The Story

It was a Sunday afternoon, June 18, 1961, and four girls—Conchita, Mari Loli, Mari Cruz and Jacinta—in the small village of San Sebastián de Garabandal in Cantabria, Spain, sought a “little adventure” stealing apples from the school teacher's tree. The tree was at the exit of the town, at the beginning of a steep and stony road that everyone knew as the Path. The Path led up to the mountain, toward the fields where the girls' families worked hard to earn a living raising cattle. When they were on the Path, with the apples still in their hands, a peal of thunder made them shudder. It was strange, because there were no clouds in the sky. Their conscience began to reproach them, and regretting their mischief, they lamented what they had done. Suddenly, the unexpected happened. Conchita fell on her knees, motionless. Her companions became frightened, thinking that something bad was happening to them. They wanted to run to ask for help, but also fell with Conchita. An Angel appeared to them …