Vatican City: The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has formally granted a “Nihil obstat” a declaration of no objection for the public expression of Marian devotion at Mount Zvir, near the Slovak village of Litmanová, where alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary were reported between 1990 and 1995.

In a letter addressed to Archbishop Jonáš Jozef Maxim, head of the Byzantine Rite Catholics of Prešov, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery, affirmed the enduring spiritual benefits that continue to emerge from this site, even three decades after the reported events. These include numerous conversions, heartfelt confessions, and the deepening of faith among pilgrims who continue to visit Mount Zvir. (Read the letter in English here)

The Vatican’s decision comes under the new norms on private revelations published in 2023, which allow the Church to acknowledge the positive spiritual impact of such events without formally declaring them supernatural. In this spirit, the nihil obstat confirms that faithful may freely participate in devotion and pilgrimages to Mount Zvir, without doctrinal concern.

The messages reportedly received during the apparitions offer calls to conversion and interior freedom, such as: “Let Jesus free you… and do not allow your Enemy to limit your freedom, for which Jesus shed so much blood.” The Virgin Mary, under the title "Immaculate Purity", is said to have appeared to three children from the village: Ivetka Korcáková (11), Katka Ceselková (12), and Mitko Ceselka (9).

The messages emphasize God’s unconditional love, with the Virgin declaring: “I love you just as you are… I want you to be happy, but this world will not make you happy.” They encourage simplicity, peace, and a life rooted in the Gospel, affirming that true happiness lies in a personal relationship with Christ and in self-giving love toward others.

While the Dicastery acknowledged that a few messages contain ambiguous or unclear elements, it attributed these to personal interpretation by the visionaries. These experiences were described not as direct locutions but as interior spiritual impressions, often limited by the visionaries' human language. Therefore, Archbishop Maxim has been advised to curate and publish the messages, omitting any statements that could cause confusion or undermine the faith of the devout.

Importantly, the nihil obstat does not constitute recognition of supernatural authenticity, but it does officially permit public devotion and liturgical celebration at Mount Zvir. The faithful are thus encouraged to engage with the spiritual richness of the site, as long as it is approached in the light of Church teaching and pastoral guidance.

The alleged apparitions began on August 5, 1990, about three kilometers from Litmanová, in the mountainous northern region of Slovakia, a stronghold of Byzantine Catholic tradition. Since then, the area has quietly become a destination for prayer, renewal, and conversion now further supported by the Church’s endorsement of its spiritual value.