 |
| Garabandal, Spain |
San
Sebastian de Garabandal, Spain – June 1961
Like Fatima, there was an angel to
prepare the way. Over a two-week period beginning on June 18, the four
visionaries – Conchita Gonzalez (12), Mari Cruz Gonzalez (11) Jacinta Gonzalez
(12), and Mari Loli Mazon (12) – had been blessed with visions of the youthful
celestial figure with his long, blue tunic and flame colored wings. In their
childish mentality, they didn't realize anything more into these visits of the
angel than what was actually happening. It was enough for them just to
contemplate his beauty, although on June 24 they noticed a sign beneath his
feet that they didn't understand. They asked him what it meant but he kept
silent as he had done from the beginning.
Then on July 1, the angel finally spoke
and announced that on the following day the Blessed Virgin Mary would appear to
them under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The girls were overjoyed at
this piece of news and now that the angel was speaking, took advantage of the
occasion to ask him about the sign which was again under his feet. He replied,
"The Virgin will explain it to you."
At about 6:00 PM, a sizable crowd awaited
the girls' arrival at the cuadro, a barricade of small, trimmed saplings that
had been set up in the lane to protect the girls from the crush of the crowd.
As the youngsters made their way up, but before they actually got as far as the
cuadro, there was that now characteristic 'thump' as they fell to their knees
on the jagged rocks in the lane. Their heads tilted back, their faces became
transformed and they were in ecstasy, totally oblivious to everything around
them. And what did they see in their heavenly gaze? This is the description
they gave.
In a light brighter than the sun was a
ravishingly beautiful young woman of about eighteen carrying an Infant. On each
side as an angel. One of the angels they recognized as the one who had been
appearing to them, later identified as St. Michael the Archangel, and the other
looked identical, whose name was St. Gabriel.
The Lady
wore a long flowing white robe embossed with a white flower design, and a blue
mantle the color of which Conchita said was so beautiful that she couldn't
describe it. Over the Woman's right wrist hung a large brown scapular with a
white cross on one side and a picture of a mountain on the other. Above her
head was a diadem of 12 gold stars. The Infant wore a light blue tunic that
covered His feet and a gold diadem that was plain.
The Lady had an oval-shaped face, a
rather long delicate nose, very lovely mouth with lips a bit full, and brown
eyes tending toward large. Her complexion was tan but as Conchita said, was not
like any other she had ever seen in Spain. Her long, wavy hair was
chestnut-colored and parted in the center. The girls said that just to look at
her face filled them with joy.
There are three great prophesied events
coming from the Garabandal events – the Warning, the great Miracle and the
conditional Chastisement which will come if the world does not change after the
Warning and Miracle.
Conchita Gonzalez— January 1, 2,1965:
"The Blessed Virgin told me that the warning would be given to the entire world before the miracle in order that the world might amend itself. It will come directly from God and be visible throughout the entire world. No one can escape it. We will feel it bodily and interiorly.
"The warning is like a chastisement, a terrifying thing for the good as well as for the wicked. It will be like a revelation of our sins. We shall see the consequences of the sins we have committed. God will send the warning to purify us so that we may better appreciate the miracle by which He clearly proves His love for us and hence His desire that we fulfill the message. The warning will draw the good closer to God and it will warn the wicked that the end of time is coming. It will be like fire. It will not burn our flesh but we will feel it bodily and interiorly.”
"The warning will be seen and experienced equally by believers and non-believers and people of any religion whatsoever. Each person on earth will have an interior experience of how they stand in the light of God's Justice. It is like a purification for the miracle. And it is like a catastrophe. It will make us think of the dead, that is, we would prefer to be dead than to experience the warning. The warning will be recognized and accepted by the world.
"Jesus will send the warning to purify us so that we may better appreciate the miracle by which he clearly proves his love for us and hence his desire that we see the consequences of the sins we have committed. I think that those who do not despair will experience great good from it for their sanctification.
"The warning is something supernatural and will not be explained by science. It will be seen and experienced by all men all over the world and will be a direct work of God. It will be very awesome. However, if men die from it, it will be only from the emotional shock of seeing it. It will be a correction of the conscience of the world. Those who do not know Christ (non-Christians) will believe it is a warning from God."
Jacinta Gonzalez — January 2, 1965:
"The Warning is something that is first seen in the air everywhere in the world and immediately is transmitted into the interior of our souls. It will last for a very little time, but it will seem a very long time because of its effect within us. It will be for the good of our souls in order to see in ourselves our conscience; the good that we have failed to do, and the bad that we have done. Then we will feel a great love towards our Heavenly Parents and ask forgiveness for all our offenses. The Warning is for us to draw closer to Him and to increase our faith. Therefore, one should prepare for that day, but not await it with fear. God does not send things for the sake of fear but rather with justice and love. He does it for the good of all His children so they might enjoy eternal happiness and not be lost."
Mari-Loli Mazon — January 2, 1965:
"We will see it and feel it within ourselves and it will be most clear that it comes form God."
Conchita Gonzalez— January 1, 2,1965:
"The Blessed Virgin told me that the warning would be given to the entire world before the miracle in order that the world might amend itself. It will come directly from God and be visible throughout the entire world. No one can escape it. We will feel it bodily and interiorly.
"The warning is like a chastisement, a terrifying thing for the good as well as for the wicked. It will be like a revelation of our sins. We shall see the consequences of the sins we have committed. God will send the warning to purify us so that we may better appreciate the miracle by which He clearly proves His love for us and hence His desire that we fulfill the message. The warning will draw the good closer to God and it will warn the wicked that the end of time is coming. It will be like fire. It will not burn our flesh but we will feel it bodily and interiorly.”
"The warning will be seen and experienced equally by believers and non-believers and people of any religion whatsoever. Each person on earth will have an interior experience of how they stand in the light of God's Justice. It is like a purification for the miracle. And it is like a catastrophe. It will make us think of the dead, that is, we would prefer to be dead than to experience the warning. The warning will be recognized and accepted by the world.
"Jesus will send the warning to purify us so that we may better appreciate the miracle by which he clearly proves his love for us and hence his desire that we see the consequences of the sins we have committed. I think that those who do not despair will experience great good from it for their sanctification.
"The warning is something supernatural and will not be explained by science. It will be seen and experienced by all men all over the world and will be a direct work of God. It will be very awesome. However, if men die from it, it will be only from the emotional shock of seeing it. It will be a correction of the conscience of the world. Those who do not know Christ (non-Christians) will believe it is a warning from God."
Jacinta Gonzalez — January 2, 1965:
"The Warning is something that is first seen in the air everywhere in the world and immediately is transmitted into the interior of our souls. It will last for a very little time, but it will seem a very long time because of its effect within us. It will be for the good of our souls in order to see in ourselves our conscience; the good that we have failed to do, and the bad that we have done. Then we will feel a great love towards our Heavenly Parents and ask forgiveness for all our offenses. The Warning is for us to draw closer to Him and to increase our faith. Therefore, one should prepare for that day, but not await it with fear. God does not send things for the sake of fear but rather with justice and love. He does it for the good of all His children so they might enjoy eternal happiness and not be lost."
Mari-Loli Mazon — January 2, 1965:
"We will see it and feel it within ourselves and it will be most clear that it comes form God."