When compared to the numerous apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, there are relatively private revelations of St. Joseph that were approved. One of the appearances of St. Joseph that were approved occurred in Cotignac, France, on June 7, 1660.
It was on an extremely hot summer day, Gaspard Ricard, a humble servant was parched with thirst. His bottle of water was dry and he was no where near a stream or body of water. So Ricard sat down on the grass in agony.
At that moment, an older man suddenly appeared to him and said, “I am Joseph, Lift it and drink.” As he pointed to a large boulder nearby, a rock that Ricard knew he couldn’t lift by himself.
Still, he tried, and somehow he was able to lift the boulder with an easy performance. So Underneath the rock was a fresh spring of water.
Ricard looked up with joy to thank the mysterious stranger, but he had vanished already.
So, Ricard ran to the village to tell everyone about the miraculous spring. As soon as enough, the spring became related with countless miracles, both physical and spiritual, and a shrine was built alongside at the location.
Ever since then, the spring of St. Joseph in Cotignac has been a pilgrimage site, and a close by shrine was finally combined with a separate apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph which occurred in 1519 under the title of Our Lady of Graces.
