The Star of the Magi

Note: These reviews are presented as originally written, & edited only to excerpt, not to correct grammar or content.

Mark Stavish, M.A., Director of the Institute for Hermetic Studies

The Voxhermes Newsletter, Dec., 2004

Sometimes a publisher just gets it right. Visions of the Virgin Mary ? An Astrological Analysis of Divine Intercession is one of those times. Courtney Roberts has been an astrologer for over twenty years, and brings her two decades of experience to analyze the intriguing questions of what, if any, astrological relationships exist between the various apparitions of the Virgin Mary, as well as between the time of each apparition and the principals that see her. 

In writing of Visions, Roberts steps into an amazing twilight area of research that has intrigued many, but she is the first to write about it. Selecting only those apparitions deemed authentic by the Roman Catholic Church, she gives herself and the reader immediate access to a mass of material that has already been highly scrutinized. These are not visions of Mary on pizza boxes or wheat silos, but apparitions that the Roman church itself has fought to debunk and deny authenticity too, but as a result of overwhelming evidence, has conceded.

Focusing her research on the influences of the Moon, Venus, Lunar Nodes, as well as the signs of Cancer and Virgo, Roberts starts off in all the right places, and for the most part stays there. That is, one should not expect any startling astrological revelations, on the contrary, simply good, clean, hard research based on the fundamentals. In a lot of ways, this is research at its best. Roberts shows us what has always been in front of us, and in a writing style that will please the experienced astrologer, as well as be easily accessible to the novice. 

A solid introduction on the methods used, coupled with a glossary, make Visions a good book even for those who have little or no background in astrology. Experienced astrologers will be pleased to see that Roberts is highly skilled in cross- analyzing charts, and does so seamlessly between the events, as well as the events and their participants.

There is also a little something for everyone. Roberts references her sources, and uses endnotes liberally. Llewellyn Publications has been slammed, and rightfully so, for being so focused on the mass market that it has rarely produced a book of genuine scholarly value. Hopefully Visions of the Virgin Mary will demonstrate that good reading, solid research, and mass-market publishing are not alien to each other.

In addition, Roberts carefully crosses the dividing line, showing that the apparitions, especially when viewed from an astrological perspective, cross sectarian boundaries and are clearly related to earlier pre-Christian cults, without diminishing their current meaning.

This book comes highly recommended.

Kevin Briggs, The Journal of the British Astrological Association

The stories of the visions are captivating in themselves, and the charts of the events and people involved give the reader a whole new 'way in' to the subject. The reader is drawn into the text, eager to know more about these bizarre apparitions. Some of the details about how the visionaries were treated, what they actually saw, and how they responded to interrogation make this book worth every penny.

Robert Powell, Ph.D. The Sophia Foundation of North America

Author of The Sophia Teachings, The Most Holy Trinosophia, the Hermetic Astrology trilogy,Chronicle of the Life of Christ, and other works

Courtney Roberts has written an intriguing, well-researched book investigating the astrological influences prevailing at various Marian apparitions. Her work, which does not assume a prior knowledge of astrology, offers a good introduction to the science of stellar influences, which she applies to appearances of Mary at Paris (1830), La Salette (1846), Lourdes (1858), and other places. In the process she provides wonderful, detailed and lively accounts of the Marian apparitions and the seers involved. 

 Her descriptions are interspersed with astrological comments relating to the positions of the stars at the time of the appearances as well as in relation to the horoscopes of the seers who experienced these visions of Mary. 

 The whole is a remarkable document testifying to the supernatural phenomenon of the Virgin Mary in relation to the stellar world. 

 Considering the cosmic dimension indicated in the words from the Bible, concerning the 'woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown with twelve stars' (Revelation 12:1), it is not surprising - as shown by the astrological research presented by Courtney Roberts - that there are definite astrological influences associated with the appearances of Mary. In particular, a striking astrological emphasis on the Moon, the planet Neptune, and the zodiacal signs of Cancer and Virgo is apparent. This book, which, as far as I know, is the first in-depth treatment of Marians apparitions in the light of astrology, can be highly recommended to astrologers and non-astrologers alike, to all who are interested in Mary or the Divine Feminine or mystical phenomena against the background of astrological influences.

Beth Guy: This work is a well-researched and well-documented account of nineteenth and twentieth century visions and sightings of the Virgin Mary, including the familiar Bernadette at Lourdes and Fatima...Although this book is not intended to be an astrology text, there is a comprehensive glossary of astrological terms as well as basic explanations of various astrological principles interspersed throughout the text. Thus, a reader need not be familiar with astrological concepts in order to understand and enjoy the text. The stories of the sightings are very rich in detail...Roberts really summarizes in terms of her philosophical perspective about the place of such visions within different cultures and religions. The basic message is that regardless of religious perspective or culture, we should all get along. There's nothing wrong with that message, and it is the main one that Roberts wants us to take away from her work. Her accounts of the Marian visions are rich, compelling, fascinating, and enjoyable.

Paul Beryl: The Hermit?s Lantern and Transit Authority: June 2004: Roberts brings us a book which should be of great interest to any person interested in the mystical experience and in feminine divinity. With nearly 30 years experience as a Wiccan, and nearly as much time as a professional astrologer, I approached this book with curiosity. The material presented by Roberts is definitely remarkable. The book contains numerous astrological charts; not only of those (often) children who had the visions but of the time and location of the visions themselves. While knowing the rudiments of astrology might help the reader, Roberts writes with objectivity but in a manner friendly to the reader.

There are many conclusions which can be drawn from this work. Roberts does not judge the validity of the various visions but her perspective, with twenty years experience as an astrologer and professional work studying the sightings of Mary, allows the reader to drawn her own conclusions, or perhaps, simply to marvel at how amazing it all is.

A highly interesting book, one which any student of religion, mysticism, and astrology would definitely enjoy.

Inner Spiral on Amazon.com: I found this book only two days ago and I am already thankful to have done so... This is a Marian book, about Mary, for Mary. Many people see the Blessed Virgin as Goddess, not simply the mother of Christ. This book will take you through the apparitions of Mary at Lourdes, Fatima, and many others... I feel that with this work, Llewellyn Publications is finally printing things worthwhile instead of the same old dribble over and over again under a different title...