Margaret Alacoque: The Nun who saw Jesus’ Sacred Heart

In the 17th century, a French nun reported visions in which Jesus showed her his Sacred Heart, giving rise to one of the Church’s most beloved devotions. This is the life of St Margaret Mary Alacoque.

At a Glance

Born: July 22, 1647, in L’Hautecour, Duchy of Burgundy, France
Died: October 17, 1690 (aged 43) in Paray-le-Monial, Burgundy, France
Beatified: 1864
Canonised: 1920
Feast: October 16
Patronages: Devotees of the Sacred Heart, polio patients, children who lost parents

The French nun who was responsible for spreading the devotion of the Sacred Heart throughout the Western Church was initially not believed when she reported apparitions of Jesus.

Marguerite Alacoque was born on July 22, 1647, the fifth of seven children and the only daughter of Claude and Philiberte Lamyn Alacoque in the village of L’Hautecour in Burgundy, France. The devoutly Catholic family was well-off thanks to Claude’s profession as a notary. Marguerite’s godmother was the Countess of Corcheval.

But tragedy struck when Margaret was eight years old. Claude died of pneumonia, and the executor of his estate, an uncle of Margaret’s, refused to pay out the inheritance. As the family struggled and Margaret suffered severe health issues, she found solace in her deep love for prayer and contemplation.

Worse yet, for four years, starting at the age of nine, she was afflicted with paralysing rheumatic fever. Margaret was 13 when she vowed to the Blessed Virgin that she would enter the religious life — and was instantly restored to perfect health. In gratitude for the miracle, she added Mary to her name. She later recalled that she also had visions of Jesus, thinking that these were a normal occurrence for everybody.

As the girl came of age, her mother encouraged Margaret Mary to socialise in order to find a husband. The young woman enjoyed the social life, but everything changed when she was 22. Margaret Mary had returned from a carnival ball when she had a vision of the scourged Christ, reprimanding her for living a worldly existence instead of the consecrated life she had once vowed herself to.

Visions of Jesus

In May 1671, at the age of 23, Margaret Mary entered the Visitation convent at Paray-le-Monial, also in Burgundy, where she embraced the contemplative life and devoted herself to prayer, penance, and serving her community. It was during her time in the convent that Margaret Mary began to experience mystical visions and revelations that would profoundly impact her spiritual journey and the history of Catholic devotion.

On December 27, 1673, while kneeling before the exposed Sacrament, Margaret Mary received the first of several visions of Jesus, in which he revealed his Sacred Heart to her and expressed his burning love for humanity. In these mystical encounters, Jesus asked Margaret Mary to promote the devotion to his Sacred Heart and to spread the message of his love and mercy to the world.

Jesus told Sr Margaret Mary: “My Sacred Heart is so intense in its love for humanity, and for you in particular, that not being able to contain within it the flames of its ardent charity, they must be transmitted through all means.”

The visions continued for 18 months. In 1674 she experienced what is known as the Great Apparition of the Sacred Heart. During this vision, Jesus revealed his wounded heart, surrounded by thorns and flames of love, symbolising his immense love for all humanity and his desire for reparation for sins through acts of devotion to his Sacred Heart.

Fruits of apparitions

These visions form the basis of devotion to the Sacred Heart. Its chief features are the First Fridays Devotion (reception of Holy Communion on the first Fridays of nine months as an act of reparation), Eucharistic adoration during Holy Hour on Thursdays, and the celebration of the feast of the Sacred Heart.

Despite the scepticism and fierce opposition from some within the Church to her visions and revelations, Sr Margaret Mary remained steadfast in her commitment to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She dedicated herself to prayer, penance and acts of reparation, determined to fulfil the mission entrusted to her by Christ.

A Jesuit defender

She found a supporter in the convent’s confessor, Fr Claude de la Colombière (who was canonised in 1992). The Jesuit priest believed in the authenticity of Margaret Mary’s mystical experiences and encouraged the  nun to embrace her vocation as a messenger of the Sacred Heart. His spiritual guidance and friendship provided Sr Margaret Mary with the strength and encouragement she needed to persevere in her mission despite the challenges she faced. More importantly, Fr Claude was a bulwark against those who dismissed Sr Margaret Mary’s experiences.

Around 1681 she wrote down her testimony of the apparitions of Jesus, signing the document with her own blood.

Two years later opposition within her community ended when Mother Melin was elected superior. She named Sr Margaret Mary her assistant and later novice mistress. However, the death of Fr De la Colombière in February 1689 hit her hard.

Sr Margaret Mary died on October 17, 1690, in Paray-le-Monial, at the age of 43. The private devotion to the Sacred Heart spread rapidly, and the Church authorities soon approved the devotion. Still, the Vatican initially hesitated to declare a feast to the Sacred Heart; Pope Clement XIII did so in 1765.

In 1856, Pope Pius IX designated the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi as the feast of the Sacred Heart for the universal Church. In 1864 he beatified the visionary.

St Margaret Mary Alacoque was canonised by Pope Benedict XV on May 13, 1920. Her tomb is in the Apparition chapel in Paray-le-Monial.