Devotions to the Holy Face and its special significance for the Lenten Season

Holy Face Shroud of Turin--------Holy Face from Veronica's Veil

The  devotion to the Holy Face is one of the earliest devotions in the Church during which the devotee contemplates the face of Christ in His Passion - A face most glorious from birth, but disfigured in consequence of the sins of men. The two major relics of this devotion as seen above are: the winding Cloth of Our Lord's burial, known as the Shroud of Turin; and the Miraculous Image of Jesus imprinted on the Veil of holy Veronica, who compassionately wiped Our Lord's face, when He was bearing the cross. These relics have been carefully, and miraculously, preserved in the Church for millennia, through to the present day

There is a significant  call in the Providence of God linking Lenten observances with the Holy Face devotions. Studying the historical timeline we are looking also into the  messages of Our Lady at Salette and Fatima to show that the enemies Our Lady warned us against are the same that Our Lord told Sr. Mary Peter of Tours, in the 1840's atheistic communists.

The Tuesday  before Ash Wednesday (fat Tuesday) in past centuries was also called Shrove Tuesday. It was considered to be a day of examination and repentance. It was a time for the faithful to decide on their Lenten penances and to go to confession in order to prepare to make a good Lent 

Last year Shrove Tuesday, fell on February 13th. I was researching the historical timeline then and I mistakenly made a false assumption.  I just realized I needed to correct my error of calling Shrove Tuesday a feast or memorial of the Holy Face. I thought because the Devotions and Novena to the Holy Face  are approved,  that the Church also gave Our Lord what he asked for in the 1840's. I was wrong the church never officially declared Shrove Tuesday a Memorial or Feast of the Holy Face. I apologize for that that error and would have corrected it earlier if it was brought to my attention.

I was surprised because as I looked for information on the Devotions I  discovered a PDF. copy of the 1887 Manuel of the Arch Confraternity of the Holy Face   In it, on page 256, there is a Mass written in honor of the Holy Face in the Tridentine (extraordinary form). 

Until I learn differently,  I am assuming that  the Mass written for the Holy Face in the 1887 Arch-Confraternity Manuel was at one time approved for use by the Arch-Confraternity in Tours. I am making inquiries to see if it still is and if  permissions may be obtained for the Mass to  be said by Confraternites of the Holy Face attached to the arch-confraternity. I am hoping to learn how we may spread Confraternites of the Holy Face in the church.

In the meantime let us be happy that we can participated another year in the Novena in order  to make Reparation. Let us continue to do what we can to spread the Holy Face Devotions to those around us.

In 2018, Shrove Tuesday 
fell on February 13th. The anniversary of the death of Servant of God Sr. Lucia of Fatima.
We should not let this significant timing pass unnoticed. It is not a random coincidence. 

Nothing in the unfolding of Divine Providence 
is random or chance.

Fatima Sanctuary Statue

Golden Star under Rosary

The number 13 was prominent during the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, Our Lady appeared in each of her six apparitions to the three shepherd children on the 13th of each month. Early Fatima scholars recognized it as a sign linking the Fatima Message with the book of Ester. Another visible sign in each of her apparitions was a star embedded in her pure white gown just below her knees. It was under the crucifix which dangled from the Rosary that she held in her hands. This star signified her as a Jewish Princess. Theologians from the early beginnings of the apparitions called it the Star of Esther, in reference to the Old Testament Book of Esther. Here Queen Esther is a type for the Virgin Mary, and personifies, Our Lady especially under her titles of Our Lady of Fatima. 

Sr. Lucia of Fatima

The magnitude of February 13th, or “the 13th of Adar”, could not be fully realized, even by Fatima scholars until the death of Sr. Lucia, the last surviving Fatima seer. In the Book of Esther the Jewish people were to be exterminated on the 13th of the Month of Adar in the Hebrew Calendar. Queen Esther asked her people to pray and fast for her as she approached the king to have the edict rescinded. (See Addendum II at the end of the post for an account of the variations between the Hebrew and Gregorian Calendar.)

Sr. Lucia lived to be 97 years of age and was called to eternal life on February 13, 2005. The timing of Sr. Lucia’s death is the final stamp by God linking the Fatima Messages with the Book of Esther. The date of Sr. Lucia’s death has been before our eyes for some time but few in the Church realize its significance. This is a silent symbolic call from God that shouts for prayer and penance. Individually, our prayers and penances bring the grace and mercy of God. However, we need the whole community of the faithful to pray together to defeat the evil around us. Let us wake up and answer this call and pray it will be also heard and presented in the Church.

Events in Book of Ester link 

The Holy Face Devotions with the 

Messages of Fatima and La Salette 

We are assuming the reader is familiar with the story in the book of Ester. At some point it would be good to read and meditate over the scriptures once more in the light of the Fatima Message.

Sr. Mary Peters of Tours with Golden Arrow

If we read over the historical account of the Holy Face Devotions over the centuries we see that our Lord came first to Sr. Mary Peter of Tours from 1843-1847. Sr. Mary Peters was a discalced Carmelite Nun from Tours and is best known for starting the devotions to the Holy Face ofJesus and for the Golden Arrow Prayer. She also introduced the Little Sachet Sacramental.

Our Lord asked her to promote the Devotion to His Holy Face as a means of Reparation for "Revolutionary men" -- the communists through whom God is allowing the world to be chastised for its unbelief’. The express purpose of this devotion was to make reparation for their idolatry, and blasphemies in the abuse of His Holy Name and the profanation of Sundays, all sins against His Divine Majesty in the first three commandments.

"The earth is steeped in crime! The Holy Name of the Lord is blasphemed; the very day of Sunday itself is profaned: these fill the measure of iniquity. In no age has crime been so malignant. My Name is every where blasphemed; even by the little children!" 

(Words of Our Lord to Sr. Mary Peter of Tours mid 1840’s) 

What will our Lord say about us?

Is this not also included in the Fatima Message?

Our Lady came to Fatima to ask us to help her to prevent Russia from spreading her errors throughout the world, namely atheistic communism. She expressed in various ways the urgent need to make reparation to God for poor sinners who have no one to pray for them. She asked us not to offend God anymore for he is already deeply offended! The Holy Face Devotion and the appearance of Our Lady at La Salette with the prophecies of impending chastisement are reflected with the same urgency today in the Fatima message. Our Lady came to Fatima remind us of our duties towards God who is already deeply offended. Spend some time in prayer meditating on the Message of La Salette and of Our Lord to Sr. Mary Peter of Tours in the light of the Fatima Message.

Examining the various symbols in the apparitions; The Holy Face, La Salette and Fatima, we also see that the prophecies point to the time of the apparitions as well as possibilities for a future fulfillment. Similar to the prophecies contained throughout scripture. The Apparitions of Our Lord or Lady over the course of time no matter how far in the past are always present to God. With God there is no past or future there is only the eternal present. The symbols and gestures as well as the dates and times during these apparitions are not coincidences. There is a measure and a message to proclaim, in the timing of God's manifestations within the historical context, of the moment and again in the unfolding of history. There are mysteries that will be understood only as the Church prays and meditates over the events. With the help of the Holy Spirit we will be able to penetrate the hidden meaning that God shares with those who pray. In prayer and meditation the Church may discover the meaning for the present time and also see the possibilities of a future fulfillment of the prophecies. They are always conditional, dependent on our responses to the call for penance.

Establishment of the Confraternity of the Holy Face as works of Reparation 

Our Lord also revealed to Sr. Mary Peters: "works of reparation” that can be utilized in our time. (Manual of the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face in Tours, 1887 - an Archconfraternity erected in perpetuity by the Holy See by Pope Leo XIII. This richly indulgenced work of reparation emphasizes reparation to Our Lord in his agony and is the Divine tool given by God to defeat Communism, but it is also an instrument given to the individual devotee as a seemingly unfailing method of appealing to God in prayer-----through adoration of His Holy Face and Name.The Statutes of the Archconfraternity, submitted to Pope Leo XIII, declare: "...the veneration of this adorable Face to be the great means of preventing and repairing the impious outrages committed against the Majesty of God, the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and the Authority of the Church." The Archconfraternity had in mind particularly the crimes perpetrated by free-masonry, and later by communism. The Archconfraternity adopts as its motto the invocation to which the Holy Father has attached an indulgence:

"Lord, show us Thy face, and we shall be saved," from Psalm 79.4 

"Deus converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam, et salvi erimus." 

"O God, convert us, and show us Thy face, and we shall be saved."

Please follow the links here and at the end this post for information and copies of the original ArchConfraternity Statutes published in 1887. You may with the help of God’s grace be called to establish a confraternity of the Holy Face in your diocese or parish.  1887 Manuel of the Arch Confraternity of the Holy Face

                                   

Our Lord also dictated to Sr. Mary of St. Peter the following "Golden Arrow" Prayer, which, as He promised, would so touch His most loving Heart as to bring forth from It streams of grace for the conversion of sinners. “This prayer will wound my heart delightfully and will heal the wounds inflicted by blasphemy” 

"May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable,most incomprehensible and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed loved, adored and glorified, in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ  
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen."

Venerable Leo Dupont-Holy Man of Tours 

Many Catholics are unaware of the providential connection between the public devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus (received by Sr. Mary St. Peter of Tours from 1843-1847) and the church approved apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette in 1846. This was recorded by the Holy Man of Tours Leo Dupont, He was the friend and confidant of Sr. Mary Peters. He record her communications with Our Lord and wrote her biography. He was called the "Apostle of the Holy Face", and helped spread the devotion after the death of Sr. Mary Pete,  He was declared Venerable by the Holy See during Pope Pius XII’s Pontificate and currently awaits beatification. There is a link below to read the original book he wrote on the life of Sr. Mary Peter of Tours published in 1884. 

Here are selected parts from Chapter XVI “La Salette from the 480 page scanned copy of the book Ven. Leop Dupont wrote on the: “The Life of Sr. Mary Peter Carmelite of Tours”,1884 Imprimatur.

  Click to download the pdf book

Sr. Mary Peter was overwhelmed at the enormity of the approaching chastisement that was awaiting France, and begged Our Lord and Lady to send another soul outside of the cloister who would be in better position to make the warnings from Heaven to others: 

“All my prayers, all my communions, all my aspirations and all my thoughts were offered for the establishment of this work of reparation so dear to my heart, (The Holy Face devotions). if it were possible, to proclaim it all over France, by making my countrymen know the misfortunes that menaced them, Oh how I suffer in being the only confidant in a matter of such importance, and which I am obliged to keep within the secret walls of the cloister! Oh most Holy Virgin I implore you to come to some pious soul in the world, and make her a partaker of that which was communicated to me in reference to France!"

A little while later, in answer to her prayer, Our Lady appeared to two shepherd on September 19, 1846, at La Salette, a remote mountain village in France. Mélanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, while grazing their cows on the steep mountain slopes of La Salette saw a woman bathed in light. As they approached closer they observed her seated on a rock with her head in her hands weeping bitterly. Our Lady here as well as at Fatima, shows herself as the refuge of sinners. She interposes herself as an afflicted mother between the wrath of God and her guilty children.

“If my people will not submit I shall be forced to let fall the avenging arm of my Son," She told them. “Oh! If you only knew how much I suffer for you” The tears streamed from her eyes and fell on the image of an unusual crucifix resting near her heart with a hammer and pincers affixed to it. During the course of the long apparition our Lady spoke and walked with them. She gave them a public message and each child also received a private secret message that was to be revealed at a later time. The crucifix our Lady wore seemed to be alive, at times the image of our Lord was in agony, and at other times, he appeared motionless and dead.

When word of the apparition of Our Lady at La Salette finally reached Sr. Mary Peter she wrote again in thanksgiving: “I render thee thanks Divine Mother for having given me these two little shepherds as sounding trumpets, to cause the mountains to re-echo in the ears of France, that which was made known to me in solitude. The voices of my two little associates were soon heard over all the earth, and their announcements produced a great impression on mankind.”

Reflecting on Our Lady of La Sallete who was seated upon a rock weeping: May we say Our Lady was weeping over the church and her errant children whose sins are bringing upon themselves and the world God’s chastisement? When she finished giving Her message to them she departed Her final sorrowful glance as She left was east toward the direction of Rome. Through simple shepherd children in the apparitions of La Salette and Fatima, the Blessed Virgin rebukes the people for their impiety, manifested in their contempt for the commandments of God. May we also say that she not only wept over the sins of that time, but she also wept and continues to weep over the sins that we are committing today as well?

Rev. Michael Gasnier, O.P., in his study of "The Roses of the Apparition of La Salette", said: "Certain details even though they remain subordinate to the essential value of an apparition, have nevertheless, a proper signification. This signification has a bearing on the end of Mary's message, completing and interpreting it, and which, in consequence, should be considered separately. These particulars, when considered in their entire value, possess many a touching lesson. Not only do they give a greater comprehension of the inexhaustible mystery of the Apparition but they also permit one to advance more and more into the intentions and desires, and I would almost say, into the maternal psychology of Our Blessed Mother."

Meditating in the line of Providence once more, let us consider the La Salette crucifix in order to find its true significance outside of the obvious indication for the time of the Passion of Our Lord and Lent. Melanie said that: "The Lady had a very small chain to which was attached a crucifix: at the right, of the corpus were pincers and on the left, a hammer"

The hammer and pincers placed on either side of the cross, on which Jesus hanged crucified, have relations to the great mystery of the Crucifixion. Recall that Our Lord said that on His right would stand the blessed on the last day and on His left those destined for hell. It was the hammer that was used by the executioners charged with the task of crucifying Jesus. However, indirectly, it was moved also by all of us sinners of the earth. The hammer, therefore, was the instrument of God's enemies and of his enemies alone. 

Love destroyed the work of hate represented by the pincers which Joseph of Arimathea used to detach Jesus from the cross. Love will destroy the work accomplished by the hammer; and it was used only by the friends of Jesus.

Through our prayers and works of reparation we participate in the love that Joseph of Arimathea showed Our Lord when he took him off the cross. We also participate in the consolation that Veronica gave Our Lord when she wiped his bloody sweat from his face on his way to Calvary. 

The Holy Face Devotion forgotten 
During World War I 

Bl. Maria Pierina de Micheli 

Unfortunately, the Holy Face devotion was lost around World War I. Likely because of the sufferings of the time and lack of modern communication. Sometime just before the start of WWII from 1935-1945 our Lord came again to Blessed Maria Pierina de Micheli, a holy nun from the Congregation of The Daughters of the Immaculate Conception. 

Our Lord chose her to give his second plea to the world for devotion to his Holy Face. He urged her in many visions to spread once again the devotion, in reparation for the many insults He suffered in His Passion. He told her he wanted reparation for the times he was slapped, spit upon and kissed by Judas, as well as for the profanation of the Blessed Sacrament through neglect, and sacrileges. Bl. Mother Pierina was beatified on Sunday, May 30, 2010 by Benedict XVI at the Basilica of St. Mary Major the first beatification ever held within its walls.

"Do you see how I suffer? The executioners crucified me on Good Friday, Christians crucify me on Sundays. I have given my heart as the sensible object of my great love to men and I give My Face as the sensible object of my sorrow for all the sins of men. I wish that my Face be venerated by a special feast every year on Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. I wish that the feast be preceded by a novena of nine days which the faithful make reparation with me, joining together and sharing in my sorrow."

“By My Holy Face you will obtain the conversion of numberless sinners. Nothing that you ask in making this offering will be refused you. According to the care you take in making reparation To My Face, disfigured by blasphemers, I will take care of yours, which has been disfigured by sin. I will reprint on it My Image, and render it as beautiful as it was on leaving the Baptismal Font.” 

                           Our Lord to Blessed Maria Pierina de Micheli

                             

© Carmelite Monastery St. Therese,

Clinton Twp. MI

ArchConfraternity in U.S.A.

       What can we do?
Our Lord asked for a novena 9 days before Shrove Tuesday, however, the novena may be said any time there is a great need for reparation. One could also pray the novena nine days before Good Friday while walking with our Lord during his sufferings. However this year the significance of Shrove Tuesday with the Fatima Message and the Book of Ester we should have as many people as possible take part in this work of reparation.The novena this year begins on Sunday February 16th and ends February 24th the day before Shrove Tuesday. Here is the link for the Novena to the Holy Face. 
                   Link for the Novena to the Holy Face:
   https://www.holyface.org.uk/content/holyfacenovena.htm

1885 ArchConfraternity 

       For The Holy Face       

In the revelations to Sister Mary of St. Peter, Our Lord was very specific in stating the extreme importance of this devotion to his Holy Face for making reparation to God, for holding back the justice of God during the evils of the day, and for obtaining the resolution to all of the problems in our families. To His priests He promises He will defend them before His Father in Heaven and give them His kingdom if they, through words, prayers or writings, defend His cause in this work of "reparation." Pastors, therefore, and priests who desire to answer this call should endeavor, through regular procedure, to establish the Confraternity of the Holy Face in their parishes. Follow link how to establish confraternities:   http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/confraternity.htm

Addendums: 
The Public Message of La Salette

Similar to the Fatima Message, Our Lady also gave the children of La Salette a public message which was given told to the bishop and made public. After an initial period of investigation by the local authorities, the apparitions were declared to be worthy of belief in 1851 by the bishop of Grenoble. This legitimized devotion to Our Lady of 

La Salette.

At the same time Cardinal de Boland instructed, Melanie and Maximin to write down the content of the secrets, which were then sealed in envelopes and transmitted to Pope Pius IX. These secrets remain buried in the Vatican secret archives for nearly a century and a half, until they were finally unearthed by Fr Michel Corteville in 1999, who working together with Fr Rene Laurentin, eventually revealed the messages to the public in 2002 in their book Découverte du secret de La Salette, (Discovery of the Secret of La Salette, Fayard, 2002).” Read More…. http://unveilingtheapocalypse.blogspot.com/2011/09/our-lady-of-la-salette.html

The Secrets of La Salette

Time does not allow for a full expose on the various versions of the secrets in circulation on La Salatte. Which ones are authentic and which are not. In essence they all say the same thing with varying degrees of embellishment. It is too convoluted and will not serve our purpose here to address this except to say that there were secrets and they have been revealed. To correct these common misunderstandings of the La Salette secrets, it is essential to return to the original accounts, in their various versions, to distinguish the primitive version from later embellishments. This has become possible for the first time in over a century, thanks to the rediscovery of the original secrets submitted by the children directly to Pope Pius IX in 1851. They compared the authentic secrets to other versions that appeared over the years, and explain the relationship of these to the originals, thereby constructing a documentary history of the revelations of La Salette. Follow this link for details:  Public and Secret messages of La Sallette  http://www.arcaneknowledge.org/catholic/lasalette.htm

Controversies

We should not let the controversy over the secrets of La Salette detract from the importance of the message itself. It is a plea for men to stop offending God and for reparation. It is the same plea given at Fatima.

The Fatima Message also suffered similar controversies over the Collegial Consecration of Russia that detracted from the essence of the message. The people looked at what they thought the pope should have done instead of incorporating the Message of Penance into their daily lives. Where ever the Holy Spirit is poured out you can be sure the evil spirit will not be far causing confusion and divisions. His time is short. For us to argue over these opinions and it takes us away from doing the work of reparation and the devil wins. Some truths will only be known in Heaven.

Teaching the importance of personal reformation is what we need to accomplish this reawakening in the Church to the beauty and power of reparation contained in the devotions to the Holy Face. The spread and reawakening of this devotion may be the means used by God to help bring about the necessary reparation needed for the longed for Triumph of the Immaculate Heart.

Addendum II  

A friend of mine who speaks fluent Latin wrote to remind me that the two calendars, (Hebrew and Gregorian) do not often line up. I sighed and thought; Ok Lord, she is not the only one who will have this observation, so I am back to the computer screen preparing another addendum.

I avoided the subject because of the time I needed to get this out before February 4th, the start of the Holy Face Novena and because It would have unduly lengthened an already long post if I brought out the  calendar variations. I also feared that some people would dismiss this as fancy imaginings, (putting things together on my part) and not look the post over with a prayerful discernment. I decided I would deal with the subject if it was brought up. It was and I expect there are others like my friend in the cyber world, so with Gods help here is the second addendum.

I was aware that the dates in the Hebrew Calendar and the Gregorian calendars do not often align. This is because the Hebrew calendar is Lunar while the western calendar (Gregorian) is Solar. Every four years the western calendar has to add a day ( 29th February ) leap year. This keeps the calendar in step with the Earth's progress around the Sun. The Hebrew calendar is about ten days short of a solar year, so every seven years they add an extra month. This ensures that the seasonal feasts keep to their correct season. This extra month is added at the end of the Jewish Year after the month of Adar II. The leap year month is called Adar I Purim must be celebrated in Adar II in a leap year, so Adar I is considered the "extra" month.

In current 2018 Hebrew calendar, the 13th of Adar falls on 1 March 2018, so the Jews will celebrate their Purim feast after sunset on 28 February 2018 (Wednesday of the second week of Lent).This day is celebrated as the Jewish Feast of Purim-"lots," in reference to the lots cast by Haman in choosing the day on which the Jewish People were to be slain (Esther 3.7-12). The chosen date was the 13th of Adar. The Month of Adar in the Holy Scriptures comprises in Esther: 09, 21.

Adar and Adar II Is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It occurs during anytime during February–March on the Gregorian calendar. Based on a line in the Mishnah declaring that Purim must be celebrated in Adar II in a leap year (Megillah 1:4), Adar I is always considered the "extra" Leap year month. The next Jewish leap year will be in 2020. Incidentally, the Jewish calendar is calculated from Creation and therefore needs no BC or AD. Jewish reference to the Western, Gregorian, calendar are CE or BCE; CE standing for Common Era and Before Common Era.

There are people who are exacting types and may dismiss the whole account just because Adar 13 and February 13 are not the exactly same day this year. So if I may make a plea in defense of God’s silent language in the unfolding of His Divine Providence. God knew in advance that the calendars would not line up every year when he sent Our Lady on the 13th of each month to Fatima for six months. He also knew the calendars would not align when God placed the star on Our Lady’s dress signifying her as a Jewish Princess/Queen. He also realized this when he called Sr. Lucia home on the February 13, 2005. Of all the days of the year to choose he chose this date, placing the final stamp implying that the Fatima Message and the Book of Ester are related

Finally, God foresaw that in 2018 the feast that He requested to honor His Holy Face would fall on Shrove Tuesday, February 13th. If God knowing that Adar 13 and February 13 would not always align. Why should we nitpick and just accept the implied reference? It should be enough for us that the timing of the all these events direct us to look at the Book of Ester and follow the example of Queen Ester in relation to the Fatima Message. 

What is indeed interesting to note that this year the Jewish Passover or Seder fall on March 30th, Good Friday, the same time it occurred when Our Lord was crucified.

Information in this post article was compiled from following links:

1887 Manuel of the Arch Confraternity of the Holy Face 

http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/files/ManualoftheArchconfraternityoftheHolyFace.pdf

First Papal Brief (December 16, 1884)

http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/papal_brief1.htm

Second Papal Brief (April 22nd, 1885)

http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/papal_brief2.htm

Third Papal Brief (October 1, 1885)
http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/papal_brief3.htm

Indulgences granted

http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/indulgences.htm

Photo Video of La Salette Shrine 5 min

https://youtu.be/VnMWvUmV-TA

The Life of Sr. Mary Peter, Carmelite of Tours

http://www.todayscatholicworld.com/life-of-sr-mary-st-peter-tours-holy-face.pdf

The Holy Face and connection with La Sallette

https://www.holyface.org.uk/content/srpierina.htm

Link for the Novena to the Holy Face

https://www.holyface.org.uk/content/holyfacenovena.htm

Closing Devotions

http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/files/HFhandout3-updated.pdf

Another Novena to the Holy Face

http://www.catholictradition.org/Christ/golden-arrow.htm

Feast of the Holy Face on Shrove Tuesday

https://www.holyface.org.uk/content/holyfacefeast.htm

Devotion to the Holy Face Early revelation on Communism

History of devotion to The Holy Face an early revelation concerning communism.

http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/timeline.htm

St Therese and Holy Face

http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/files/HFhandout1.pdf

Holy Face Devotion and LaSallette

http://www.tcwblog.com/182861439

Various Versions of the Secret of LaSallette

http://unveilingtheapocalypse.blogspot.com/2011/09/our-lady-of-la-salette.html

The Crucifix of La Sallette

https://www.lasalette.org/about-la-salette/reconciliation/spirituality-and-charism/1824-the-crucifix-of-la-salette.html

Secrets of Lasalette.

http://www.arcaneknowledge.org/catholic/lasalette.htm

Our Lady's Apocalypse

http://www.catholicapologetics.info/catholicteaching/privaterevelation/lasalet.html

Seeking the Face of Christ during Lent
 http://speramus-hope.blogspot.com/2014/03/seeking-face-of-christ-during-lent.html

Holy Face Devotions Divine Remedy for our Post Christian Age
https://speramusposterous.wordpress.com/holy-face-devotion-defenders-of-the-holy-name-of-god/remedy-for-a-post-christian-age/

From Guadelupe to Fatima a Prophetic Mystery

The First in a Series of Modern Apparitions

 over the past  500 Years

Fatima is undoubtedly the most prophetic of all the modern apparitions over the past 500 years. If we understand the implications of this statement then it will lead us to meditate on each of our Lady's appearances in the light of the Fatima Message. 

Over time the church with the help of the Holy Spirit reflects on these appearances of Our Lady uncovering these hidden mysteries. She discovers God’s finger writing a story within the symbols contained in these Marian events. They are not coincidences! God has a purpose in everything he does. A message to proclaim in the timing of the appearances as well as within the historical context of these Marian events meditated on in the Light of Fatima.

  

Our Lady of Guadalupe 1531

The first apparition of Modern Times  

A mystery is hidden within each  approved Marian Apparition outside of their historical significance that can, need we say must, be learned through prayer and meditation. Throughout history there have been supernatural apparitions and signs which, to the surprise of believers and non-believers alike, play their part in the unfolding of human history.

   

Guadalupe is considered to be the greatest place of pilgrimage in the world after Rome.  As well as the first apparition which established a sanctuary of influence, national and worldwide.  It was estimated that in 2009 more than 6.1 million pilgrims visited the Basilica of Guadalupe on December 11-12  marking the 478th anniversary of the apparitions  of the Virgin to Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac.  
 

Guadelupe is one of the most significant  of the approved Marian apparitions in the Church rich with symbolisms. The symbolism's on the tilma. although primarily directed to Juan and the Aztec people of the time,  are speaking, or rather shouting, to us in our modern era. 

They echo without words or sound in modern time. A prophetic marker for our era.  The imprint of Mary on the tilma speaks to us prophetically in a  manner as the scriptures. Speaking in the language of the Holy Spirit. The drama around the Tilma also gives witness during the course of the apparition. The events between our Lady, Juan, the bishop and Juan’s uncle. Later in the witness Juan Diego gave with his life after Our Lady appeared. All of these give testimony!

Guadalupe linked to Fatima as

the book of Daniel is linked

with Revelation or Apocalypse. 

Daniel is considered by biblical scholars to be the apocalyptic book of the Hebrew bible, the first apocalypse.  A  Divine revelation concerning things to come. Preparing the way for its sister book Revelations. After Daniel received his visions he was instructed by the Angel with these words:

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, knowledge shall be increased. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand Daniel,12:9-10

If Guadalupe is on the same historical plane with the Book of Daniel it  is also pointing to a future messianic event since Jesus already appeared it has to be the return of the bridegroom for its church the second coming of the Lord.  Fatima is alongside the book of Revelation and is preparing the church for the return of her bridegroom at the end of time. Recall how Our Lord told the   apostles in John Chapter 16:12-13

“I have many more things to say to you,
but you cannot bear them now
But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, 
He will guide you into all the truth;
for He will not speak on His own initiative,
whatever He hears, He will speak; and will 
disclose you to you what is to come." John 16:12-13

We know that in the interpretation of scriptures there is a historical significance that the writers were inspired to write for. Later, as the church reflects on these events in the unfolding of human history we see a foreshadowing of future messianic times in the writings of the ancient prophets. The mysteries are hidden in the timing of the event or in the actions and words that are spoke by the persons involved in the drama being recorded.        

This same principal may be

applied to supernatural events

in all Approved Apparitions

Contemporary men are in some sense blinded to reading these signs and symbols. Outside of our own neglect to pray and meditate, another reason for modern mans failure to penetrate these unspoken mysteries in Marian Apparitions could be that the interpretations may be sealed until the time appointed as in the book of Daniel.  Take Fatima for instance. As we examine the secret of Fatima it was revealed slowly by degrees over time and not completely disclosed until the year 2000. And the symbolisms contained within the recently revealed portions of the secret are also prophetic in nature pointing to a possible future calamity or apocalypse if men do not stop offending God. The Message of Fatima also predicted that if the requests at Fatima are not honored, many souls will be lost, "the Holy Father will have much to suffer", there will be further wars and persecutions of the Church and "various nations will be annihilated." The annihilation of nations predicted at Fatima has not yet occurred, but many fear that it will soon happen, given the growing immorality and corruption of the world.

21 week baby clasps doctors finger from the womb during operation. Photo ©Speramus-We Hope

Symbolisms linking

Guadalupe to Fatima and our era: Culture of Life vs. Culture 
of Death

Five centuries ago, cruel human sacrificing rituals were performed by the Aztecs on a scale never approached, even remotely, by any other peoples. Men, Women and Children, were offered to appease their serpent gods. No one will ever know how many were killed this way. Estimates start from 20,000 to 50,000 a year in several sources. The leading authority on the demography of Mexico at the time of the conquest, has revised the estimated number of persons sacrificed in central Mexico in the fifteenth century to 250,000 per year and an early Mexican historian Ixtlilxochitl estimated that one out of every five children in Mexico were sacrificed. Click for more details on the Aztec Sacrifices

These ritual killings peaked around 1487 during dedication of their new serpents temple in Mexico City. A single ceremony lasted four days and four nights, with the constant beating of giant drums made of snakeskin that could be heard for two miles. More than 80,000 men were sacrificed. No where else in human history had the ancient serpent, Satan so formalized his worship with so many of his symbols. When Our Lady appeared to Juan Deigo she called herself Guadalupe. The word Guadalupe similar to the Aztec Nahuatl word of coatlaxopeuh pronounced "quatlasupe" sounds like Guadalupe. The Nahuatal word of coatlaxopeuh is translated Coa = serpent, tla="the” and xopeuh= “to crush or stamp out. So Our Lady called herself the one "who crushes the serpent. The Aztecs understood this and hearing her name while viewing the Image she left behind they converted by the millions to the faith. Certainly, in this case our Lady crushed the serpent. So it is not surprising that for the Christian one cannot help but identify Our Lady of Guadalupe with the Woman of the Apocalypse. This interpretation was first recorded by Father Miguel Sanchez in 1648.

"A great sign appeared in the sky,
a woman clothed with the sun,
the moon at her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." Revelation 12:1

The following description of the symbolism's contained within the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and how she spoke to the Aztecs without words is related by a Fr. Elizondo who writes: "Mary appears as a beautiful young Indian maiden with a look of love, compassion, and humility, her hands folded in prayer. Her pale red dress is that of an Aztec princess. Her blue mantle symbolized the royalty of the gods, and the blue color symbolized life and unity. The stars on the mantle signified the beginning of a new civilization. Mary stands in front of and hides the sun, but the rays of the sun still appear around her, signifying she is greater than the sun god, the greatest of the native divinities, but the rays of the sun still bring light. Twelve rays of the sun surround her face and head. She stands on the moon, supported by an angel with wings like an eagle: to the Aztec, this indicated her superiority to the moon god, the god of night, and her divine, regal nature. Most important are the two crosses and the black maternity band that were present in the image. Mary wore a black maternity band, signifying she was with child. At the center of the picture is found an Indian cross, the center of the cosmic order to the Indian. This symbol indicated that the baby Mary carried within her, Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh, is the new center of the universe. On the brooch around her neck was a black Christian cross, indicating she is both a bearer and follower of Christ, the Son of God, and our Savior, who died on the Cross to save mankind.  Mary wore a black maternity band, signifying she was with child. At the center of the picture is found an Indian cross, the center of the cosmic order to the Indian. This symbol indicated that the baby Mary carried within her, Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh, is the new center of the universe. On the brooch around her neck was a black Christian cross, indicating she is both a bearer and follower of Christ, the Son of God, and our Savior, who died on the Cross to save mankind.”

Providence of God in
The Unfolding of Time

    The Stars on Our Lady's Mantle

                                                                                                                                                             Scientists were also amazed to discover that the pattern of stars on the mantle of  the tilma reflected the exact position of the constellations on the day her image appeared on the tilma, December 12, 1531,10:40 am The Boreal Crown is located above the Virgin's head,Virgo is on her chest, in the region of her hands; Leo is on her womb; Gemini the twins are in the region of her knees and Orion is located on the Angel at her feet. Go to the following link for detailed explanations on the New discoveries on the Tilma and more diagrams on the constellations reflected on the Tilma. Heaven does nothing by chance! 

The Aztecs recognized this and It was a great sign for them who followed the passing of time with the stars. It is also a sign for our era giving another historical date for the apparition even the exact time! Could it also be a marker for a future time? Has this same lineup of stars occurred since? Will it take place again?

  
Other miracles present on Tilma
Discovered after Fatima

Miracles within A Miracle 
Linking Guadalupe for Our Generation

There were other miracles also present on the tilma  that would not be discovered for another 400 years!  In 1929 images reflected in the eyes of the Virgin were discovered for the first time. To think that this miracle within the eyes of the Virgin was present for all these centuries just waiting to be discovered and were not discovered until after the Fatima drama began. What am I saying here? That God is also speaking to us through his line of providence in the various Marian Apparitions.  God also knew that he was already known by God and in a sense reawakens Guadalupe and links it to the drama of Fatima. 

In more recent times with the appearance of modern photographic technology and advances in the science of opthomalolgy images reflected in the eyes of the Virgin were discovered in 1929 we have the first documented note of an apparent reflected image of a man's head in the right eye of the virgin by photographer Alfonso Marcue who was advised to keep silent by the bishop.

  

     The Mystery of Our Lady's Eyes

It has been said by pilgrims

 that it appears
that the eyes on the tilma are living!
Our Lady is actually seeing you

When you come before her image

She looks at you with a mothers love!

The photo shows the bearded man

Juan Diego on the right corner

discovered in 1929, 1956 and 1958.

The dark circle shows all the people present

discovered in 1979 under high magnification.

It wasn't until 1951 when another photographer Carlos Salinas examined the tilma and he observed the same reflection of a man’s head in the right eye of the Virgin. In 1956 and 1958, Dr. Torroela-Bueno and Dr. Rafael Torija-Lavoignet, both ophthalmologists examined the eyes of the Virgin on the tilma and published a study on the Purkinje-Sanson effect that is found in living human eyes. In 1979 another ophthalmologist Dr. Jose Aste Tonsmann used the latest sophisticated image processing techniques taking digitized photographs of both eyes he enlarged the image of the Virgin's eyes by 2500x magnification and said he saw not only the aforementioned single figure, but rather images of all the witnesses present when the tilma was shown to the Bishop in 1531.  Click on the following link for more Details on the Mysteries in Our Lady's eyes . Mary came in her glorified body at Guadalupe and her physical hands rearranged the roses in Juan Diego’s tilma, which makes this apparition so special like Miraculous medal apparition when St. Catherine Laboure put her hands on Mary’s lap who was sitting in a chair. An incredible list of miracles, cures and interventions are attributed to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It has been widely recognized for centuries that the preservation of the tilma is miraculous since it has maintained its integrity for nearly 500 years when similar garments normally last only about 15 years before suffering damage.

Guadalupe and Fatima reflect
Our Lady in Revelation 12:1-6  

And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars: And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns: and on his head seven diadems: And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered; that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, that there they should feed her a thousand two hundred sixty days. Revelaton:12:1-6

For the evil one and for his followers there is not much that they hate and fear more than the image of the Woman clothed with the sun the moon under her feet. This Image was shown to them before the whole creation was completed, and triggered their final rebellion and fall. This image of the one who will crush his head. But we also have a part to play in this drama, St Paul taught this when he exclaimed that we must fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. We must help our Lady with our prayers and sacrifices that she requested at Fatima. The outcome is up to us and what we choose to do with what we know. 

At Guadalupe Our Lady was hiding the sun only it's rays penetrated around her. At Fatima in the 3rd secret during the miracle of the sun she reflected a light brighter than the sun and this light from our Lady prevented the Angel of God's wrath from chastising the earth with the flames from his sword. 

There are prophetic meanings to be gleaned here. Heaven does nothing by accident. If Our Lady is prefigured in these appearances as the woman clothed with the sun in the book of Revelations she is also then the Queen of prophets. As our Lord came into the world for the first time through Mary. He will also come his second time through her. Mary the Queen of Prophets will prepare the world for his final coming at the end of time. Is this not what is happening today at Fatima and other approved Marian Sites?

What have we learned in 500 Years 

from Guadalupe to Fatima?

Granted in examining the apparitions of our Lady over the years there exists a certain correlation between Marian apparitions and specific historical situations of the times. For example Lourdes and the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. La Sallette and the approaching famine. Fatima and the World Wars.  Our Lady the spouse of the Holy Spirit is sent to convey a message from the finger of God to help us see the writing on the wall.  With sometimes a dire warnings in the book of Daniel Chapter 5: Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand in fear as it wrote: "This is the inscription that was written: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. "This is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." Daniel 5:26-28 

Our Lady spouse of the Holy Spirit is the Hand of God conveying a message to the world powers  and the kingdoms of our era. "Some I will cure others I will not. They must amend their lives and ask forgiveness for their sins." Looking very sad, Our Lady said: "Do not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is already so much offended." Fatima October 13,1917

Do we think we will not see the justice of God if we continue on in our sins? If God allowed the Jewish nation to be scattered throughout the world and their temple destroyed because they did not recognize the time of their visitation.  Do we think we can continue to disregard the warnings from Heaven to ammend our lives and not have consequences to pay?  

In future posts we hope to detail the conditional prophecies at Fatima if the requests of Our Lady are not heeded. 

Our Lady said that Russia would "spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, and various nations will be annihilated.
 
There is not enough time to go into each apparition in order to glean the prophetic message from each one and apply them for these times. The Holy Spirit if invoked will unveil the hidden mysteries  and demonstrate their significance or connection to the Fatima Message and the Woman Clothed with the Sun in Revelation.
 
If the Apparition of Guadalupe resulted in the conversion of an entire Aztec native population from the worship of idols and human sacrifice to Christianity. Could we not hope for no less with the appearance of Our Lady at Fatima? We can and we should. She did say that in the end her Immaculate Heart will Triumph. If we follow the simple request God has asked of us from her we will see The Triumph of her Immaculate Heart and Victory over this culture of death? -Let us hope! 

Also Read: 

The Historical Story of Guadalupe translated from the Aztec Language Nahuatl

For another Historical Account of Guadalupe 

Shrine of Our Lady of Guadelupe in LaCrosse, WI 

  

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