Appearances of the Virgin Mary in Cuapa, Nicaragua

Appearances of the Virgin Mary in Cuapa, Nicaragua


 Introduction
 
Nicaragua has suffered a lot due to political causes & natural disasters. 
 In all storms, the Catholic faith of people & their great love for the Virgin have been their strength.  

The appearance of Virgin in Cuapa occurs in 1980, when Nicaragua was dominated by a communist government that did everything possible to destroy the Catholic faith.  

They wanted to establish a "popular Church" separate from Rome, the country was in civil war, blood was running while misery & hatred spread everywhere.  
The Virgin calls her children to build true peace.
 

The appearances of Cuapa are recognized by Nicaraguan episcopal conference & place of apparitions is a national sanctuary & was indulged during jubilee of year 2000.

 

The Blessed Virgin chooses humblest to communicate her message & to obtain great triumphs of her Heart for humanity.

 

Cuapa is a small town with about 100 peasant houses in Nicaraguan department of Chontales, east of Managua, capital of nation.

 

The word "Cuapa" is derived from "coatl pan", which in indigenous Nahualt language means: " above the serpent ", "the one that crushes the head of the serpent".  

To the Christian this name makes him think of Immaculate Conception, patroness of Nicaragua, who crushes head of the serpent.  

Our pilgrimage to Cuapa wasn't until June 2001. 
Things had improved a lot: 
The road from Nicaragua (capital of Nicaragua) to Cuapa has been rebuilt, main streets of Cuapa have been paved, central park is well arranged & new church 50 meters have been added because community of believers continues to grow. 
In Cuapa presence of the Virgin is felt.
 
The Seer: Bernardo Martínez
 

Bernardo Martínez was born in Cuapa, Nicaragua in 1931. 
His grandmother raised him & educated him in a Christian way.  
He was a simple & humble peasant, pious & helpful, who liked to help in Church as sacristan.  
Bernardo is one whom Blessed Virgin chooses to reveal her message.  

As a child Bernardo wanted to be a priest, but couldn't achieve it in his youth.  
After apparitions, for a most precious gift of Blessed Virgin, Bernardo, at 64 years of age, is ordained a priest in Cathedral of León, Nicaragua, in 1995. 

He died as a holy priest in year 2000 & mass is celebrated of resurrection in same cathedral.  
We had pleasure of meeting him shortly after apparitions.  
He wasn't yet a priest.  
We were surprised by his humility & prudence, his love for Virgin & the Church.

 

Bernardo Martínez, visionary of Virgin Mary, was born on August 29, 1931 (San Bernardo's day) in town of Cuapa, Chontales, Nicaragua, a few months before terrible earthquake that destroyed capital of Managua on March 31, that same year.

 

Bernardo's parents were from Cuapa.  
The dad was tough, dark & elegant.
The mother's name was Simeona Martinez & she was white.  
Bernardo had 3 sisters, Marina, Celia & Leonor, & 2 brothers, Basilio & José Luis.

 

Bernardo grew up, separated from his family, or with little relationship with his relatives, because they lived far away.  
He grew up with his maternal grandmother in his house (the one located on road between Cuapa & place of apparitions).  

Bernardo's grandmother, Mrs. Eloisa Jaime, was a peasant from Chontales area, who didn't know how to read & write, without special culture, but was an intelligent person with great common sense & a lot of memory.  

The Catholic doctrine, Catechism & prayers were well known; I listened with attention & devotion to sermons of Sunday Masses & festivities; & all that stored up popular science, was quickly infiltrating her in heart of her grandson Bernardo. 

Dona Eloisa always took Bernardo to church, so that he could practice religion he was learning.  
She taught him to pray Rosary, instilled respect for all people.
And child took pleasure in that.

 

When Bernardo was a boy, he called his grandmother "mama," she told him.
"I'm not your mom, you have 2 moms: one on mountain & one in sky."
She didn't meet her real mother, but much later, when she was 18 years old.  

Bernardo, however, continued living with his grandmother, until she died on April 5, 1974.
Bernardo had 43 years, & from then on he lived alone.  
For that his grandmother had prepared him, teaching him to cook, wash clothes & do any other domestic work.

 

The First Communion of Bernardo

 

Bernardo gave his first communion when he was 7 years old.
 He was prepared by his aunts, Genovena Martínez, Rafaela & Rosa.  
Bernardo gave first communion in Comalapa, a neighboring town of Cuapa. 
The parish priest of Comalapa, was Father Ignacio & Arias.  
This was a very kind priest.  

Bernardo answered very well all questions in booklet & prayer "All faithful Christian." 
Happy Father Genovena said jokingly. 
"You know more than I. 
You can make First Communion."  
And Bernardo confessed to him, & next day was the Mass & he gave his First Communion.

Devotion to Image of La Purísima

 

Bernardo was about 8 years old, & he was a totally simple kid, a peasant from shores of Cuapa.  
His grandmother, who'd raised him in innocence, took him from time to time to Juigalpa, along old road, the one that passes near rock, & traveled only on foot or on horseback.  
Then there was no other way, to go to departmental head.  
The current road wasn't yet.

 

In Juigalpa they went to parochial church, & after mass, while grandmother was entertaining talking with her friends, Bernardo walked altars, seeing different images, & choosing  one she liked most.  
Soon he decided on one, that of La Purisima.  
He saw her & fell in love with her.  
Every time they returned to Juigalpta, he'd visit her.  
That's how 5 or 6 years went by.

 

One day Bernardo, now a little boy, about 14 years of age, went to visit Father Octavio Mejia Vilchez, Parish Priest of Juigalpa, to whose jurisdiction Cuapa belonged.  
Father Mejia was intelligent & active, but irritable when he was attacked by pains in his legs.

 

The Father asked Bernardo.  
"Are you going to come to procession we're preparing?" "'Which procession?" Bernardo asked. 

"Maria's daughters are going to buy a new image of the virgin, of Barcelona from Spain, modern & very beautiful, we're going to put it in place we already have, because you can't have 2 images of the Purisima in the We are going to bring it in procession from El Salto to Juigalpa (about 2 & a half kilometers). 
"You're invited to join us"

 

Bernardo thanked him for invitation & asked him "And what are you going to do with old image?"  
"I don't know what to do with her, she replied, nobody wants her, not even as a gift."

 

Then he told her that they'd probably burn her.  
That was for Bernardo like a wound in the heart, & he felt sad.  
Burn the image of the Virgin Mary?  
The very Image that tango liked him?

 

"Father told you then, don't you want to sell it?"

 

He replied that he could sell it in 300 córdobas.  
An amount that then amounted to more than 40 dollars, which was a small capital, for a peasant boy of 14 years.

 

"It's good," Bernardo replied, "if we can buy it, we'll buy it, because in Cuapa we don't have an image of La Purisima." 
And Bernardo, then began to walk around Cuapa talking to adults about case, but people didn't pay attention.

 

Bernardo then addressed the young people & girls. 
Irma Menese, Dionisia Aragón & others formed a Committee, to request & collect 300 córdobas.  
At that time a banana cost a penny, a banana cost 5 cents or a real (10 cents). 
They never gave a córdoba. 
In a register they carried names of donors, & in a notebook names of collectors.  

On Sunday they went out to ask.  
Some liked to help, others didn't; & they received request in a bad way. 
"Haraganes, they said, they want it to buy their walks". 
That's why several collectors withdrew.  
Several parents forbade their children from asking, for fear they would steal the alms. 
 In end there were only a few girls & Bernardo.  

But they managed to gather 300 córdobas & they took them to Father Mejia Vichez.  
But when Father received money, they prudently asked him to give them a receipt.  
He delivered it with his signature & seal. 
This receipt is still stored in Cuapa File.

 

When Bernardo arrived with Virgin to the Plan of the Stone, there were already people there, waiting. They lowered image the Moor male, they put her in adas & thus they took her on shoulders until Cuapa.

Rockets & songs resounded & first procession of La Purisima was developed. 
 They decorated it with wild flowers & that was a triumph & a happiness. 
When they arrived at village, they placed her standing at a table in the church.  

The procession had traveled 5 or more kilometers.

 

The image was placed in old church, the only one that then existed. 
There he stayed with his dressing room & altar until 1980 without attracting attention.  
But that year, on April 15, it was illuminated by itself, that is to say, it was all shining in darkness of the night.

 

Priestly Vocation

 

From an early age, Bernardo wanted to be a Priest, because he believed that Priests did or thought beautiful things.  
For Holy Week in 1949, Father Salomón Carballo, Director of San Juan Bosco School in Granada went to celebrate Cuapa.  

In those times distance felt greater, because roads weren't so good, however Father Carballo was encouraged & went to Cuapa from Granada, perhaps invited by Lord Bishop.  
GOD rewarded Father Carballo, because now we know treasure that is in Cuapa.  
And there was Bernardo, with his 17th birthday, helping as much as he could, humbly, in the church. 

 

And he didn't miss opportunity to speak with Father Carballo, telling him that he wanted to be a Priest, but his family opposed it. 
It would be until 1995 that Bernardo is ordained a Priest by Monsignor Bosco Vivas.

Blackmail Bernardo

 

Bernardo told the Priest Jorge Rodríguez, in the Seminary where he is being held, warning him that he couldn't reveal everything MARÍA told him.  
Bernardo says that when Bishop of Juigalpa, Monsignor Pablo Antonio Vega, authorized him to reveal miracle & crowds of pilgrims began to go to Cuapa, 3 officials of Sandinista regime went to see him, to offer him, for free, a hacienda of good lands, with cattle. 

The condition: to say that La Virgen was a Sandinista.  
Bernardo explained that he couldn't miss the truth. They compromised: it would be enough for him to omit that he was anti-Sandinista.

Bernardo replied: "I can't betray her."  
Then, official newspapers like Barricada & Sandinista television began a campaign accusing him of being crazy, hysterical & hallucinated.  
A woman named Sandra, began to haunt him & to whisper in his ear lustful, "I want to see you at midnight."  

The faithful Catholics who protected Bernardo discovered photographers on lookout.  
One morning Sandinista police invaded his house & tried to kidnap him. 
 But devotees who slept in Bernardo's house confronted them.  
The Church to protect him, brought Bernardo to Seminary where he dedicated himself to take care of  garden & delighted with his stories to seminarians.

 

After apparitions, for a most precious gift of Blessed Virgin, Bernardo, at 64 years of age, is ordained a priest in Cathedral of León, Nicaragua, in 1995. 
He died as a holy priest in year 2000 & mass is celebrated of resurrection in same cathedral.

 

THE APPARITIONS OF THE VIRGIN
 

FIRST SIGNS OF THE APPEARANCE: THE IMAGE OF THE VIRGIN, ILLUMINATED - SIGN OF THE LIGHT

The first signs ales begin to occur on April 15, 1980 in church of Cuapa where Bernardo was sacristan.

 

Upon arriving at sacristy is image of the Virgin all illuminated.  
He immediately, in his simplicity, attributes it to fact that boys who played baseball had broken roof & that is why so much light came in.  
But then he saw that it was supernatural.  
Then came another sign: a light on in chapel.

 

Bernardo thought that someone who helped in church had left it that way &, as he was one in charge, he worried about expenses of electricity.  

From that moment, miracles begin to occur in humble peasant's heart.  
He who before tended to anger, according to his own testimony, & fought with people when something wasn't right, now he was silent.  

With success of light on, he thought to pay expenses himself & not say anything, &, with respect to illuminated image, he thought, before checking phenomenon, that he wasn't going to say anything to boys, because it had already been good. 
severe with them charging them roof damage caused previously.

 

When Bernardo used to get angry with anger, now he just gets sad & prays.  
The Virgin brings the light of the Lord that transforms hearts.

 

Bernardo's testimony about the Illuminated Virgin   In the name of the Father, and of the Son, And of the holy spirit. Amen.   I, Bernardo Martínez, am going to tell my Bishop, Bishop Pablo Antonio Vega, about events that occurred in valley of Cuapa.  I want to obey him & in everything I submit to him.   It was in old chapel that signs began, on a date I don't remember; maybe at the end of March.   Entering sacristy I found a glowing spark plug.   Then I blamed, Doña Auxiliadora Martínez, because I thought that she'd left it on.  In another I don't remember, I went back into chapel & found another glowing candle, perhaps in first days of April.   Then I blamed Doña Socorro Barea.   I didn't think that these signals came from sky & that's why I formed a lawsuit with these ladies, for cost of electricity.  I wanted to tell them to be more careful with light & always one who manages keys of a house has to be more careful.  And this was my disagreement.   But when I wanted to go to scold them & went to house to do them, I couldn't say anything.   The innocent looks - inside me I looked at those - I saw that he was blaming them without guilt.  I thought then to say nothing & if something was spent more than minimum, pay it myself.   On April 15, 1980, I looked at illuminated image.  I thought that it was boys who, playing in plaza, had broken tiles & that was how image came into view.   I also thought that I was going to charge tiles & repair, because I'd charged him before; since then he hadn't done it again.   But I thought that they'd entered intruded, because I live far away & I thought: "Now I wasn't there, they played & I broke tiles".  I went to see & saw that there was no hole in ceiling; I went out to see if outside light came in through windows & I saw nothing.   I went back to picture to see if they'd put a phosphorescent rosary; I looked at his hands, his feet, his neck ... it was nothing like that.   The light didn't come out of anything; the light came out of her.   For me it was a great mystery.   With lighting that she gave, she could walk without stumbling.   And it was night, almost 8 o'clock at night, because I'd arrived late.   That was when I understood that this thing was strange; that it was no longer a common thing.  For me I thought: "The Blessed Virgin, the Blessed Mother, is angry with me because I've been fighting with people," & I decided to ask her forgiveness because I was so touched to see her so enlightened; I saw the picture beautiful ... Now I don't see it that much anymore.    I went to ring bell because I arrived one hour late & with lighting, later I'd been made to pray rosary.  In my mind I had recorded everything I'd seen & thought. "I'm guilty".   In these thoughts I was walking when I remembered that, as a child, my grandmother told me never to be "the street lamp & darkness of my house".  I understood my sin: I wanted others to make peace & I was fighting in my house.  I say this because it had helped solve a problem in town of Cuapa.   There was division among people, because many opposed arrival of Cubans for literacy; especially literacy boys were opposed.  They said that among all we could do it: teachers, students of school & volunteers of town.  The boys were so violent that they said: "If father wants Cubans to come here, he better go to his Italy". But little by little, talking to father we arrange everything without violence.  I say that "we all arranged, because Cubans didn't get Cubans for literacy.   But in Comarca del Silencio (village on other side of mountains, about 10 kilometers east of Cuapa) there was a problem with a boy who got sick & had to take a Cuban to replace him.  It turns out that Cuban, seeing that peasants thank God for food, said to them: "Don't say that, say as we say, Thanks to Fidel, I've already eaten."   This came to be as proof that we were right in not wanting Cubans to come to Cuapa, because this boy was teaching to put a man in God's place.

I thought about all this & I returned to thought that there I helped to put peace, but in my house I wasn't doing it. (It is interesting to note, especially in light of Bernardo's ordination, in August 1995, as a priest of Catholic Church, which he considers "the church" as his home.)  And so I decided to ask for forgiveness in front of all people. I did it & they forgave me.   After public forgiveness, I told all people who came to pray rosary, what I'd seen: the illuminated image. But let them keep it secret.   It wasn't so.   The secret ran through all Cuapa & I suffered with it because of jokes that some did.  One of sisters of community went to Juigalpa & told priest who is our pastor.  When I arrived in Cuapa, he'd say to me, "What do you have again?"  I said nothing & he insisted, "You have something."   One day I arrived at Doña Cosuelo Marín & she asked me.   I told her everything that happened & she told me that she believed it & that she told the Virgin that she wanted to see her enlightened.   He made me promise to let him know if he saw her again.   Another day, Father, the priest, asked me, he asked me again & he told me everything they'd already told him.  I said yes; that was true He told me to tell him everything again.  I told him He asked me what I was praying for.    I told him that rosary & 3 Hail Marys to Blessed Virgin since he was little.   And that my grandmother had taught me to invoke her whenever she had some tribulation, saying: "Don't leave me, my Mother".   He also taught me to say:   Mary Help of Christians is the lighthouse of the sea; It is the love of my soul since I knew how to love. She guided me in my childhood & that's why since childhood I always loved her.   I show this to her by heart, because she couldn't read.  Then priest told me to pray & ask Blessed Virgin if she wanted something from us, that she'd manifest herself more clearly. I did it, but I prayed to myself: Holy Mother, don't give me any commission.    I have many problems in the Church. Give assignment to another person, because I want to avoid more problems.  I have many now. I don't want more.  That's what I said to Blessed Virgin.   With passing of days, people began to forget about illumination of image.  I, on my part, continued with my prayer as the father had ordered me.   Now I understand that Blessed Virgin as she wanted to prepare me; as a farmer does with his land.   With that public confession I made to my brothers, with whom I asked for forgiveness, I was like place where a change was made.  I had a change with which She prepared me.

FIRST APPEARANCE: MAY 8 "I AM COMING FROM HEAVEN, I AM THE MOTHER OF JESUS"
CONSOLATION & MISSION
 

The first appearance occurs on May 8, 1980. Bernardo's heart was experiencing sensations that he couldn't understand, so he decided to go fishing in river to dissipate a bit.
On way back with his fishing, he lay down on a tree to pray.

 

At 3 in afternoon he sees a flash of lightning &, without knowing where it came from, walked about 6 steps & saw another flash of lightning, then began to see image of Virgin of La Asunción, known in Nicaragua as Immaculate Conception or Immaculate Conception.  

He thought that they were playing a joke &, although he was amazed at what he saw, he didn't say anything, until in one of movements of the Lady, which is what Bernardo calls her, the Virgin with rays that came out of her hands. they hit Bernardo's chest; & it is then that He dares to ask him: "Who are you?", to which she responded with sweetness:

"I come from heaven, I am the mother of Jesus."

 

Bernardo immediately recalled that priest with whom he'd spoken when first signs appeared, recommended him to ask Virgin what his wishes were.  
Once question is asked, the Lady responds:

 
"I want you to pray Rosary every day. I don't want you to pray it only in month of May.
 I want you to pray permanently, as a family, from children who have the use of reason ... to pray at a fixed time when there are no problems with household chores "

 

He continued to teach & tell him that the Lord doesn't like us to pray lightly or mechanically, & that is why he recommended recitation of rosary with biblical quotations & wanted us to put word of God into practice.  

He also said: "Love yourself, do your homework, make peace, don't (alone) ask for peace to the Lord, because if you don't do it, there will be no peace."

After a pause he said: "Nicaragua has suffered a lot since earthquake.  
She is threatened to suffer even more.  
It will continue to suffer if you don't change.  
Reza, my son, the rosary all over world . "  

The Virgin continued: "Tell believers & non-believers that serious dangers lie in wait for world.  
I ask the Lord to placate his justice; but if you don't change, they will shorten coming of a third world war. "  

Bernardo, realizing that he had to tell all people, replied: "Madam, I have many problems in the Church. Tell someone else. "To which She replied: " 
No, because the Lord has chosen you to give you the message."

 

This reaction of Bernardo reminds us of other seers, as Juan Diego before Virgin of Guadalupe Bernardo preferred to keep everything in secret, but he was sad & felt like a burden of not saying what he'd seen.  

Eight days later, when he was in search of a calf, he looked for another path that wasn't that of  apparition.  
After walking for a while, he saw a flash of lightning & felt joy of first time; then another lightning came & immediately saw the Virgin.  

She said in a kind but complaining tone: "Why didn't you say what I told you to say?" 
And Bernardo replied: "I'm afraid. I'm afraid they'll make fun of me. "
And then the Virgin said to her: "Don't be afraid. I'm going to help you; tell priest . "  
There was another lightning bolt & then it disappeared.

 

Watch video

SECOND APPEARANCE: JUNE 8 "THE WAY OF HEAVEN"

 

On June 8 Bernardo went to place of apparitions, but nothing happened.  
But at night he had a dream in which he saw Virgin in ugar of apparitions.
She pointed to an area of sky & there appeared, as in movies, a crowd of people wearing beautiful clothes.

He describes it this way: "I looked at a group of people, who, dressed in white, walked towards where the sun rises.  

They sang I heard them, but I didn't understand the words.  
They had a joy that I'd never seen.  
Then another group appeared, & the Virgin told me: 'Look.   
These are first communities when Christianity began.
They are first catechumens.  
Many of them were martyrs.  

Do you want to be martyrs? Would you like to be a martyr? "Bernardo continues:"
I didn't know what this meant but I said yes. 
"Then I saw another group, dressed in white with luminous rosaries in their hands. 

I saw them in prayer, they prayed Lord's Prayer & 10 Hail Marys, I prayed with them, then I saw a third group, all dressed in brown, & after praying, the Lady said to me: 'These received rosary from hand of the first.'  

A 4th group came, but these, they were dressed as we dressed, I felt suddenly that I could enter this group, because they dressed like I. 
But I looked at my hands & I saw them black, they, on other hand, as previous ones gave off light "

 

Then I said: Lady with these I'm going because they're dressed like me.  
She told me: 'You still don't have it, you have to tell people what you have seen & heard.
I've shown you the glory of the Lord, & this you'll acquire if you obey the Lord, the word of the Lord, if you persevere in recitation of Holy Rosary & put into practice word of the Lord. '"

 

Watch video

THIRD APPARITION: JULY 8 "THE POWER OF PRAYER"

 

For apparition that corresponded to 8 of July the Virgin didn't come to place of apparitions, but Bernardo had a dream that was related to iona with confirmation of all these events that seemed supernatural.

 

The dream also has to do with requests & orders that people made Bernardo to ask the Lady.
In dream, Bernardo sees an angel & he tells him that prayer he had made, in place of the apparition & where the Virgin didn't arrive, had been heard.  

Among requests of many people, was that of a lady who had a brother imprisoned, accused unjustly; & angel brought a message to them.  
The angel said: "Go & tell the sister that prisoner is very sad; to advise you not to sign a document; that they're going to pressure him to sign it, making himself responsible for some money; He is innocent.  

That she doesn't grieve, that she will be able to talk to him alone, that they'll treat her with kindness. Quevaya on Monday to commando of Juigalpa to give all steps to remove it, because that day they're going to give it.  
Let him carry a thousand córdobas because they'll charge him the fine . " 

Bernardo, awake from sleep, did what angel commanded.  
Everything went as angel had said.  
Then the lady, amazed at event, went to thank Bernardo for what happened.
 

FOURTH APPARITION: SEPTEMBER 8 "BE LIVING TEMPLES"

 

In August there was no appearance, but until month of September.

Bernardo was accompanied by many people, to place of apparition; & as was custom, at second flash he saw the Lady, only this time he saw her as a child. Bernardo described it this way: "  
She was beautiful, but girl.
She was small, she wore a pale cream tunic. 

 

He had no veil, no crown, no cloak.
No embellishment, no embroidery.  
The dress was long, long sleeves & was tight with a cord brushed at waist.  
His hair fell to his shoulders & was brown.  

The eyes also, although clearer, almost honey-colored.
 All of it radiated light.  
She looked like the Lady, but she was a girl. It was like an 8-year-old girl . "

 

When he spoke to him, he gave him the message saying: "I want you to pray rosary, every day.
I don't want to be prayed only in May. " .. And continues successively as in first.  
Bernardo tells him that, as they want to build a church, there are people who've given him money & have already collected 80 córdobas.  

She replies: "No. The Lord doesn't want material temples.  
He wants the living temples, which are you.  
Restore the Holy Temple of the Lord.
In you the Lord has all his indulgences. "

 

Watch video

FIFTH APPEARANCE: OCTOBER 13 "VIRGENCITA DE CUAPA"
 

In this appearance Our Mother appears as the Sorrowful Virgin.

He said he was sad because it hurt to see hardness of some people's hearts; & he asked Bernardo to pray for those people to change; he recommended renewing devotion of first 5 Saturdays; & concluded by telling Bernardo that he'd no longer see her in that place.

 

The message of Our Lady in Cuapa, Nicaragua

 

Bishop Bernardo Hombach, Bishop of Diocese of Granada, told us that message of Virgin of Cuapa is deeply biblical & corresponds to sound doctrine of the Church.
The message of Cuapa helps to deepen devotion to Virgin Mary on a biblical & Christological foundation, as understood by our Mother Church.

 

The main points of Message are:

 

Pray the Holy Rosary, every day. In family.
At a quiet hour.  
Meditating the mysteries with the Holy Scriptures.

Ask for faith, patience, strength to carry the cross.

Renew devotion of First Saturdays.

Meditate on Beatitudes.

Love each other & forgive each other.

Make peace you; Do not be satisfied with asking for it.
If you don't do it, there will be no peace.  
Talk among yourselves; understand yourself, & never go to violence.

Nicaragua has suffered a lot, & will continue to suffer if you don't change.

Don't be afflicted: I am with you even if you don't see me.  
A Mother never forgets her children.

Invoking me with these words: "HOLY VIRGIN, you are my Mother, the Mother of all of us sinners."

 

MANIFESTATION OF VIRGIN MARY IN THE CHURCH OF NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LAS VICTORIAS, AT THE CRUISE
 

"At about 12:00 at night I heard voice of the Virgin as appearance in Cuapa, entered my room surrounded by light with a veil on her head, a crown, a light blue mantle & a child in her arms"

 

"Son I am happy because you're following my apparitions, I want the parish of Our Lady of Victories to be restored, that catechisms be given ...".

 

The Manifestation on the Cruise

 

In 1987 Bernardo had a manifestation of Virgin Mary in the Church of Our Lady of Victories, in El Crucero. El Crucero is a small town located at kilometer 24 of Carretera Sur, leaving Managua towards Diriamba. Bernardo related demonstration thus:

 

When I arrived in Managua, fleeing persecution that Sandinista government had unleashed against me, I spent 4 years hiding in Minor Seminary & then, in 1986, I asked Bishop to let me go to work in  church of Our Lady of Victories, because the first, Monsignor Anclino, was very old. 

I got permission & went to help him, but I saw. 
There was a lot of work to be done, both spiritual & material, & I couldn't find where to start.

I asked Monseñor Mondragón to assign some seminarians to help me, & he sent me 12 boys, but they were those who'd just entered seminary & didn't have much instruction. 
Then I went to Jesuits' house, bought some catechisms & gave them catechism so that they could educate themselves & teach the people. 
Then it was that it unleashed great persecution against young people, to force them to military service.

Young people at that time were taken without training or instruction; simply to die in mountains of Nicaragua. 
I was afraid they'd take boys who were with me. 
When we met with young people, there was a house nearby where militiamen were & they looked at us as if to say: "They're so calm & we're here with this rifle ....." 
There is always a spirit of revenge. 
Truth?, in which he is in a difficult situation, against which he is in a better situation, & I was afraid of that.

That was when, on March 7, we met to sleep in sacristy of church. 
Coin the doors well, securing them so that nobody enters; because this also happened, that they entered houses at night to take boys away. 
They didn't do it by day, but by night, like a kidnapping, & young disappeared; they took them, I don't know where. 
Neither his parents nor anyone else knew them, only authorities. 
Because of this, I couldn't sleep, because I was taking care of boys.

They slept in rooms, while I thought: "Maybe they come to look for them, but here we have some clubs to not let them take them, it's better to die here - I thought - rather than go to die in mountains, but this is humanly speaking Because the religious thing can't be done that way, Humanly, because they're a man like any other, I thought we should beat them, but they were better armed, because we only had clubs & they could shoot us & we would die.
When it occurred to me, "This is Satan's temptation," to beat people up & to bother people, then I took out my rosary, sat on bed & prayed rosary.

It was already past midnight when I said to myself, "I'm going to rest a little while, then continue praying, to calm down & sleep for a month." 
Because sometimes I fall asleep praying rosary. 
That was when I heard voice calling me: "Bernardo" I recognized Ella's voice; the sweetest voice that I always describe when I tell apparitions of the Virgin.

I said to myself: "The Virgin spoke to me!" 
Could it be that someone is imitating her, trying to trick me so that I open door & take boys away? 

"But I thought" No; no one can imitate it. 
"Because there have been people, especially women, who've wanted to imitate the voice, to see if I can recognize it & say this is voice, but none is same, so I was convinced:" 
No one can imitate it, & much less a man. 
"I replied:" Here I am ".

So, I hadn't turned on light or opened doors (which are made of wood) when I saw a light pierced table of door & room was lighting up. 
I looked at myself & thought, "How does that light go through door like it's glass?"

And then I see that Ella also passes through door & stops in front of me. SHE! 
Then I knelt down. 
One of boys slept near me; I touched her foot & said, "Get up, the Virgin entered our room, look at her, see how beautiful she is!"

The boy answered me, "Let me sleep, I'm getting tired". 
This he said as if asleep, so I left him alone. 
 Then I saw it well. 
The light in room came from an aureole of light that was around the body. 

He wore a blue-sky cloak crossed over his shoulder; dress was white, with long sleeves, gathered here (pointing to her sleeves) & reached to her feet; only something of fingers could be seen. 
His face -as I always describe it- was of a slightly dark complexion, with brown eyes & brown hair. 

Her head was covered with a white veil thrown back, under which her hair came out a little, & I saw that it was brown. 
On his head he wore a beautiful crown, like a queen, that ended in a cross, & was adorned with precious stones & shone like gold.

 

In  arm he brought a male Child, about a year old, with a slender body; He wasn't very fat or very thin, but slender. 

He had a resemblance to Ella and his hair split to side.
He was dressed in a cream-colored tunic & had a blanket, like one used by mothers who were warned when children were small. 

El Niño played with his hands, like every child, & put them in his mouth. 
He touched his feet & babbled words; he smiled. 
When She spoke, He also spoke in His language as a child. 
The words that She pronounced were following:

I am happy with you, because you're following inspirations that I've given you. 
 I sent you to this parish of Santa María de Las Victorias because it is very decayed & I want it restored. 
 I want catechism to be given in every corner & talk about word of God; I want you to return to tradition of the Church & holy water.

At that moment, in small room I saw a huge church, very beautiful, & in main door there was a holy water & people put their thumbs, they crossed themselves & went to pray to Blessed Sacrament.  
Later this vision disappeared, & room became a huge church.

Novena to the Virgin of Cuapa >>>

Videos