This article deals with
The Garabandal Prophecies - also known as
Our Lady of Mount Carmel. When I was around 5 years old, some time around 1980, I remember watching a television program on the Garabandal story. It was most likely either "Ripley's Believe it or Not" or possibly "In Search Of..." (the one with Spock narrating, I think). The black and white images stuck in my mind all through childhood and I've always remembered a few of the facts but knew nothing more than what I'd seen as a small child. A couple years ago I began asking around in different forums and was finally directed to information on Garabandal. As I read up on it, I felt one of those trippy childhood flashbacks you get when the past relives itself. I'd really like to see that original program as well but I'll look for it another time - if ever. So let's talk about Our Lady of Mount Carmel and I'll try to keep it relatively short.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel - The Virgin Mary
Starting in 1961, 4 young girls in Spain began having visions by the Virgin Mary and a couple of Angels - one being the Archangel Michael. The four girls were Conchita Gonzalez, Maria Dolores Mazon, Jacinta Gonzalez and Maria Cruz Gonzalez. The first 3 were 12 years old while Maria Cruz was 11. The visions lasted for about 4 years and happened quite often during the first while. These all took place in the little, inaccessable town of San Sebastian de Garabandal - population 300 or so. During the visions, the girls would go into states of "ecstasy". As Our Lady of Mount Carmel appeared, the girls would drop hard onto their knees although they never suffered from any cuts or bruises from it. Our Lady - as the Virgin Mary was then referred to - would only appear to the girls and nobody else except for one rare occasion in which she let a priest witness a vision of the future miracle (which I'll get to). She told the priest that they would be together soon and he died that night, overjoyed at being given the gift by Our Lady to witness her and her visions.
Flocking to Garabandal
As word spread, thousands of people would be present for the "ecstasies". Videos were taken, pictures were shot, news teams were present and the believers cried and prayed around the girls. People would give the girls certain items which Our Lady of Mount Carmel would bless with her kisses. During the ecstasies doctors examined the girls and found them in a completely trance-like state in which they didn't respond whatsoever to harsh light in their eyes, pin-pricks or even burning. They could run with an unnatural agility and even run backwards without stumbling into anything. They could pick out priests in plain clothes and could read minds at the time. Many of the objects Our Lady kissed would smell like flowers afterwords. On one occasion in which the girls were receiving communion from the apparition, Our Lady of Mount Carmel allowed everyone present (pictures included) to show the white piece of bread appear on Conchita's tongue. This became known as "The Miracle of the Host."
What the Prophecies Spoke Of
They toured people's houses and visited the local Garabandal Church during their ecstasies and were told of different prophetic visions. The apparitions spoke a lot about the future of mankind and, obviously, about good and evil. They warned of certain Catholic Priests who were not always doing the proper things and were bringing mankind down with them. Our Lady of Mount Carmel spoke much about people not believing in her son, Jesus, and on one of the visits she even brought her baby to see the girls.
3 Signs to Come
While there were hundreds of visits, only a few of these dealt with prophecies. There are 3 main things to come. These are The Warning, The Miracle, and the Punishment. Conchita was also told that there would only be 3 remaining Popes and that the last would witness The Miracle. From that time, however, Pope John Paul II would have been the third and he died in 2005. This means either they were wrong or that somehow it's Pope Benedict considered the third. I'm not speculating on this because this is the one thing which people can use to call the whole thing falsified.
The Warning - Coming Soon to a Sky Near You
The first sign to come is The Warning. Conchita says, "The warning comes directly from God and will be visible to the whole world and from any place where anyone may happen to be. It will be like the revelation of our sins and it will be seen and felt by everyone, believer and unbeliever alike irrespective of whatever religion he may belong to. It will be seen and felt in all parts of the world and by every person." The Warning will be unpreventable and will take place in the sky. Apparently we would rather be dead than to see this warning. It won't kill us but will be a "correction of our conscience." The Warning will somehow cause us to reflect on ourselves and see that we must change in order to survive. The Warning will come when the condition of mankind "is at its worst." Mari-Loli was given the date by Our Lady of Mount Carmel - it will happen within a year before The Miracle.
The Miracle - 8 Days Notice
The Miracle will take place in Garabandal and will be a sign much like "The Miracle of the Host." Like the Eucharistic bread appearing on Conchita's tongue, this Miracle will be photographed and video broadcasted across the entire globe. Conchita says, "The sign that will remain will be able to be seen, photographed and televised but it will not be able to be touched. It will appear clearly that it is something not of this world, but of God." She is not allowed to state what The Miracle will be, but she does say, "as the punishment which we deserve for the sins of the world is great, The Miracle must also be a great one, for the world needs it." One of the facts I remember as a kid is that Conchita was given permission by Our Lady to give the date of The Miracle 8 days before it is to happen. This will be plenty of time for the people around the world to congregate in Garabandal to witness The Miracle. This may be our last chance by God to change our ways. If we don't, The Punishment comes.
The Punishment - The Cup is Full
The Punishment will take place after The Miracle if we fail to heed the message. Our Lady of Mount Carmel said to the girls at one point, "The cup is already filling." In the last appearance, she said, "Now it is overflowing." Again, quoting Conchita, "I cannot reveal what kind of punishment it is except that it will be a result of the direct intervention of God, which makes it more terrible and fearful than anything we can imagine. It will be less painful for innocent babies to die a natural death than for those babies to die because of the punishment. All Catholics should go to confession before the punishmnet and the others should repent of their sins. When I saw It (the punishment), I felt a great fear even though at the same time I was seeing Our Blessed Mother. The punishment, if it comes, will come after The Miracle."
Are the Garabandal Prophecies About to Begin?
Now for my thoughts on this. As you may know by now, I am not Christian, yet believe in this Christian message. It almost makes me want to go back to Church when I read about it, seriously. The thing is that if that had happened in any other faith, I believe the religious figure of that faith would have appeared rather than the Virgin Mary. Garabandal is a little Catholic town in Spain and if any other spirit were to have appeared it would have been deemed demonic and would have put fear into the girls' hearts rather than joy at the apparitions. Our Lady of Mount Carmel is actually a spirit who is trying to help the entire world and we must listen to her message no matter what faith we are. Since the girls were all born in 1949 and 1950, that will put them in their early 60's for the current Armageddon date of 2012. It could come earlier or later - I don't know for sure. It does sound like The Warning will come as a big surprise to everyone and then we will have 8 days notice to witness The Miracle. I won't guess at what will come because I don't have a clue what The Garabandal Prophecies really refer to. It could be war or natural disasters and the Miracle itself could be a rainbow for all I know. I hope the story of Our Lady of Mount Carmel does make you think though. It's yet another vision of The End Times which may just take place during our time here on Earth.
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