Terezija Dush
Venetian Slovene herder and Marian seeress of Porzùs.
Terezija Dush, known in religious life as sister Marija Hozana (10 September 1845 – 16 August 1870), was a Venetian Slovene herder, servant, nanny, and Marian seeress. She is notable for three reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1855 in Porzùs, which led to local devotion and the construction of a chapel. Born into a poor Slovene family, she spoke only the Venetian Slovene dialect as a child and never attended school. Her reported visions during a cholera epidemic, including a mark on her hand that remained until her death, eventually convinced villagers to follow Mary's instructions.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 10 September 1845
- Birthplace
- Porzùs, near Udine, Austrian Empire
- Died
- 16 August 1870
- Place of death
- Udine, Kingdom of Italy
- Occupation
- Herder
- Servant
- Nanny
- Known for
- Marian apparitions in Porzùs (1855)
Facts from the source article.
Childhood
Terezija Dush, the youngest of seven children, was born on 10 September 1845 to farmers Jože Dush and Katarina Grimac in Porzùs, near Udine. Her family, who were poor and Slovene, spoke only the Venetian Slovene dialect. She never went to school, instead helping her parents and looking after the family cow. At nine years old, she started attending catechism lessons with the local parish priest.
Apparitions
During a cholera epidemic in Porzùs in 1855, Terezija Dush reported three apparitions of the Virgin Mary. On Saturday, 8 September 1855 (the Nativity of Mary), while grazing the family cow, she saw a woman in fine peasant clothes who spoke in the local dialect: 'Daughter, what are you doing here?' The woman warned that work on feast days is a sin, helped her cut grass, and instructed her to tell villagers to keep Sundays, feasts, and vigils, to fast, not to curse, to pray the Rosary, to hold a procession, and to ask forgiveness. The villagers initially did not believe her. A second apparition occurred on 27 September 1855 in the church during the Rosary. A third took place on 30 September 1855 in the church, when Mary is said to have imprinted a small cross on the back of Terezija's right hand, appearing like shining gold and about three centimetres in size. Mary also entrusted her with a secret she took to the grave. When villagers saw the mark, which sources report remained until her death, they began to believe. According to notes by Zuan Grimaz, the cholera epidemic then ceased. Two admonitions, written in the local dialect—'Nimata klet' (Do not curse) and 'Nimata dielat tu nedejo' (Do not work on Sundays)—were inscribed on the wall behind the parish church altar.
Work and death
Around 1856 both of Terezija's parents died, and she entered a girls' orphanage in Udine run by the Sisters of Providence and the priest Luigi Scrosoppi, who was later declared a Roman Catholic saint. She left in 1860 and worked as a servant in Cividale for four years. In 1864 she fell ill with tuberculosis, from which she later died. She wished to become a nun but faced obstacles of poverty, illness, and her almost nonexistent education. According to her own account, Mary appeared again in 1864 and encouraged her to enter the Sisters of Providence. On Luigi Scrosoppi's recommendation, she was accepted as a candidate on 7 August 1864 among the Sisters of Providence, who ran the orphanage where she had lived. She worked as a nanny for the girls during their free time at the orphanage. She was received as a novice on 19 March 1867, and received to the order on 14 September 1868. Her health quickly worsened and she died on 16 August 1870 in Udine.
Legacy
Villagers of Porzùs kept her memory and continued to pray the Rosary at the apparition site. In 1885 a chapel of the Mother of God was built there, attracting primarily Slovene pilgrims from the border regions. In 1886 a painting of the apparition was installed in the chapel. The Mother of God of Porzùs is also known as Marija žanjica (Mary the Reaper or Mary with the Sickle) and is depicted holding a sickle, which, according to Terezija's account, she held at the first apparition.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Terezija Dush born?
Terezija Dush was born on 10 September 1845 in Porzùs, near Udine, Austrian Empire.
When did Terezija Dush die?
Terezija Dush died on 16 August 1870 in Udine, Kingdom of Italy.
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