The Odd Thing About the Events at Garabandal...

Ezkioga

Striking similarities with Ezkioga

Those devoted to Our Lady of Garabandal, while awaiting the Warning, the Miracle, and then the Chastisement, maybe aren't as well acquainted with the apparitions at Ezkioga thirty years earlier.  I've written about it in the past, but I'd like to share something I came across on the apparent link between the two events.  I find it interesting that the events in Garabandal occurred a mere 30 years after the events of Ezkioga - with very similar messages. 

The alleged series of apparitions in 1931 took place not far from San Sebastian, the city in Northern Spain near Garabandal. The visionary was Ramona Olazábal and her visions began on the feast of Mt. Carmel, July 16, 1931 at Ezkioga, Spain. (The BVM was identified at Garabandal as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.)  The visions became popular and attracted crowds, but it was said they became corrupted by anti-clericalist Freemasons and were subsequently politicized. The apparitions were 

later condemned.  

Ezkioga

I found the following account after Googling Garabandal and Ezkioga.

As I was reading about this apparition, a curious fact grabbed my attention:

"Soon phenomena spread to such an extent that there were at least 250 official seers and many more who had lesser experiences in dozens of villages, especially in the town of Ezkioga, where visionaries saw Mary as the Sorrowful Mother, took down her messages, fell into strange rigid trances, or, eyes bulging and rolled back, held up religious items to be blessed.

The visions spread from Ezkioga east, west, and south as far as Orgiva.

Most striking were the prophecies: the apparitions at Ezkioga predicted chastising calamities for mankind, including a world war and three days in which the earth would be plunged into a horrendous darkness. There would also be a "great miracle" that would be seen at Ezkioga but noted in the entire world.

Some said the "great miracle" would be the Virgin appearing with three angels with a half moon at her feet and an extraordinary light that would cover the local mountain. Walls would materialize and from all four sides the Virgin would be seen. Saint Michael would appear on a white horse. "The miracle will begin at a quarter to five in the afternoon and will end at eleven at night," said one account. "The walls will remain as a sign for what has to be done in this place."

One seer said she knew the date of a chastisement and would be allowed to tell people eight days in advance. "Between the chastisement and the miracle there will be little time," she said. "The Virgin has told me which day the chastisement will be and which day the miracle, and I have declared it in writing to my confessor in sealed letters that he keeps, and on the envelope is indicated the day he may open them....

The visions spread from Ezkioga east, west, and south as far as Orgiva. 

Most striking were the prophecies: the apparitions at Ezkioga predicted chastising calamities for mankind, including a world war and three days in which the earth would be plunged into a horrendous darkness. There would also be a "great miracle" that would be seen at Ezkioga but noted in the entire world. 

Some said the "great miracle" would be the Virgin appearing with three angels with a half moon at her feet and an extraordinary light that would cover the local mountain. Walls would materialize and from all four sides the Virgin would be seen. Saint Michael would appear on a white horse. "The miracle will begin at a quarter to five in the afternoon and will end at eleven at night," said one account. "The walls will remain as a sign for what has to be done in this place." 

One seer said she knew the date of a chastisement and would be allowed to tell people eight days in advance. "Between the chastisement and the miracle there will be little time," she said. "The Virgin has told me which day the chastisement will be and which day the miracle, and I have declared it in writing to my confessor in sealed letters that he keeps, and on the envelope is indicated the day he may open them.... http://www.spiritdaily.net/ezkioga.htm

Eight days in advance? Now that is exactly what the seer at Garabandal has said. The fact that these two apparitions are linked geographically and also by this curious fact should be cause for concern for those who automatically assume that Garabandal is genuine. The fact is that the prediction of a great supernatural event which would be announced 8 days in advance was made FIRST at Ezkioga in the 1930s. It turns out that Ezkioga would end up being condemned. In fact, the history of Ezkioga is downright disturbing:

"In 1933 the local bishop, Mugica of Vitoria, condemned the apparitions, banned books about them, and even threatened excommunication if seers disobeyed. In 1934 the Vatican backed him up with a declaration of its own. Church authorities concluded that the apparitions -- or at least a good number of them -- were without merit or even demonic.

It was a region that had seen outbreaks of witchcraft in the 17th century, when wizards were intensely active, casting spells, causing infertility, and denying God and the Virgin Mary, whom the spirits mimicked. The center for witches was in the mountain range of Amboto, where it was said that a deity known as "la Dama" (the lady), patron of witches, lived in caves. The devil was also said to appear as both a black male goat and a man. - Richard, Marian Apparitions

Ezkioga

 This leads me to doubt the authenticity of the alleged apparitions at both Garabandal and Medjugorje.  I wonder why people give so much credence to these things, which can be so easily corrupted by literal interpretation and speculation, as well as the evil spirit and men with an agenda to discredit the Church.

Garabandal

I visited there on my way to Santiago.

Crackpots online promoting Bayside.

Claiming the Blessed Virgin warned us.

How did I miss this? Crackpots online are associating the Synod with dire prophesies issued in the so-called Bayside apparitions - which are absolutely false, BTW.  No matter how promoters try to convince readers they have yet to be approved.  They are preposterous.

I came across the following from David Martin on Eponymous Flower blog:

"While the Marian apparitions of *Bayside still await formal ecclesiastical sanction, it behooves Christian patriots to reflect on the Bayside message since it prophesied everything we see happening in the Church at this time."

Martin appears to be a promoter of Bayside.

Bayside was condemned by the local ordinary at the time:

"The Bayside apparition (“Our Lady of the Roses”) is totally and completely false. A Catholic should ignore it and have nothing to do with it or its literature. The supposed seer, the late Veronica Leuken, issued bizarre revelations and false prophesies that have not come to pass, such as the claim that “the Warning spoken of through the ages will occur in the year 1997.” This Warning—not to be confused with the Three Days of Darkness or the Chastisement that some speak of—”is the worldwide cataclysm predicted by little Jacinta Marto, the youngest of the three child-seers at Fatima.”

She also said Mary told her that test-tube babies do not have souls, a philosophically and theologically impossible proposition, since all living human beings have souls.

Furthermore, the late bishop of the diocese in which Veronica Leuken resided (Bishop John Mugavero) had repeatedly condemned the apparition as a fake. The condemnation remains in force. The full text of Mugavero’s 1986 declaration concerning the “Bayside Movement” can be found at www.ewtn.com." - Catholic Answers

I can't believe people would follow some crackpot, private revelation and use the 'messages' to reject the Pope. Bayside is a cult. Jacinta Marto didn't predict a worldwide cataclysm - Veronica claimed she did - but these fake messages are not part of the actual Fatima message. Bayside is absolutely ridiculous. What follows is an excerpt from the wacky messages concerning Jacinta:

"Jacinta of Fatima...
Veronica — Oh! Now by Our Lady there’s a great...oh, there’s a great light. And there...oh, oh, it’s Jacinta! I know her... now, and she’s pointing over to the trees. And she’s holding up one finger. She says:
Jacinta — "All has come true as I gave to you from Our Lady of the Roses, but Our Father still plans to bring you back. Everyone has so much in many things upon your earth, but yet they all look so unhappy. They are rich, and yet they are so poor.
"I have come to tell you of the poor Holy Father. I cried much for him. We love him, but man will destroy him now.
"Many little children are being destroyed on your earth. Our Father sends the angels to you, but you send them back to Us. It is only because Satan does not want a large army upon earth of Our Father’s children. Those that will be left will bring much grief and misery to the world, for they will be taken by Satan and used.
"I gave you the picture. I wrote on your picture. I did not know how to write much on earth, but I wrote. Our Father showed me how to write. Won’t you give everyone my picture? I want them to remember what I tried to tell them."
Veronica — Our Lady has now come over to Jacinta, and She’s placed Her arm about her. And there’s a little boy standing next to Jacinta. I know he’s Francisco. He has his hat off now. He’s standing with his hat, like a long cap, in his hand. And he’s smiling. (2-1-73)"

The 20th century is filled with stories of apparitions and private revelations, most are unapproved, many condemned, and those which are approved are usually simply designated as 'worthy of belief'.  Fatima is the exception, it's message archived by the Holy See, the official interpretation communicated there.

Several unknown, yet at the time popular sites of alleged apparitions, occurred after the Fatima events.  I like to remind readers of an alleged series of apparitions in 1931 which took place not far from San Sebastian, a city in Northern Spain near Garabandal. The visionary was Ramona Olazábal and her visions began on the feast of Mt. Carmel, July 16, 1931 at Ezkioga, Spain. The visions became popular and attracted crowds, but it was said they became corrupted by opportunistic Freemasons and were subsequently politicized. The apparitions were later condemned. You can read about them here.

The popular support of Ezkioga was also linked to anti-clerical factions, used in an effort to discredit the bishops. Not unlike today when we see the bishops and even the pope opposed in response to restrictions imposed upon claims of apparitions or private revelations.  Although now, we see Bayside and Garabandal used to discredit the Pope and recent Synods.  Catholics beware.