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The apparitions of

GARABANDAL

BY
F. SANCHEZ-VENTURA Y PASCUAL

Chapter Four

DETAILS OF A FEW TRANCES

Page 63

remarked that it was small. They asked His age. "The Virgin is very pleased because the people obeyed her. She says to say the rosary. She says that if they want they can come and say it here."

   They were back to normal. They started the rosary. When they reached the words "The Lord is with Thee", in the fifth Hail Mary of the third decade, they went into a rapture, their voices trailing off on the last word. It was their fourth vision that day, July 29th. This ecstasy lasted about an hour.

   "Why have you come?"

   "........................"

   "If the people hadn't obeyed, wouldn't you have come?"

   "............................."

   "So that they'll believe?"

   "............................."

They proffered something. They blew a kiss.

   "Isn't it lovely!"

They were still absorbed, unblinking.

   "You're so sweet . . . Tomorrow we'll fast when we come; we won't eat anything at all . . . "

   ".........................."

   "Shall I kiss your scapular?"

This referred to the scapular that often hung from the Virgin's arm, near her wrist.

   "Some Carmelite Padres came today ..."

  ".............................."

   "I'm thinking of the 'Dominicu'."

   The memory of this Dominican Father seems to have been deeply engraved on their minds, perhaps on account of his white habit, which they saw for the first time on his visit.

   "Show us your robe again. It's white with white flowers on it."

   "Isn't it lovely!"

   "Let me have your crown! How huge it is!"

   "A Civil Guard brought a little girl who can't speak or walk. I promised him . . . Cure her!

   "........................."

   "Cure something so everyone can see it."

   This dialogue is quoted verbatim direct from the notes jotted down in the course of the ecstasy by a totally trustworthy witness. The witness adds the following comment: "Inside me, there were evolving the first inklings of a train of thought with regard to the hypotheses that I was forming. At that very moment, I was thinking that this might quite well be a case of self-suggestion or hypnosis, and I was looking round me to see if there was anyone nearby who might be responsible for the children's conduct. I was struck

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