The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has officially concluded that the alleged apparitions of Jesus in Dozulé, France, “are not of supernatural origin”. The resolution, signed by the prefect Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández and approved by Pope Leo XIV on November 3, confirms the negative judgment that had already been expressed in the 1980s by the then bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux, Mons. Jean-Marie-Clément Badré.
Between 1972 and 1978, a woman named Madeleine Aumont claimed to have received 49 apparitions of Christ, in which she was asked to erect a monumental “Glorious Cross of Dozulé”, 738 meters high, which would symbolize universal redemption. The cross was never built, although the devotional movement spread to various countries, where reduced versions called “Crosses of Love” emerged.
Rome’s Ruling
Cardinal Fernández now authorizes the current bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux, Mons. Jacques Habert, to issue the formal decree that definitively closes the case. The document highlights the doctrinal errors and theological risks present in the messages attributed to Aumont: the identification of the material sign with redemption, the attribution of salvific power to an object, and the promise of universal forgiveness to those who approach the cross.
The Dicastery recalls that such claims are incompatible with Catholic doctrine on grace and the sacraments, and warns against any form of “sacralization of the sign” that substitutes interior faith for exterior devotion.
“The cross does not need 738 meters of steel or concrete to be recognized —the letter states—; it rises every time a heart opens to forgiveness or a soul converts”.
Likewise, the text points out unfulfilled prophecies —such as the claim that the 1975 Holy Year would be the last— and the millenarian tendency of some messages about the imminent return of Christ. The letter insists that the Church remains vigilant against any attempt to set dates or conditions for the Final Judgment.
A Warning about False Devotions
Although it recognizes the spiritual fruits of many faithful who have come moved by sincere piety, the document emphasizes that no private revelation can become a universal obligation. Catholic faith does not rely on extraordinary signs, but on the revelation already fulfilled in Christ.
The text concludes: “The veneration of the Cross forms an incarnate spirituality: the metal or wood is not adored, but the Crucified One who offered his life upon it”.