visitation

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vis·it·a·tion / ˌvizəˈtāshən/ • n. 1. an official or formal visit, in particular: ∎  (in church use) an official visit of inspection, esp. one by a bishop to a church in the bishop's diocese. ∎  the appearance of a divine or supernatural being. ∎  a gathering with the family of a deceased person before the funeral. ∎  Law a divorced person's right to spend time with their children in the custody of a former spouse. 2. a disaster or difficulty regarded as a divine punishment: a visitation of the plague. 3. (the Visitation) the visit of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth related in Luke 1:39–56. ∎  the festival commemorating this on May 31 (formerly July 2).