Garabandal
The Story
San Sebastian de Garabandal is a small hamlet of some 80
humble dwellings in the Cantabrian Mountains of northwest Spain.
From June 1, 1961 to November 13, 1965, a Lady appeared to four
young girls of the village. During this four-year period, an
extraordinary number, over 2,000) of apparitions occurred, some
lasting a few hours. The four girls (Conchita Gonzales, Mari
Loli Mazon, Jacinta Gonzalez, and Mari Cruz Gonzalez) were eleven
and twelve years old at the time. While paying on the outskirts
of the village, they heard a sound like thunder. Suddenly, there
stood before them a dazzling angel. He said nothing and quickly
disappeared. Pale and visible shaken, the girls ran to the village
church, and the apparition soon became known. Over the next twelve
days, the angel appeared to them several more times, and on July
1, he spoke for the first time, announcing that on following
day the "Blessed Virgin" would appear to them.
News spread quickly, and numerous visitors joined the villagers
to witness the event. At about six o'clock p.m., the children
were headed for the spot where they had been seeing the angel
when the Blessed Virgin appeared with an angel on each side.
They recognized one of the angels as the one who had been appearing
to them. Above the Virgin was a large eye that the children thought
to be the eye of God. They spoke openly and familiarly with the
Lady and said the rosary in her presence. Over the next year
and a half, she would appear hundreds of times.
The Messages
OCTOBER 18, 1961: "Many sacrifices must be made. Much
penance must be done. We must be very good. If we do not do this,
punishment awaits us. Already the cup is filling, and if we do
not change we shall be punished."
JUNE 18, 1965: "As my message of October 18 has not
been complied with and has not been made known to the world,
I am advising you that this is the last one. Before, the cup
was filling up. Now it is flowing over. Many cardinals, many
bishops and many priests are on the road to perdition and are
taking many souls with them. Less and less importance is being
given to the Eucharist. You should turn the wrath of God away
from yourselves by your efforts. If you ask His forgiveness with
sincere hearts, He will pardon you. You are now receiving the
last warnings. I love you very much and do not want your condemnation.
Pray to us with sincerity and we will grant your requests. You
should make more sacrifices. Think about the passion of Jesus."
The Prophecies
The relatively few messages of Garabandal contain prophesies
of supernatural events that will affect the entire world. In
addition, the visionaries claimed that they were given a series
of frightening warnings about the future. Each of the girls stated
that Mary told them about a series of four extraordinary events
which would reflect God's concern for the state to which humanity
had fallen. These events were reported to be:
A worldwide warning to be experienced by everyone on earth.
Its purpose will be to call humanity to amend its behavior and
return to God.
A great miracle that will occur in the late winter or early
spring within one year after the warning.
Permanent signs that will remain for all time at
a pine grove near Garabandal and other selected locations of
Marian apparitions.
A terrible chastisement during which many will die. Other
prophecies indicate that this chastisement will eliminate up
to two-thirds of humanity. The chastisement depends upon the
response of humanity to the warning and the miracle.
The Warning
Conchita has stated, "The Warning, like the Chastisement,
is a fearful thing for the good as well as the wicked. It will
draw the good closer to God and warn the wicked that the end
of times are coming." In describing the warning, Jacinta
has said, "The Warning is something that is seen in the
air, everywhere in the world and is immediately transmitted into
the interior of our souls. It will last a very little time, but
it will seem a very long time because of its effect within us.
It would be like fire. It will not burn our flesh, but we will
feel it bodily and interiorly." She goes on to describe
astronomical phenomena: "like two stars -- that crash and
make a lot of noise, and a lot of light -- but they don't fall.
It's not going to hurt us but we're going to see it and, in that
moment, we're going to see our consciences." In addition
to these events, Conchita has stated that she was told by the
Blessed Virgin in 1962 that after the death of Pope John XXIII,
"There would be two more popes after Pope Paul VI and that
one of the popes would have a very short reign. After that would
come the end times but not the end of the world." If Conchita
has interpreted this vision of Mary correctly, then Pope John
Paul II is the last of the popes before the end times
begin. Conchita said that she has been given the date of the
Miracle by the Blessed Virgin and will announce the date eight
days before it is to occur. Since the Miracle will occur after
the Warning, it is highly likely that both the Warning and Miracle
will occur within the next thirty years given Conchita's present
age (late forties) if this apparition is valid.
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