Pontevedra apparitions
Encyclopedia
The Pontevedra apparitions are the Marian apparitions that Sister Lúcia
, the visionary of Our Lady of Fátima
, reported receiving while living in a Dorothean convent in Spain
.
events, one of the seers, now called Sister Lúcia
was living in a Dorothean convent in Pontevedra
, Spain
. She reported that on December 10, 1925 she experienced another apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this occasion, in Sister Lucia's own words, the Virgin returned as She had promised at Fatima to relate the specific requirements for the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.
Here is how Sister Lúcia
describes the appearance: "The Most Holy Virgin appeared to me, and by her side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was the Child Jesus
. The Most Holy Virgin rested her hand on my shoulder and as she did so, she showed me a heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand."
During this alleged apparition, the Child Jesus asked Sister Lúcia
to have compassion on His Mother, referring to her as the heavenly mother of Sister Lúcia.
At this point, the Virgin Mary is said to have set the parameters of the Five First Saturdays devotion
. If one fulfilled these conditions on the First Saturday of five consecutive months, the Virgin Mary promised special graces at the hour of death.
The devotion of the Communion of Reparation on the Five First Saturdays, mentioned by the Virgin at Fátima on July 13, 1917, and then confirmed at Pontevedra as described above, some believe is an essential part of the Message of Fátima.
The First Saturdays devotion
had already been an established custom in the Catholic Church. On July 1, 1905, Pope Pius X
approved and granted indulgences for the practice of the first Saturdays of twelve consecutive months in honor of the Immaculate Conception
. This practice greatly resembled the request of Pontevedra.
.
Lúcia Santos
Lúcia de Jesus dos Santos – Sister Mary Lucy of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart, better known as Sister Lúcia of Fátima – was a Roman Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun from Portugal...
, the visionary of Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
, reported receiving while living in a Dorothean convent in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
First apparition
Eight years after the FátimaFátima, Portugal
Fátima is a city in Portugal famous for the Marian apparitions, recognized by the Catholic Church, that took place there in 1917. The town itself has a population of 7,756 and is located in the municipality of Ourém, in the Centro Region and Médio Tejo Subregion...
events, one of the seers, now called Sister Lúcia
Lúcia Santos
Lúcia de Jesus dos Santos – Sister Mary Lucy of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart, better known as Sister Lúcia of Fátima – was a Roman Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun from Portugal...
was living in a Dorothean convent in Pontevedra
Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a city in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the capital of both the comarca and province of Pontevedra, in Galicia . It is also the capital of its own municipality which is, in fact, often considered as an extension of the actual city...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. She reported that on December 10, 1925 she experienced another apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this occasion, in Sister Lucia's own words, the Virgin returned as She had promised at Fatima to relate the specific requirements for the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.
Here is how Sister Lúcia
Lúcia Santos
Lúcia de Jesus dos Santos – Sister Mary Lucy of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart, better known as Sister Lúcia of Fátima – was a Roman Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun from Portugal...
describes the appearance: "The Most Holy Virgin appeared to me, and by her side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was the Child Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
. The Most Holy Virgin rested her hand on my shoulder and as she did so, she showed me a heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand."
During this alleged apparition, the Child Jesus asked Sister Lúcia
Lúcia Santos
Lúcia de Jesus dos Santos – Sister Mary Lucy of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart, better known as Sister Lúcia of Fátima – was a Roman Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun from Portugal...
to have compassion on His Mother, referring to her as the heavenly mother of Sister Lúcia.
At this point, the Virgin Mary is said to have set the parameters of the Five First Saturdays devotion
First Saturday Devotions
The First Saturdays Devotion is a Catholic practice which, according to the visionaries, has been requested by the Virgin Mary in several visitations, notably Our Lady of Fátima and the subsequent Pontevedra apparitions...
. If one fulfilled these conditions on the First Saturday of five consecutive months, the Virgin Mary promised special graces at the hour of death.
The devotion of the Communion of Reparation on the Five First Saturdays, mentioned by the Virgin at Fátima on July 13, 1917, and then confirmed at Pontevedra as described above, some believe is an essential part of the Message of Fátima.
The First Saturdays devotion
First Saturday Devotions
The First Saturdays Devotion is a Catholic practice which, according to the visionaries, has been requested by the Virgin Mary in several visitations, notably Our Lady of Fátima and the subsequent Pontevedra apparitions...
had already been an established custom in the Catholic Church. On July 1, 1905, Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
approved and granted indulgences for the practice of the first Saturdays of twelve consecutive months in honor of the Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
. This practice greatly resembled the request of Pontevedra.
Second apparition
Later, Sister Lúcia reported that on February 15, 1926 while emptying a garbage can outside the garden, saw a child she thought she recognized. She said that after striking up a conversation with him, the child transformed himself into the Child Jesus, who reprehended Sister Lúcia for not doing more to promote the five First Saturdays devotionFirst Saturday Devotions
The First Saturdays Devotion is a Catholic practice which, according to the visionaries, has been requested by the Virgin Mary in several visitations, notably Our Lady of Fátima and the subsequent Pontevedra apparitions...
.
Sources
- EWTN http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/bios2000.htm
- Notre Dame University http://www.nd.edu/~mary/classic/firstsat.html
- Catholic News AgencyCatholic News AgencyThe Catholic News Agency is a provider of news related to Catholicism to an English speaking audience worldwide. It is headquartered in Denver, Colorado....
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=8654