ekeberg (Norway)
Dermatologue: Cato Moerk (Norway)
Professor of medical technology: Goran Solerud (Sweden)
Pneumologist: Basile Kouchakgi (France)
In the presence of
security officers of the Syrian government, accompanied with
Dr Saliba Abdel Ahad – November 28th, 1982
Before the Syran Minister of Defence: Moustafa Tlass and his wife
Before the secretary of the Syrian Minister of
Defense
Before the minister of the Syrian Presidency: Walid
Fadel – August 15th , 1987
On the closing day of the
celebrations of the Month of Mary
During some religious feasts - Catholic or Orthodox
Immaculate Conception, Epiphany, Assumption…
Oil exudes from image(s) that she holds in her hand
while her hands remain dry,
or both occasions
During the first secret meeting held with the
Apostolic Nuncio of Syria
(Mgr Nicolas Rotunno) at
the Petites Soeurs de Foucauld
During religious
celebrations, in the presence of political personalities, intellectuals,
religious,
diplomats, ambassadors, physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, , etc…
While giving her
testimonial to political personalities, intellectuals, religious,
diplomats, ambassadors, physicians,
psychologists, psychiatrists, , etc…
In the presence of other
visionaries – Sister Lucie - Coimbra,
Portugal - 1999
While singing a hymn to the Virgin Mary, while
holding a microphone in her hand
While praying with a
Moslem person struck with cancer
While cutting the birthday cake on the anniversary
occasion of the
beginning of the
Phenomenon
While discussing with friends about how fast the
Lord sends the oil
- ‘telefax' – Guy &
Mylene Fourmann – 1991 (France)
Sometimes, when the
Apostolic Nuncio shakes hands with Myrna at Soufanieh
When the Apostolic Nuncio
sings a hymn to the Virgin Mary in Arabic, at Soufanieh,
after a Mass, oil covers
Myrna's face and her eyes and finally appears on her hands
November 1997
A Maronite archbishop of
Lebanon, while holding Myrna's hands full of oil,
had his own hands covered
with oil – Msgr Khalil Abi-Nader
During prayer at the shrine of Our Lady of Mantara
(Lebanon), in the presence
of
a very large crowd, presided by the melkite bishop of Sidon,
Msgr George Kwaiter amongst several other priests, of which , the late
Melkite bishop to Canada,
Msgr Sleiman El-Hajjar - 1994
During Myrna's testimonial, after the mass, father Ibrahim
Ibrahim, now Melkite Catholic Bishop in Canada
while holding
Myrna's hands full of oil, has his own hands covered with oil – Father Bonifacio
When a woman takes in her hands Myrna's dry hands,
desperately
hoping for them to ooze in order to anoint her sick daughter
During a Marian
procession, before the statue of the Virgin Mary, while a song is sung
by
the crowd
Before
a Marian sanctuary, close to a Church
At
the end of an ecstasy (triduum), she
regurgitates fragrant oil
At the foot of the large statue of Our Lady of
Harissa - Lebanon
Of three fingers from her right hand only, on
Saint Bernadette Soubirous’ tomb
- Nevers, France
During an Easter procession (during Catholic or
Orthodox Holy Week)
outside or inside of the
church, walking besides the priest
When a bishop prays over
Myrna, while imposing his hands on her head
During the viewing of a videotape showing the
stigmata in Myrna’s presence
When the oil doesn't appear on her hands, and while
Myrna re-iterates to
the people the importance
of prayer, stating that the oil is only a sign,
and not the most
important thing, sometimes the oil appears
Sometimes, when a person
inquires about the appearance of the oil when it is
not
on her hands, it suddenly appears
During the blessing of a
piece of land
One of the
Messages of the Virgin Mary confided to Myrna on November 26th ,
1990:
'...As to the oil, it will continue to appear on
your hands for the glorification of My Son Jesus, whenever He wants it and
wherever you go, because We are with you and with whoever wishes that the Feast
(of Easter) is unified.'
The oil is a sign of abundance, of joy. It purifies and soothes. It is
the sign of healing of combat and comforting. It strengthens and brings out the
light. Oil is the pre-eminent sacred sign. It is synonymous with and the symbol
of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Chrism - used in the ointing of which is the
sacramental sign and seal of the Holy Spirit, it is used during baptism,
confirmation, ailment and ordination.
So
far, thirty-four (37) ecstasies (until April 10th, 2004) have been documented, eight (8) of which were outside
Damascus. In general, during these
ecstasies, Myrna sees the Holy Virgin, or Jesus Christ. Usually the ecstasy is preceded by an
exudation of oil from the hands, face or neck of Myrna. When she is about to
see Jesus Christ, oil comes out also through her eyes and burns them before she
goes into ecstasy. This stage is followed by the ecstasy itself, that is to say
the state of disconnexion with the external world. During this phase Myrna does
not see, hear, nor feel. Her body is stiff. She sees Jesus Christ in the form
of a Person made up of light without distinguishing His face, which is not the
case with the Holy Virgin Mary. After having seen Jesus Christ, she returns to
her normal state, and she takes time to recover her normal sight: her interior
light prevents her from seeing anything. She has remained in this state during
72 consecutive hours, from November 26th till the 29th, 1984 inclusive. Often,
one to four physicians would be present during the ecstasies. A number of medical
tests have been undertaken mainly on her sight, sensitivity and reflexes: all
were negative. Besides the first two ecstasies of Monday October 24th, 1983,
which have not been timed, the duration of the other ecstasies has varied
between 5 and 75 minutes. Most of these ecstasies have been recorded on
videotapes. These ecstasies were accompanied most of the time with messages
summarizing the important Christian realities: The trinity, the Incarnation,
Divine Paternity, the mediation of the Virgin Mary, deserving the Kingdom of
Heaven, repentance to the Lord, the necessity of constant prayer and fasting,
the sanctity of marriage, a pressing appeal for the unity of the church and the
role of the laity in the work of unity.
-
Father Elias Zahlaoui’s periodical and annual reports
-
Father Elias Zahlaoui’s books (in French) :
o
Souvenez-vous de Dieu
o
Soufanieh :
Chroniques des apparitions et manifestations de Jésus et de Marie à Damas, 1982
– 1990
§
English versions of above books are available on
the website only
-
Dr Philippe Loron’s
book : Constat Médical et Analyse Scientifique des
événements de Soufanieh, (12-16 Avril 1990)
-
Father Joseph Malouli’s Notes and Letters
-
Father Boulos Fadel’s Notes, Letters
-
Myrna’s personal notes and journal
-
Father J.M. Touw’s testimonials, books and video
-
Numerous videos pertaining to Myrna’s travels
-
Bulletin of l’Association Notre-Dame-de-Soufanieh à
Montréal