Rhoda Greer was born February 22, 1888 in Southern Ohio and grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia. In 1915 she married a man and moved to Canton, Ohio. Soon after, he died tragically from a cerebral hemorrhage and in 1917 she married George Wise. They adopted 2 girls. Their first daughter Ruth died during the Spanish Flu Pandemic. The second child, Anna Mae, would witness her mother’s spiritual journey and as an adult kept the house open to visitors until her death in 1995.
Rhoda's Health Crisis
In 1939, before the discovery of antibiotics and after multiple surgeries to repair a large non-healing wound, adhesions and infections caused by the removal of a 39 pound tumor from her abdomen, doctors sent Rhoda home to die. At this time George was an alcoholic and Rhoda worried about him raising their young daughter alone. According to Rhoda’s diary, she prayed for a miracle and on May 28th at 2:45 A.M. Jesus appeared in a bright light next to her bed and sat beside her on this chair. She asked, “Have you come for me?” She said he responded, “No your time has not come yet.” In the decades that followed, people have reported miraculous healings after sitting in the chair.
Rhoda Prepares to Die
Rhoda documented her ailing condition and below is her account of what transpired after the first visit... About a month after the first reported Jesus visitation, Rhoda said Jesus returned with St. Therese, who is known as the “Little Flower,” among Catholics for promising to send down a shower of roses from the heavens. Rhoda wrote in her diary that, "The Little Flower approached by bed and motioned to me to remove the dressing from my wound. She then placed her hand on my abdomen...All the rawness that extended over the entire abdomen was compeltely gone and was replaced with healthy tan colored skin. The ruptured bowel too was entirely healed." Rhoda also wrote in her diary that Jesus told her that he would come again and that there is work yet to be done and then they vanished. -- June 28, 1939
During this time Rhoda had also fallen down and severely injured her foot. She had not walked without crutches for 2 ½ years. Once her abdomen was cured, doctors tried to repair the foot, but with no success; and they would have to change the cast every couple of months. On August 15, 1939, again around 2:45 A.M. Rhoda claimed that St. Therese visited her again, and told her get up and walk. When she stood up, Rhoda claimed that the cast “split open from top to bottom” and she easily walked out of it. Upon seeing this, George reportedly stopped drinking. As for Rhoda, she never had trouble walking again.
Rhoda's Life-Changing Conversation
According to Rhoda, “When Jesus appeared to me on Wednesday, April 3 ,1940 at :40 A.M. he stayed about 10 minutes. He said, ‘You must write this down.' “You were chosen because you had the faith of a little child and believed everything that was told to you. Some think they believe, some want to believe, you did believe and for your faith, suffering, patience, and courage to carry on when all were against you, I have chosen you for great work.”
People Flock to The House of Lights
About 15 of Rhoda’s friends camped outside of the home on the anniversary of the first alleged visit from Jesus. Once again around 3 A.M., they all reported suddenly seeing a brilliant light appear, illuminating from the small rickety window. Knowing that the house only had minimal electricity, and lacked the technology to create such a light, they all prayed, and dropped down to the ground lying prostrate before the Lord. The next year thousands of people waited outside of the house and all reported seeing the “glorious” light once again appear.
Many believers who visited Rhoda's home brought rose petals for Jesus and St.Therese to bless. After returning to their homes, many received a unique unexplainable gift. Some of the petals had an image that appears to look like St.Therese.
After being healed Rhoda said that she prayed to God and offered her own body as a sacrifice so that others might also be cured. She said, soon red marks began to appear on her hands, feet and head. Then the marks would bleed profusely on every first Friday of the month, from Noon until 3 P.M.; the hours Christians believe Jesus suffered on the cross. The condition is called Stigmata; The spontaneously bleeding or sensation of pain at the locations on the body corresponding with the crucifixion wounds of Jesus.
She was alive and reaching out to me. I was looking at her and listening to her and smiling feeling love that’s the only way I can describe it. She said in a little while tell them you’re going to get better...in a little while tell them you’re going to get better.-- Andrea Kissel-Conti.
