Our Lady of Garabandal
San Sebastián de Garabandal, Spain • 1961–1965
Our Lady of Mount Carmel as she appeared at Garabandal
The Apparitions
Between 1961 and 1965, four young girls in the remote mountain village of San Sebastián de Garabandal in northern Spain reported over 2,000 apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady appeared as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, wearing a white dress and blue mantle with a brown scapular, crowned with twelve stars.
The Four Visionaries
Conchita González
12 years old in 1961
Mari Loli Mazón
12 years old in 1961
Jacinta González
12 years old in 1961
Mari Cruz González
11 years old in 1961
Timeline of Events
First Apparition
St. Michael the Archangel appears to the four girls while they were playing near the village.
Our Lady Appears
The Blessed Virgin Mary appears for the first time, identified as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, wearing a white dress, blue mantle, and brown scapular.
First Public Message
Our Lady delivers her first public message calling for sacrifice, penance, and frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament.
Second Public Message
The final message emphasizes the importance of the Eucharist and the Priesthood, warning that 'the cup is brimming over.'
The Messages of Garabandal
Our Lady delivered two public messages calling humanity to conversion
First Message
"We must make many sacrifices, perform much penance, and visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently. But first, we must lead good lives. If we do not, a chastisement will befall us. The cup is already filling up, and if we do not change, a very great chastisement will come upon us."
Second Message
"As my message of October 18th 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."
Central Themes
The Eucharist
Frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament
Conversion
Amendment of life and sincere repentance
The Priesthood
Prayer for priests and religious
The Three Prophecies
Our Lady revealed three future events that await humanity
The Warning
A great illumination of conscience that will be experienced by all people on earth simultaneously, allowing everyone to see the state of their soul as God sees it.
The Miracle
A great supernatural event prophesied to occur at the pines of Garabandal within one year of the Warning. Conchita knows the date and will announce it eight days beforehand.
The Chastisement
A conditional punishment that can be mitigated or avoided through prayer, penance, and conversion of hearts in response to the Warning and Miracle.
Our Mother's Loving Message
The Virgin loves us and desires to present us to the Merciful Father. The warning, the miracle, and the punishment were revealed, but our Mother does not want us to live in fear. On the contrary She desires that we truly live the messages. Praying (especially the Holy Rosary), fasting, wearing the scapular, frequent Eucharist, confession and reflection on the Passion of Christ will obtain the graces from God we need to avoid sin and be converted into true Christians, holy Christians on the path to Eternal Life.
Church Status
The apparitions of Garabandal have not been officially approved by the Catholic Church, though they have not been condemned. The local diocesan investigations concluded with "non constat de supernaturalitate" (the supernatural character is not established). However, the Church permits private devotion, and the messages remain consistent with Catholic teaching on prayer, penance, and the Eucharist.
Prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendor of Heaven,
Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin,
assist me in my necessity.
O Star of the Sea, help me and show me that you are my Mother.
O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth,
I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart
to help me in my necessity.
There are none that can withstand your power.
O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Amen.