Garabandal is a small village in northern Spain, in the Santander province, near the Picos de Europa mountains, a rugged and beautiful setting. Its full name is San Sebastian of Garabandal. No more than 100 people live in Garabandal, the village is impressively quiet. In the evening of June 18, 1961, four girls were playing on the outskirts of the village – Conchita Gonzalez, Maria Dolores Mazon, Jacinta Gonzalez and Maria Cruz Gonzalez. Maria Cruz was eleven, the others twelve, and all were from poor families. Suddenly they heard a loud noise, like thunder, and saw before them the bright figure of the Archangel Michael. On the following days the Archangel appeared to them again in the same place. He announced that on July 2 they would see Our Lady. The apparitions of Garabandal not yet been approved by the Catholic Church.
October 18, 1961
Many Sacrifices must be made. Much penance must be done. We must pay many visits to the Blessed Sacrament, but first of all 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 19, 1962
The Virgin told us a message for the whole world and it is this: The Virgin has said to us that we are not expecting the Chastisement; Because we are disregarding her first message by the way we live but without expecting punishment, it will come. Because the world has not changed and now, with this message she has said it twice and we do not heed her, because the world is worse and must change much but has not changed at all.
June 23, 1962
The world continues the same…That it has not changed at all. Few will see God. They are so few that it causes The Virgin much sorrow. What a pity that it does not change. The Virgin told us that the Chastisement is coming seeing that the world is not changing. The cup is filling up. How sad the Virgin was although She didn’t let us see it because She loves us so much and She suffers alone. She is so good! Be good everyone so that The Virgin will be happy. She told us that We who are good should pray for those who are bad. Let us pray to God for the world for those who do not know Him. Be good…be very good everyone”
June 18, 1965
Since my message of October 18, 1961 has not been complied with and has not been made much known to the world, I will tell you that this is the last one. Before the chalice was filling now it is overflowing. Many Cardinals, many Bishops, and many Priests are on the path of perdition and they take many souls with them. To the Eucharist, there is given less and less importance. We should avoid the wrath of God on us by our good efforts. If you ask pardon with your sincere soul God will pardon you. It is I, your mother, who through the intercession of St. Michael, wish to say that you amend, that you are already in the last warnings and that I love you much and do not want your condemnation. Ask Us sincerely and we will give to you. You should sacrifice more. Think of the passion of Jesus.
The news spread quickly through the region. July 2 was a Sunday and the town was crowded. There were people from all social levels and very many from out of town, among them several physicians and priests. At six in the evening the girls went to the place where the Angel had appeared, and to the surprise of the crowd they entered into ecstasy. Our Lady appeared to them accompanied by two angels, one being St. Michael. The girls described the vision as follows:
“She is dressed in a white robe with a blue mantle and a crown of golden stars. Her hands are slender. There is a brown scapular on her right arm, except when she carried the Child Jesus in her arms. Her hair, deep nut-brown, is parted in the center. Her face is long, with a fine nose. Her mouth is very pretty with lips a bit thin. She looks like a girl of eighteen. She is rather tall. There is no voice like hers. No woman is just like her, either in the voice or the face or anything else. ” Our Lady Manifested herself as Our Lady of Carmel.”