THINK ABOUTIT SIGHTING REPORT
Date: July 10 1952
Sighting Time:
Day/Night:
Location: Gerpinnes Belgium
Urban or Rural: Rural
Hynek Classification: CE-III (Close Encounter III) Close observation with animate beings associated with the object.
Duration:
No. of Object(s): 1
Size of Object(s):
Distance to Object(s):
Shape of Object(s):
Color of Object(s):
Number of Witnesses: 1
Special Features/Characteristics: entity, interpreted to have been the Virgin Mary or “The Madonna”
Source: Erich Von Daniken, Miracle of the Gods?
Summary/Description: The sighting in Gerpinnes, Belgium on July 10, 1952, remains one of the most culturally fascinating cases in European UFO history due to its intersection with religious iconography. The primary witness was seven-year-old Rosette Colmet, who was playing near a village traffic island when she encountered a phenomenon that she immediately interpreted through the lens of her faith.
According to the report, a brilliant, glowing object descended toward the rural landscape. Within the proximity of this craft, an entity appeared that Rosette identified as “The Madonna” or the Virgin Mary. The description of the being was highly specific: she was seen wearing a pure white dress that was striking not just for its luminescence, but for being decorated with distinct red and blue hearts. This visual detail has led researchers like Erich Von Daniken to categorize the event as a CE-III (Close Encounter of the Third Kind), where an extraterrestrial or interdimensional presence is perceived as a supernatural or divine figure.
The encounter took place in a quiet, rural setting, far from the bustling activity of major Belgian cities, which allowed for a clear, albeit brief, observation. While the young witness felt a sense of awe rather than fear, the mechanical or “glowing” nature of the associated object suggests a physical craft was present. In the context of the 1952 global UFO wave, the Gerpinnes incident highlights how witness background and age can influence the interpretation of an unidentified flying object and its occupants.
Historical Context
This case was notably documented in Von Daniken’s work, Miracle of the Gods?, where he explores the “ancient astronaut” theory and the possibility that historical religious apparitions were actually advanced technological encounters. By placing this report alongside other 1952 sightings, we see a pattern of high-altitude objects and landing reports that defined the era. The specific detail of the “hearts” on the entity’s clothing remains a unique outlier in humanoid reports, making the Belgium case a staple for researchers looking into the “Miracle of Fatima” style of high-strangeness events.
