Mystical
Roses
Rosa
Mystica
On June
13 1947 the Virgin appeared again in the hospital to Pierina Gilli.
This
time she was dressed in white and instead of three swords as she had previously
had, there were three roses at her breast:
a
white. a red. and a golden yellow one.
Our
Lady also explained the significance of the roses:
The
white rose means the spirit of prayer; the red rose, the spirit of
sacrifice,
and the
golden yellow rose refers to the spirit of penance and conversion
The Story of 'Rosa Mystica' began in 1946 in Montichiari, Italy
in a little village. It was there that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a
nurse, Pierina Gilli.
In
the spring of 1947, a nurse Pierina Gilli, was praying in the chapel of the
hospital in Montichiari and Our Lady, Mother of God, appeared to her in a
glorious vision of light and majesty. She
was dressed in mauve and appeared full of sadness and her eyes were filled with
tears.
(
The relevance of Our Lady dressed in mauve, and its
association with the 13th of the month. It is in the Book of Esther, named after
the great Old Testament Jewish queen who put on garments of mourning for three
days when she heard of the plot to exterminate all the Jews living in the
Persian empire. It was planned for the 13th of the month. After the three days.
Esther then took off her mourning attire. pleaded with King Ahaseurus and saved
her people. Our Lady came to Montichiari as the mournful Esther of the New
Testament in an attempt to save her consecrated ones and the people dedicated to
God.)
(Please
note that there is here no desire to anticipate the judgement of the Church as
to whether these reported apparitions are of a supernatural character or not.)
Her
Heart was pierced by three swords and the meaning of these swords was explained
to Pierina.
1.
The first, was
caused by unworthy celebration of Mass and reception of the Eucharist
2.
The second, infidelity
to the vocation of priest or religious
3.
The third, abandonment of the faith.
Our
Lady asked for Prayer, Sacrifice and penance, and said when next she visited, :
" I
desire that the 13th of each month be celebrated as a Marian day,
with special prayers said on the preceding twelve days.
On this day I shall pour out vocational holiness and abundant graces on
those religious orders and spiritual institutes who have specially honoured me."
“I
desire that the 13th July be celebrated each year in honour of
the “Rosa Mystica”
(the
Mystical Rose)”.
Pierina interpreted the words “Mystical Rose” as follows:
“Mary is the master teacher of innermost, mystical life and the Mother of the
Mystical body of Christ; in other words: She
is the Mother of the Church.”
This interpretation by Pierini appears to be confirmed
by Pope Paul V1 in his final speech during the third meeting of the Council, in
21st November, 1964. In
the presence of observers from the separated Churches, he declared Mary as the
Mother of the Church: finally, he let his heart speak out and said, “We
desire that, in the future, the Most Blessed Virgin be still more honoured under
this title, and so called by this lovely title by the Christian people.”
So
we can feel re-assured when we venerate Mary calling her by the title “Rosa
Mystica
The
Blessed Virgin Mary appeared a number of times each time asking Pierina for
prayer.
THE SEVENTH
APPEARANCE
On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (8th
Dec.) 1947, a great many priests were present.
It was only with a great deal of effort that Pierina was able to get into
the Basilica. She knelt in the
centre of the Church, just where the other apparitions had take place.
During the recitation of the Holy Rosary, Our Lady appeared on a large
white staircase, decorated with white, red and yellow roses.
She said with a smile:
“I am the Immaculate Conception.”
And descending
several steps with great majesty She continued:
“I am
Mary, Full of Grace, Mother of My Divine Son Jesus Christ.”
Descending even
more, She said:
“Through my coming to Montichiari, I wish to be known as the Rosa Mystica. It
is my wish that every year, on the 8th December, at noon, the “Hour of Grace
for the World” be celebrated.
Many graces will be received through this devotion.
My Divine Son Jesus, will send his overflowing mercy if good people will
pray continuously for their sinful brothers.
The
Holy Father, Pope Pius X11, should be notified that it is my wish that “Hour
of Grace” be made known and spread throughout the world.
If
anyone is unable to visit his church, yet will pray at noon at home, he will
also receive graces through me.”
Then Our Lady showed Pierina her Heart and said:
“Look
at this Heart which loves mankind so very much, but most people only shower
offences upon it. If the good and
the bad unite in prayer they will obtain mercy and peace through this Heart. The Lord is still protecting the good in holding back a great
punishment because of my intercession.”
Our Lady smiled again and went on: “Soon
one will recognise the greatness of this Hour of Grace.”
When Pierina saw that Our Lady was going to depart, she
said: “ Dear
Lady, I thank you! Bless my
homeland Italy, and the whole world, but especially the Holy Father, the priests
the religious, and the sinners.”
Our Lady replied;
“I
have already prepared a flood of graces for all the children who listen to my
words and keep them in their hearts.”
She assured Pierina that she would return at a suitable time
when the secret entrusted to her, would be made public through the
ecclesiastical authority. Our Lady
then said ‘goodbye.’
Pierina
withdrew to a convent where, hidden from the world, she served in the kitchen
and where she waited in silence for the hour which, as promised, came after 19
years, on White Sunday (Sunday after Easter), 17th April, 1966, in
Fontanelle, a settlement of only a few houses spread around and situated about 3
km outside Montichiari. Our Blessed
Lady kept her promise.
Why Does The Blessed Virgin Mary Appear?
The
answer to this question was given to Pierina Gilli in an appearance of the
Blessed Virgin on 13th February 1976.
She said:
“I
come once again to tell you, you should make known my message to the wider
public.
For hundreds of years I have come down time and time again, in many
places throughout the world.
If, since my Assumption into Heaven, I had not returned again and again
to the earth to gather my children around me, the world, without my motherly and
loving intervention, would to a great extent have grown cold and dry
towards the Lord.
My
children simply need this my intimate mother-love, for in their weakness they
fall away so easily from the Lord, our Almighty God and Father.
You see, this is the reason for my coming!
Every
time I descend to this earth to bring the message of love,
the whole of Heaven stirs into movement, with great hosts of angels, who
flock round me like a huge garland.
On
the other hand, however, large numbers of my earthly children receive me
apathetically and remain deaf to our invitation to love Our Lord more and
more!”
“Pierina,
repeat over and over again to my specially loved children, the priests, my
desire that they should love me.
Tell
them that they should announce this message of the Lord’s Mother everywhere,
far and wide. They
must not allow all that I have already done in so many centuries, and am still
doing, to save my children, who are in great peril, to be in vain.
The
Lord must be loved, praised and glorified, and that with all the strength of
faith and love."
Source: “Our
Lady Comes
to
Oliveto
Citra by: (
R. Faricy S.J.) (c) 1985
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