Aliens or Angels? The Clarke Sisters' UFO Encounter
- Cristina Gomez
- Apr 23
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 25
Throughout history, religious figures have reported strange aerial phenomena that defy conventional explanation. From medieval monks to modern-day nuns, those dedicated to spiritual pursuits have documented encounters with unusual objects in the sky, raising fascinating questions about the intersection of faith and unexplained aerial phenomena. These accounts are particularly compelling because they come from individuals who are typically regarded as trustworthy, educated observers with little motivation to fabricate extraordinary claims — in fact, such claims might risk their standing within religious institutions.
The Clarke Sisters
One such encounter occurred on August 18, 1965, in Dubuque, Iowa, when Sisters Mary Justa and Mary Xavier of Clarke College observed an unusual object from their window at 11:30 PM. Rather than immediately interpreting the sighting through a religious lens, the sisters, both respected educators, reached for binoculars to better observe the phenomenon. Through their careful observation, they documented a “cigar or banana-shaped” craft emitting a distinctive pink light resembling a torch flame. The object remained stationary for approximately five minutes before “dancing about the sky” in patterns that defied the aviation capabilities of that era. The sisters used the nearby radio tower as a reference point to gauge the object’s size, suggesting it was substantial rather than a distant light. This methodical approach to documentation — noting the object’s size, movement patterns, and duration of the sighting (thirty minutes total) — demonstrates the sisters’ commitment to objective observation over religious interpretation.
Environmental factors lend additional credibility to this account. The sky was heavy with clouds following a rainstorm, conditions that should have limited visibility of conventional aircraft or celestial bodies. Additionally, dogs throughout the neighborhood became agitated during the sighting, a behavioral response frequently noted in UFO literature. Despite the sisters’ professional standing and detailed report to the local newspaper, the story received minimal attention — no follow-up investigations or additional coverage materialized. Curiously, Sister Xavier later revealed that she had previously dismissed a similar sighting by a student at the University of Kansas where she had been taking courses, considering it merely imagination. This creates an intriguing parallel: the skeptic becoming the witness, subsequently experiencing the same dismissal she had once expressed.
Medieval Monks Document UFO
The Clarke sisters’ experience was not isolated. Historical records reveal numerous accounts from religious observers across different faiths and centuries. In January 1254, a monk at St. Albans Abbey in England recorded seeing “a large ship elegantly shaped and of marvelous color” floating above the abbey under an eight-day-old moon. This account carries particular weight considering medieval monks functioned as the scientific observers of their time — literate, educated individuals tasked with astronomical observation and record-keeping.
Similarly, in 1884, respected Chan Buddhist monk Shu Yun documented in his autobiography “Empty Cloud” an encounter with a large ball of light that split into ten smaller orbs that moved with apparent intelligence at Daolu Peak in China. He referred to these phenomena as “wisdom lamps,” demonstrating how religious observers often interpret these sightings through their specific cultural and spiritual frameworks.
The Miracle of the Sun
Perhaps the most famous religious UFO incident occurred on October 13, 1917, in Fatima, Portugal, where an estimated 50,000–70,000 people gathered to witness what became known as the “miracle of the sun.” Witnesses, including both religious pilgrims and skeptical observers, reported seeing the sun transform into a silver disk emitting multicolored lights while moving in zigzag patterns across the sky. Father Inácio Lourenço allegedly observed the same phenomenon from twelve miles away, corroborating the event’s scope. Remarkably, witnesses reported that their rain-soaked clothes and the muddy ground dried instantly after the event. The Catholic Church officially declared this event “worthy of belief” in 1930, categorizing it as a religious miracle rather than exploring alternative explanations.
The Beings Waved Back
In more recent history, Father William Booth Gill’s 1959 encounter in Papua New Guinea stands as one of the most compelling religious UFO cases. Father Gill, an Anglican minister and Brisbane University graduate, along with 37 other witnesses, observed a disc-shaped object with human-like figures visible on its deck. In an extraordinary moment of interaction, Father Gill waved at these entities, who reportedly waved back. This interaction continued for two consecutive evenings and was meticulously documented in an eleven-page report signed by over 25 witnesses. When investigated fifteen years later by renowned UFO researcher Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Father Gill was deemed highly credible. His sighting coincided with a larger wave of similar reports across the Pacific region that summer, including comparable observations by a Pan Am Airways crew northeast of Hawaii.
UFO Caught on Camera in China
The tradition of religious UFO sightings continues into the modern era. In 2015, CCTV cameras at the Baita Temple in Huainan City, Anhui Province, China captured footage of a shape-shifting object during a rainstorm. The object, which triggered the building’s burglar alarm around 11 PM, was discovered during a routine security review by Abbot Shi Jing Kong and fellow monks. According to their reports, the object transformed between multiple forms — appearing variously as a flying saucer, an apple, and even a sitting Buddha — before entering the temple hall for approximately ten seconds and then departing. This modern documentation provides technological verification for phenomena previously limited to eyewitness testimony.
An intriguing pattern emerges across these accounts spanning different religions, cultures, and time periods: many sightings, including the Clarke sisters’ encounter and the 2015 Buddhist temple incident, occurred after thunderstorms. This has led to speculation that atmospheric electrical conditions might facilitate the manifestation or visibility of these phenomena.
These accounts from religious observers offer a unique perspective on UFO phenomena. While secular society might interpret these experiences through a technological or extraterrestrial framework, religious witnesses must reconcile their observations with their spiritual beliefs. The resulting tension creates fascinating questions: Why do religious figures report these phenomena? How do they integrate these experiences with their faith? And why have religious institutions historically been reluctant to pursue these accounts beyond initial documentation? The answers remain elusive, but the consistency and credibility of religious observers throughout history suggest these questions deserve serious consideration rather than dismissal.
Whether interpreted as divine manifestations, extraterrestrial visitors, or natural phenomena not yet understood by science, these accounts remind us that the unexplained crosses all boundaries — cultural, temporal, and spiritual.
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