VISION (intellectual mystical phenomenon). — The term, which physiologically signifies the act of seeing, in the history of religions designates the divine or demonic manifestation of some truth, person, or event. It may be external (or corporeal), imaginative, or intellectual.
External visions are those seen with the bodily eyes under sensible appearances, e.g., a saint, an angel, the humanity of Jesus, miraculous splendor, allegorical symbols; this kind, like the following, is commonly identified with apparitions (v.).
Imaginative visions are those formed in the imagination; they are seen mentally, as Ezekiel saw four creatures with the faces of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle (Ez. 1:4-28). The imaginative vision may occur during sleep (as with Jacob and St. Joseph).
Intellectual visions are those formed in the intellect, without the concurrence of the imagination, through intelligible species infused or coordinated by God (Dan. 9:20-27; more rarely through angelic or demonic influence), as in the prophecy of the seventy weeks. The intellectual vision may exist alone; the other kinds always require some intellectual elaboration or charism, otherwise they would be unintelligible. All three forms of vision may also occur together, as seems to be the case in the mystery of the Annunciation (Lk. 1:28-38). There are cases of collective visions in which, as by contagion, the vision becomes common to an entire group or crowd (e.g., the phenomena at Fatima). Every vision has a religious character.
To discern visions of divine origin, mystics give the following signs: 1) the true vision comes suddenly; 2) it stirs the whole soul but immediately floods it with peace; 3) it does not last long; 4) it leaves a vivid desire for perfection and abundant fruits of virtue; 5) it remains long impressed upon the mind. According to Catholic doctrine, a true vision cannot be provoked. Therefore, all those obtained through magic and spiritual rites, whether of persons or things, of the living or the dead—such as necromantic evocations (1 Sam. 28:8-21)—must be rejected, as were those of the ancient deities, which manifested themselves to anyone who consulted them. Among those favored with visions are especially the founders of religious orders, but also many saints, particularly from the early centuries of Christianity (cf. St. Justin, *Dial. cum Tryph.*, 52, 82; St. Cyprian, *Epist.*, 39). Historically famous is the vision of Constantine.
A vision is a grace and a gratis data; it is not, in itself, a sign or constituent of holiness, but is ordered to make known some divine truth or some desire of God. Among the most sublime visions are those of St. John (Revelation) and St. Paul (2 Cor. 12:1-4). Visions contained in Scripture must correspond to an act of divine faith. Every vision is private; instead, it engages only the one favored with II. Besides the above-mentioned visions, theologians distinguish the beatific vision (v.) or intuitive or immediate (non-comprehensive) vision of God, which the angels and the blessed enjoy permanently (cf. 1 Cor. 13:12; Mt. 18:10), known only through Christian Revelation.