VISIONE (intellectual mystical phenomenon). – The term, which physiologically means the act of seeing, in the history of religions designates the divine and demonic manifestation of some truth, person, or event. It may be external (or corporeal), imaginative, or intellectual.
External V. are those seen with the bodily eyes under sensible appearances, e.g., a saint, an angel, the humanity of Jesus, miraculous splendours, allegorical symbols; this species, like the following, is commonly to be identified with apparitions (v.). Imaginative V. imagination; that is, they are seen «mentally», as Ezechiele saw four beings with the face of a man, a lion, a bull, and an eagle (Ez. 1, 4-28). Imaginative vision may occur during sleep (as with Giacobbe and s. Giuseppe). Intellectual V. intellect, without the cooperation 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 70 weeks. Intellectual V. can subsist alone; the others always require some intellectual elaboration or charism, otherwise they would be unintelligible. All three forms of V. may also be found together, as seems to have been the case in the mystery of the Annunciation (Lc. 1, 28-38). There are cases of collective V. in which, as if by contagion, the V. becomes common to an entire group or crowd (e.g., the phenomena of Fatima). The V. always has a religious character.
To discern V. of divine origin, mystics give the following signs: 1) the true V. comes suddenly; 2) it agitates 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 impressed upon the mind for a long time. According to Catholic doctrine, true V. cannot be provoked. All those obtained through magic and spiritistic rites, whether involving persons or things, the living or the dead, are therefore to be rejected, such as necromantic evocations (I Sam. 28, 8-21), as were already those of the ancient divinities, who manifested themselves to anyone who went to consult them. Among those favoured with V. are especially the founders of religious Orders, but also many male and female saints, particularly in the earliest times of Christianity (cf. s. Giustino, Dial. cum Tryph., 52, 82; s. Cipriano, Epist., 39). The V. of Costantino is historically famous.
The V. is a Grace «gratis data», not «gratum faciens». It is therefore not, in itself, a sign or constituent of holiness, but is ordered to making some divine truth or some desire of God known. Among the most sublime V. s. Giovanni (Apocalypse) and s. Paolo (II Cor. 12, 1-4). The V. faith. Every «private» v., on the other hand, binds only the person favoured with II. In addition to the V. mentioned above, theologians distinguish the beatific V. (v.), or intuitive or immediate (not comprehensive) vision of God, which the angels and the blessed enjoy permanently (cf. I Cor. 13, 12; Mt. 18, 10), known only through Christian Revelation.