Benoîte (Benedicta) Rencurel (1647–1718) was a shepherdess from Saint-Étienne-le-Laus, France who saw apparitions from the Virgin Mary beginning from 1664 through 1718. The apparitions became known as Our Lady of Laus, and the site receives thousands of pilgrim visits a year.[1] The site gained Vatican approval in May 2008. She was bestowed the title Venerable Servant of God by Pope Pius IX.