visitation

noun

• 1the appearance of a divine or supernatural being: visitations in the form of a child whimpering the blinding light signified a visitation from God

• 2an official visit of inspection, especially one by a bishop to a church in his diocese.
• a pastoral or charitable visit, especially to the sick or poor: a number of lay women devoted themselves to visitations of the sick
• informal an unwelcome or unduly protracted social visit: boring visitations took up most of the afternoon

• 3 [mass noun] US Law a divorced person’s right to spend time with their children in the custody of a former spouse: the mother was uncooperative with visitation [as modifier]:a visitation schedule

• 4US a gathering with the family of a deceased person before the funeral: the visitation will be held today at the funeral home

• 5a disaster or difficulty regarded as a divine punishment:a visitation of the plague

• 6 (the Visitation) the visit of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth related in Luke 1:39-56.
• the festival commemorating the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, on 31 May (formerly 2 July).