Assumption of the Virgin Mary: 5 -year -old boy, Gilles Bouhours, helped Pius XII to proclaim the dogma

Gilles Bouhours was a French child who, with only 5 years, “helped” the venerable Pope Pius XII to proclaim the dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on November 1, 1950.

Shortly after the solemnity of the assumption of the Mother of God, in body and soul to heaven, we remember the little known history of Gilles, who became the “sign” that Pío XII asked to the Virgin Mary to proclaim the dogma with the Constitution Munificentisimus God.

Pope Pius XII, who received the episcopal consecration on the day of the first appearance of the Virgin of Fatima on May 13, 1917, had asked the Mother of God a sign, which arrived in flesh and bone in the person of Gilles.

The encounter between Pope Pius XII and the little one, explains the Catholic encyclopedia (EC)it happened on May 1, 1950.

“The little one revealed on that occasion to the Holy Father a secret that the Mother of God would have communicated in a private revelation to be transmitted to the Pope: ‘The Blessed Virgin is not dead, she has mounted in heaven in body and soul ‘ (The Holy Virgin did not die; she went up to heaven in body and soul), ”says the EC.

The EC He adds that, after having consulted many experts, the child’s arrival to the Vatican “would have decided Pope Pacelli to proceed to the dogmatic definition, seeing in him an express celestial confirmation.”

Who was Gilles Bouhours, the 5 -year -old boy who “helped” Pope Pius XII?

Gilles Bouhours was born in France on November 27, 1944, the day of the Miraculous Medal. Before fulfilling a year he suffered from meningitis and encephalitis. At that time a diagnosis thus was synonymous with a speedy death, but the child survived.

Madeleine, a religious family friend, encouraged her parents to put under the child’s pillow an image of Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús, which would have allowed her healing.

Little by little Gilles began to have a great affinity with prayer and penance. It is also said that he would have had several appearances of the Virgin Mary, the first of which would have occurred on September 30, 1947.

On December 13, 1948, after another appearance, Gilles told his dad that he had a “secret” that he had to communicate to the Pope, which culminated with his encounter with Pius XII in 1950.

Some years later, on February 24, 1960, Gilles who was already 15 years old, became ill without the doctors managed to define a diagnosis. After receiving the anointing of the sick, confessing and communion, he died.

Alain Guiot, a French writer and professor, has written several books about Gilles Bouhours and considers that “His holiness must be recognized”.

Originally published on August 14, 2023. It has been updated for republication.