She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 28)

Large crowds saw the ecstasies and took the photographs that illustrate these books

They stopped us, and gave us gifts, boxes of candy, rosaries, caramels, and lots of things.

The driver of a car going up recognized them before they had arrived at Cossío and brought them back to Garabandal.

When we came to the village, a large crowd was waiting.
There were ten or eleven priests, doctors (5), an abbot, and many cars.

We went to the calleja to recite the rosary.
And before we had arrived there, the Virgin appeared to us with an Angel on each side.
One of these was St. Michael.
The other we didn't recognize.
He was dressed like St. Michael.
They appeared to be twins.(6)
St. Michael. Here for the first time the illustrious name is mentioned. And so we now know the identity of the mysterious Angel who visited the children so often during the preceding fourteen days. Today he returns accompanying the Queen; his mission of announcing and preparing the way culminating in her sovereign audience.

Although his name had no special significance for the visionaries, it has great significance for us. Whatever is starting to happen in Garabandal cannot be without the gravest consequences, since God has deigned to use His highest archangel for it.

Catholic doctrine and teaching have always represented St. Michael as the leader of the celestial spirits. He is the instrument God uses for His great works. He is the one who watches from his high place over all the elect — Guardian Angel of the Synagogue in its day, and now Guardian of the Church. It is he who leads, as Prince of the Celestial Army, the great combat against the powers of hell.

In the last book of Sacred Scripture, the final pages of the history of salvation, St. Michael appears as the angel of the last and decisive combat. (Chapters 12 and 20) We might ask ourselves if we are not entering into the final stage of history. The time in which Satan will be permitted to lead away the nations is evidently drawing near.

Today formerly Christian nations have either arrogantly apostatized, declaring themselves officially atheistic, or have come to take a policy of ignoring God to suit their own convenience.

Pope Leo XIII had mysterious and compelling reasons for ordering the prayer after low mass:
St. Michael, the Archangel defend us in battle . . .

For some years now, almost since the time of Garabandal, the hierarchy has thought it opportune to stop those post Missam prayers. But this does not permit anyone to think he can neglect prayer to the holy Archangel, as if the battle had already been won. The situation in the church today and the signs of the times proclaim rather the opposite.(7)

Yet the great times have hardly begun. Now the Woman (the enemy of the dragon) and the Angel of the Last Combat, according to Chapter XII of the final inspired book, must deploy a truly decisive action in our midst. Careful attention should therefore be given to what they request.

Who was St. Michael's unknown companion in that first Marian hour at Garabandal? Even the girls themselves did not come to learn who he was. However, we can suppose he was one of the angels of the first rank, since he showed himself so similar in everything to St. Michael that he could be taken for his twin. Perhaps it was St. Gabriel. Who would be more suited than he to accompany Mary, to whose life and destiny he was so closely linked? (Luke I: 19, 26)

On the right side of the Angel, at the same height as the Virgin, we saw an eye of great size.

5. Among the doctors that came, there were two from Santander who would be seen often in the course of this history.
Juan A. Seco states:
«The calleja was full of people praying the rosary; everyone wanted to be present for the ecstasy. At my side was the second director of the society "Saltos del Nansa', Mr. Rocha, who had come up with Doctor Morales and Doctor Piñal from Santander. I recall that Mr. Rocha told me, This afternoon the visionaries won't come to the cuadro for a vision, giving me to understand that these doctors knew how to end the phenomena. I answered him that in
Divine affairs, it is not the doctor who has control.»

6. In progressing forward with Conchita's diary, we will expand on these paragraphs.

7. I know that when Conchita was told of the suppression of the prayer to St. Michael at the end of low masses, she exclaimed, How unfortunate! Now when there is such a need!

* * *

Many years later Jacinta told me that they did not know that the Angel in the apparitions was the Archangel St. Michael until the Virgin told them on July 2nd.
—And can you tell me who was the other angel accompanying the Virgin?
—St. Gabriel.
—Are you sure?
—Very sure.