Occurring at Montichiari-Fontanelle, not far from the Lake Garda — a small little hamlet surrounded by huge mountain peaks and a town of about fourteen thousand people — the Blessed Virgin Mary came with a specific request for Pope Pius XII.
The Manifestation of Rosa Mystica
Rosa Mystica – literally meaning "Mystical Rose" appeared to a young nurse, Pierina Gilli approximately seven times, though no one knows the exact number. She came to Gilli wearing an beautiful white gown with a white veil over her head. She always carried a single pink rose in her hands.
The Message of Rosa Mystica
In the first apparition which occurred on December 8, 1947, the Blessed Virgin Mary requested an hour of grace to be observed every 8th of December from that date forward.
The Holy Virgin handed Gilli three roses; yellow, white, and red in the second apparition saying that, “The white rose represented the spirit of prayer, the red one represented the spirit of sacrifice, and the yellow rose the spirit of penance and conversion.”
Since Gilli had not recognized who this apparition was, she asked “Please tell me, who are you?” She smiled and said, “I am the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of you. Our Lord sends me to bring a new Marian Devotion to all religious orders and institutes, male and female, and to the priests of this world. I promise to protect those religious orders and institutes who will venerate me in this special way.”
When Pierina Gilli asked if a miracle would follow, the Blessed Virgin Mary replied in a different way from other apparitions. This message was for those leading a consecrated life, the religious. The Marian apparition said, ”The religious who, for a long time now, have become indifferent thus betraying their vocation and as a result of their offenses have brought about the punishments and persecutions which are raging against the Church at the present time - will stop to offend Our Lord.”
It was Pope Pius VI who confirmed the validity of the apparitions on November 21st, 1964, and named Rosa Mystica as Mary, Mother of the Church.
Her messages could be summarized in these things: Prayer, Generous Sacrifices and Penance.
In her final messages after the date of her devotion had been set, the Blessed Virgin told Gilli that on December 8, at noon she would be in the Basilica and it would be an hour of great grace.
A very visual apparition occurred at Our Lady of Zeitoun, Egypt and a modern apparition of modern times is occurring at Our Lady of Akita.
Sources:
- Those who Saw Her: Apparitions of Mary, by Catherine M. Odell.
- Catherine Laboure and the Modern Apparitions of Our Lady, by Abbe Omer Englebert.
- Miraculous Images: Photographs Containing God's Fingerprints, by Marilynn Hughes.
- Medjugorje: Light for the World, by Pietro Jacopini.
- Our Lady Comes to Garabandal, by Joseph A. Pelletier, A.A.
- The Wonder of Guadalupe, by Francis Johnston.
- The Glories of Czestochowa and Jasna, To the Priests Our Lady's Beloved Sons, by Marian Movement of Priests.
- Our Lady of America, by Sister Mildred Mary Neuzil.
- The Thunder of Justice, by Ted and Maureen Flynn.
