WhatHappensinanApparition?
"Inthepast,Ihadalwaysstudiedapparitionsasanhistorian.Now,forthefirsttime,Ihavefoundmyselfinthemidstofone.Thereis
nosubstituteforthatexperienceandnowIunderstandmanyofthethingsthatescapedmeitthepast."(IsTheVirginMaryAppearing
atMedjugorje,backcover)
“Dearchildren!Onthismessage,whichIgiveyoutoday
throughmyservant,Idesireforyoutoreflectalongtime.
Mychildren,greatistheloveofGod.Donotcloseyour
eyes,donotcloseyourearswhileIrepeattoyou:Greatis
Hislove!HearmycallandmysupplicationwhichIdirect
toyou.Consecrateyourheartandmakeinitthehomeof
theLord.MayHedwellinitforever.Myeyesandmyheart
willbehere,evenwhenIwillnolongerappear.Actin
everythingasIaskyouandleadyoutotheLord.Donot
rejectfromyourselfthenameofGod,thatyoumaynotbe
rejected.Acceptmymessagesthatyoumaybeaccepted.
Decide,mychildren,itisthetimeofdecision.Beofjustand
innocentheart,thatImayleadyoutoYourFather,for
this,thatIamhere,isHisgreatlove.Thankyouforbeing
here.”
Theapparitionlastedsixminutes.Afterwards,Mirjanawrotethefollowing:“We
prayedtwoOurFather’sandtwoGloryBe’sforthosepresentandforthosewho
havenotyetcometoknowtheloveofGod.Wealsospokeofotherthings,butI
cannotspeakofthem.Therewasnotalkofthesecrets.OurLadyblessedallthose
presentandallreligiousarticles.Atthebeginningoftheapparition,OurLadywas
joyfulandgentle.Afterthat,Shewassadforawhileandintheendwasagain
joyful.I,Mirjana,whosawandfeltOurLady’slove,callyoutotrulyreflectonand
tolivethismessage!”
WhenIbegantospeakofMirjana’sannualbirthdayapparitionthatshehadhad
fivedaysearlier,sheshowedsurpriseandinterestinmyobservations.Ihadseveral
questionsIwantedtoaskMirjanaconcerningherapparitiononMarch18th.
Halfwaythroughtheapparition,IsawMirjanabendherheaddown,foronlya
second,andthenliftitbackuptolookatOurLadyagain.Ihadneverseenthis
happeninanyapparitionbefore.IwonderedifMirjanahadbeenchastisedbyOur
Ladyfordoingsomethingwrong.WhenIaskedheraboutthis,shesaidno,it
wasn’tareprimand.ShebentherheaddowntoreceiveOurLady’sblessing.Thisis
normalforhertodothis.
Somethinghadpuzzledmeaboutthisapparitionatthatparticularperiodofthe
apparition.Ithadbeensoshortforanannualapparition.OurLadyusuallystays
longerontheseoccasions.Ihadasensethatmaybetheapparitionwaslongerthan
whatIsaw.ThiswouldbeauniqueexperiencebecauseIhadneverheardMarija
expressthis,noranyoftheothervisionaries.Atthemosttheyhaveexpressedthat
theysimplylosetrackoftime.
ButthefactthatMirjanasaidshewasreceivingOurLady’sblessingduringthetime
thatshebentherheadgavecredencetothistheorybecauseOurLadydoesn’tbless
thatquickly.Infact,justlastweekendwhenIhadbeenwithMarijaandher
husband,Paolo,IaskedMarijahowOurLadyblesses.MarijasaidthatShemakes
theSignoftheCrossslowly,sayingthewords:“InthenameoftheFather…andof
theSon…andoftheHolySpirit..Amen.”Withthesethoughtsinmind,Ithensaidto
Mirjana,“Theapparitionwasonlysixminutes,butforyou,howlongwasthe
apparition?”Sheexclaimed,“OH—hours!ThisiswhyIcouldn’ttalkaboutwhat
happenedduringthemiddleoftheapparition,becausetherewereotherthingsOur
Ladysaid.WhatIsaidhappened,happened,butthereweremanyotherthingsOur
Ladyspokeabout.”
IrespondedbysayingthatIsawMirjanaspeakbackandforthwithOurLadybut
thattheconversationdidn’tlastthatlong,onlyamatterofminutes.Mirjana
answeredbackthatshehadalengthydiscussionwithOurLadyconcerningcertain
mattersthatshecannotreveal.
IthenaskedMirjanawhenshecameoutecstasy,didshefeelthatthisapparition
wasalotlonger?Wassheconcernedduringtheapparitionthatitwaslastingso
long,andthatthepeoplewouldbegrowingtired?Evidently,thiswassomething
extraordinarytoherbecausesheexclaimed,“Yes!”Herfirstthoughtafterthe
apparitionhadendedwas,“Ohmy,I’vebeenonmykneesallthistime.Howdid
thesepoorpeoplekneelthislong.Itwentonforhours.”Shesaidshefeltitwaslike
whatsheexperiencesonthesecondofthemonthbecauseshekneelsdownforalong
time,soshewasreallythinkingaboutthesepeople.Sheturnedtoherhusband,
Marco,andaskedhimhowlongwastheapparition,andhesaid,“Sixminutes.”
Mirjanawasshockedandsaid,“Sixminutes?”So,forher,thiswasabig
revelation.Itwasreallyexcitingtohearthat.ThefactthatMirjanalookeddownfor
onlyasecondtoreceiveOurLady’sblessingwasthekey.OurLadydoesn’tblessin
thismanner(veryquickly),whichShewouldhavehadtohavedoneintheamount
oftimeIsawMirjana’sheadgodownandbackupagain.Itwasasthoughthere
hadbeentwobodiesthere.
Ithenbroughtupanotherquestion.ItoldMirjanathatwhenIhavewitnessedmy
wifegivebirthtoourchildren,shehasthenormaltremendousurgeinhertopush
andIhaveseenshecouldnotresistthisurgetopush.Wehadfivechildrenatthe
timeandeverytime,it’swithallhermight,allherforce,shewantstopush.There
werechildbirthclassesthatweattendedtolearnhownottopushuntilthedoctor
saysto.Butit’smorethanshecanbare,shejusthastodoit.
IaskedMirjanatotellmeifIwaswrong,butIsawthisinherfacetheotherday.I
notedtoMirjanathatOurLadycame10minutesearlierthanwhatShehad
announced.Isawhergetupfromherchairandthatshehadthissamelookof
feeling—asthoughshewasgivingbirth.Isaiditwasunmistakabletomeand
Mirjanainterruptedmeandimmediatelybegantospeak,explainingthatFr.Slavko
hadcomeuptoherandsaidhewantedhertosayanotherdecadeoftheRosary
andaskedifshecouldsayit.Shesaidshereallydidn’tknow,andsohecontinued
recitingtheprayershimself.ThensuddenlyMirjanareachedouttotugFr.Slavko’s
robe,saying“Ihavetopraynow!”Mirjanatoldmethatthisexampleofchildbirth
isexactlywhatitfeltlike.Everythinginherwholeemotionwascomingout,likeshe
wasgivingbirth.Andsothiswasarealjoy,thisdiscovery.ButthiswaswhatIhad
seenonherface,thisiswhatimmediatelyhadcometomyheart.Whywouldthat
evenbethoughtof?AndyetIsawit,theexactsamething,nottoanylessdegree
thanmywife’sfaceatthemomentofgivingbirth.Itwasthere.Anditwassomething
shecouldn’tresist,somethingshecouldn’tholdback.IrelayedtoMirjanathatthe
wholeexpressiononherfaceturnedserious;allthejoyleftherbecauseitwaslike
shecouldn’tholdthisanymore,thistremendousurgethatOurLadywasaboutto
appear.Itoldhershehadalookonherfaceofavery‘uncontrollableurge’which
immediatelyturnedintoarelievedjoywhenOurLadyappeared,justasifabirth
hadtakenplace.ThiswasarealbigthinginthewayMirjanareactedbecauseit
showedwhileMirjanawasanticipatingthattherewere10moreminutesbeforeOur
Ladywouldcome,something,atremendousurgecameoverhertoprayandtopray
now.OurLadywasabouttoappear.Thisprecededthethreeflashesoflightthat
normallycomesbeforeeveryapparition.IhadaskedhertotellmeifIwaswrong,
butinstead,sheconfirmeditcompletely.
Accordingtothetestsconductedonthevisionaries,thereisverylittleeyemovement
recordedduringecstasy.Rather,theireyesareintenselytransfixedonthelocationof
theapparition,andnothingdistractsthemfromwhattheyseebeforetheireyes.
However,ononeoccasiontherewasanapparitioninwhichtherewasachange
fromthisnormalpatternofbehavior.MarijawaspresentatCaritasfortheAugust
1-5,2005publicapparitionsforalargegatheringofpeoplefromacrossthe
countrytopubliclycelebrateOurLady’sbirthday.Thedaybeforetheeventwasto
begin,theCaritasCommunitywasgatheredinthelivingroomofmyhomeforthe
apparition.AlsopresentwasMarija’shusband,Paolo,andtheirfouryoungsons.
OneofmysonswaskneelingrightnexttoMarijaandthroughouttheapparition,he
noticedMarija’seyesweredartingbackandforth,veryunusualforMarija,whose
normalecstatic,contemplativestarewhilesheispeeringintothefaceofOurLadyis
socommonlyknown.Itpuzzledhimwhenhesawthisinhereyes.
Itbecameevidenttoeveryoneintheapparitionthatsomethingdifferentwas
happeningthanwhatisnormalforMarija’sapparitions.Halfwaythroughthe
apparition,Marijabegantoprayoutloudwhilestillinecstasy,whichhasn’t
happenedinmanyyearswithMarija,thoughitiscommonwithIvanwhenheison
ApparitionHillforprayergroupmeetingsinMedjugorje.EveryoneheardMarija
prayanOurFatherandaGloryBewithOurLadyintheapparition.Wewereall
shockedwhenthishappened,includingMarija’shusbandandchildrenwhoalso
noticedthishighlyunusualdeparturefromwhatisnormalinherapparitions.
Marija’ssons,infact,hadneverheardMarija’svoicewhileinecstasy.Paolowas
verysurprisedandeventranslatedintoItalianfromMarija’sexplanationinEnglish
tohisboyswhattheirmotherwassaying.ThenhequestionedMarijainItalianand
explainedmoretohissons.Thesecondfactorwasthattheapparitionlastedan
unusuallylongtime—almostsixminutes.
Attheendoftheapparition,Marijawasexcited.Shehadjusthadasimilar
experienceastowhatwasdescribedinMirjana’sappartionofMarch18,1996.To
Marija,theapparitionhadbeenaverylongtime.ShesaidthatOurLadyprayed
overeveryonepresent,whatseemedlikeatleastfiveminutesapiece.Butwhatwas
reallyunique,evenforMarija,wasthatOurLadywasstretchingoverMarijato
reachthedifferentcommunitymemberstoprayoverthemindividuallywithHer
hands.MarijasaidshefeltlikeshewasafenceorabarriertoOurLadywhose
bodywasactuallyleaningrightnearMarija’sface,asHerarmsreachedpastHer.
MarijafeltshewasinthewayofOurLady,orratherthatOurLadywastooclose,
thatMarijaneededtomoveback.Marijasaiditwassomethinglikethefirstdays,
whenOurLadysaidpeoplecouldcomeuptoapproachHer.Thishadnever
happenedtoherinanapparition,anditwassomethingthatbroughtherspecial
joy.
WhatmysonwasseeinginwatchingMarija’seyesmovingbackandforth,was
MarijawatchingOurLadyprayingovereachperson,althoughMarijacouldnot
seeeachindiviaulasOurLadyprayedoverthem.Butjustasmentionedinthe
previousstory,thatOurLadyisneverinarushwhenSheisblessing,Marija’seyes
wereinsomethingofatimewarp,movingquicklyinourtime,butinthetimeshe
waswithOurLady,shewasfollowingHermovementsmuchslower.Whatwasalso
difficulttocomprehendwashowOurLadyreachedeachperson,aswewereall
scatteredthroughoutalargeroom.Itwasimpossibleinhumanterms,forOurLady
toreacheveryone,withoutphysicallywalkingtothoseinthemiddleorinthebackof
theroom,andyetMarijasaidthatOurLadyhadplaceHerhandsovereachofour
heads.
Again,thiswassomethingthathadadoctorofsciencebeenpresent,hecouldhave
madetheobservationofseeingMarija’seyesmovingbackandforthasmysonhad.
Hecouldhavenotedthiswashighlyunusualbehaviorofthevisionariesas
comparedtowhattheyhaveobservedoveralltheseyears.Butwithoutfaith,there
canbelittlemeaningattachedtothisuniquemovementofMarija’seyesoutsideof
thefactthatitwasoutsidetherealmofwhathasbecomeknownas“normal”
behaviorinthevisionaries.However,thisobservationofMarija’seyemovementwas
importanttousasitconfirmedMarija’stestimonyoftheactualeventofOurLady
prayingovereachpersonintheapparition.Wedidnotneedtheknowledgeofthis
tobelievewhatMarijahadtoldus,butitgaveusagreaterjoyandactuallyledto
greaterfaithandbeliefintheapparitionsthemselves.
Anotherexampleofthiswasanapparitioninwhichthescientistsperformingthe
testsobservedthatJakovstoppedbreathingfora10fullsecondsduringthe
apparition.Thenotationwasmade,buttheimpactofthatobservationwasn’tfelt
untilJakovrevealedthathewasshownoneofthesecrets,achastisementforthe
MedjugorjeVisionsProvenNotADeception PsychologicalTesting AnInterviewwithDr.HenriJoyeux
First,DiscernforYourself DoNotPersistinYourUnbelief,ButBelieve MedjugorjeisUniqueAmongAllOtherApparitions
WhatHappensinanApparition? AChronologyofTesting—From1981toPresent
TheScientificallyUnexplainableResultsfromTestingtheVisionaries
French-ItalianCommission’s12-PointConclusion-January14,1986 Dr.GiorgioSanguinetti,Italy-April,1985
MichaelW.Petrides,USA-September10,1993 JamesPaulPandarakalam,UK-2001
world,duringtheapparition.Hestoppedbreathinginresponsetotheshockofwhat
hewasseeing.Suddenly,thesimpleobservationofseeingJakovstopbreathinghad
amuchgreaterimpactuponthosewhocombinedthatinformationwiththeirfaith
thatthevisionariesaretrulyseeingOurLady.