3-07f) One More Apparition

Reprinted with kind permission from St. Joseph Publications

from the book She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Book 1)

NOTE: All excerpts from Conchita's Diary will be in extra-bold type

The year 1963 closed at Garabandal with a new visit from the Mother of Heaven. Once again she allowed herself to be seen, but only by Conchita.

It occurred on December 8th, a grand day in Spain, where the feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated so solemnly. And it was a big day for Conchita, since it was her nameday.

Long before the first rays of dawn had broken over the icy mountains, a mysterious restlessness — or perhaps a holy inspiration — awoke the young girl. She rose and called her mother. Soon the two of them went out on the street leading to the church. Silence and darkness had settled over the village; nothing was moving, nothing could be heard. It was 5:30 in the morning.

Before the closed doors of the church, Conchita fell on her knees in ecstasy. The temperature was freezing, not conducive to arousing fervor; but the visionary was transported from her locale. Aniceta alone was there as a witness. She heard her daughter conversing with someone, but it was not possible to understand the dialogue at the time.

Later she learned some of what had happened, when Conchita decided to speak: «The Virgin began by congratulating me on my feastday. And after congratulating me, she said:

Afterward, she told me some things . . . She spoke to me about future happenings . . .

— Can they be known?

— No, she told me not to reveal them.» [L'Etoile dans la Montagne.]

It appears that the Virgin had been making these mysterious communications to Conchita for some time, according to Maximina's letter from the previous November 10th, in which she writes to Eloisa de la Roza:

«Conchita told me about the last locution which she had 10 or 15 days ago — I don't remember exactly what day it was. She told me there was a locution about which she couldn't say anything to anyone, not even in confession. I asked her if it was something good, and she told me that the Virgin never says anything bad.»

And so amid prophecy, hidden secrets, and expectation, 1963, Garabandal's third year slipped away.

Left; Conchita at age three Right photo: on day of First Communion

At time apparitions began