CLEMENS BRENTAN, BERNARD E.OVERBERG Y. WILLIAM WESENER
VISIONS AND REVELATIONS OF THE VENERABLE
ANA CATARINA EMMERICK
TOME II
THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST AND HIS HOLY MOTHER
According to the views of Ven. Ana Catalina Emmerick
- Edited by Cristiandad.org Magazine -
Introduction
Every reflection, every praise is a meager voice next to the solemn greatness that emanates from the contemplations of the life of Mary, the exceptional maiden predestined from eternity to be Mother of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. The wealth of details about his ancestors, his birth, his mystical relationship with the Almighty is such that the spirit is suspended.
The life of Our Lord Jesus Christ surpasses, however, this wonder that God deigned to reveal to us through the spirit of Ana Catalina. The preludes and universal commotion that surrounded the birth of Jesus, his childhood, his youth; the acts, miracles and teachings of the Redeemer; His adorable Passion and the events that preceded and followed his Resurrection, including numerous journeys and wonders not recorded in the Gospels, cannot be imagined even by angelic spirits: only God could reveal them to men.
The abbot of Solesmes, Dom Próspero Gueranguer, when the French version of these visions appeared, published an article in Le Monde in 1860, where he expressed: “I said that the life of Jesus seemed to me even more extraordinary than the bitter passion and the life of the Virgin, and I have no doubt that this idea is shared by all those who think about the impossibility in which any writer would find himself if he had to narrate, day after day, with equal interest and with the greatest verisimilitude, the life of a person, even admitting that she was extremely loved and highly esteemed.
What if, at the same time, you took care of writing the most accurate topography of all the cities and places your Hero passes through, if you discovered all the customs, uses and clothing in all their details, narrating the small and large episodes of so many characters? rich and varied of the people on stage, for three whole years and without noticing in all of this a trace, I don't say of invention, but not even of effort in narrating the events?... And what will we say if the author of such a drama is a simple peasant girl from the heart of Europe, without the slightest idea of the customs of the East, which, without deviating in the slightest, she describes and paints, surpassing the brush of an artist and the science of an archaeologist...And what to think Finally, if the Hero of this admirable odyssey is none other than the Son of God himself, of whom the main facts are known from the Gospels, who, however, is shown to us here in the smallest details of his hidden life, without being able to discover a single disagreement that could come from a weak, humble and mortal narrator..."
The Essenes
Santa Ana's ancestors were Essenes. These most pious men descended from those priests who in the times of Moses and Aaron were in charge of transporting the Ark of the Covenant, who received, in the times of Isaiah and Jeremiah, certain rules of life. At first they were not numerous. Later they lived in the Holy Land, gathered in an area about 78 kilometers long and 38 kilometers wide, and only later did they approach the Jordan regions. They lived mainly on Mount Horeb and Carmel. In the early days, before Isaiah gathered them together, they lived dispersed, dedicated to penance. They always wore the same clothes and did not mend them or change them until they fell apart due to old age. They lived in a married state, but with great purity of customs. Sometimes, by mutual agreement, man and woman separated and spent some time dedicated to prayer. When they ate, the men were separated from the women; They ate first and when the men left, it was the women's turn.
Since then, there were already, among these Jews, ancestors of Ana and the Holy Family. The so-called “sons of the prophets” also derive from them.
They lived in the desert and around Mount Horeb. In Egypt I also saw many of them. Because of the wars, they stayed away from Mount Horeb for a while; but they were caught again by their bosses. The Maccabees also belonged to them. They were great worshipers of Moses: they had a piece of his clothing, which he had given to Aaron and which had remained in his possession. It was something sacred to them, and I saw that on one occasion about fifteen died fighting to defend this sacred treasure.
The leaders of the Essenes were aware of the mystery contained in the Ark of the Covenant. Those who remained celibate formed a separate group, a spiritual order, and were tested at length for several years before being admitted. The heads of the order received them for more or less time, depending on the inspiration they received from above. The Essenes who lived in marriage observed a lot of strictness between themselves and their wives and children, and maintained the same relationship with the true Essenes that the Franciscan Tertiaries had with the Franciscan Order. They used to consult all their affairs with the former chief of Mount Horeb. The celibate Essenes were of indescribable purity and piety. They wore long, white clothes, which they kept perfectly clean. They were in charge of educating children. To be admitted to the order they must be at least fourteen years old.
People of great piety were tested only for a year; the others by two. They lived in perfect purity and did not trade; What they needed for their sustenance was obtained through the exchange of their agricultural products. If an Essene erred seriously, he was expelled from the order, and this excommunication was usually followed by punishment, as in the case of Peter with Ananias, that is, he died. The chief knew by divine revelation who had made a serious mistake. I saw that some only had to do penance: they wore a very rigid bag, with their arms outstretched, which they could not bend, and the inside full of sharp points. They had their caves on Mount Horeb. In a larger cave, a wicker room was set up where at eleven o'clock everyone gathered for a common meal. Each had a small loaf of bread and a glass in front of them. The chief went from one to another blessing the bread. After the meal, each person returned to their cell. In that room I saw a small altar, and blessed bread was covered on it, which was then distributed to the poor. There were many doves so tame that they pecked your hands. They ate from these doves, and I knew they had some kind of religious cult through them, because they said something about the birds and let them fly. In the same way, I saw that they said something about lambs, which they then let wander in the desert.
Three times a year they went to the temple in Jerusalem. They had priests among them, who took care of the sacred garments, who purified, remade and paid for their work. They were involved in agriculture, animal husbandry and especially the cultivation of orchards. Mount Horeb was full of gardens and fruit trees, among its huts and dwellings. Others wove with wicker or cloth, or embroidered and decorated priestly vestments. They did not use the silk for themselves: they took it tied to the market and exchanged it for products.
In Jerusalem they had a special neighborhood for themselves and even a reserved place in the temple. Ordinary Jews did not get along with them. I saw offerings brought to the temple, like large grapes, carried by two men, impaled on a stick. They carried lambs, which were not sacrificed but allowed to run freely. I have not seen them offer bloody sacrifices. Before leaving for the temple, they prepared themselves with prayer, rigorous fasting, disciplines and other penances. Anyone who approached the temple with sins not penitentially satisfied feared being punished with sudden death, which sometimes happened. If on the way to Jerusalem they met a sick or needy person, they would not continue on their way until they had helped the helpless person. I saw them gather medicinal herbs, prepare drinks and heal the sick with these means: they laid their hands on them or lay with their arms outstretched over the sick. I saw them heal sometimes from a distance. The sick who could not come sent a messenger, in which they did everything the real sick person needed, and he was cured at the same moment.
Saint Anne's ascendants
In the time of Ana's grandparents, old Arcos was chief of the Essenes. This man had visions in Elijah's cave on Mount Horeb, concerning the coming of the Messiah. He knew from which family the Messiah should be born. When Arcos had to prophesy about Ana's ancestors, he saw that the moment was approaching. He did not know, however, that the order was sometimes delayed and interrupted by sin, and how long this delay lasted. However, he urged penance and sacrifice. Ana's grandfather was an Essene called Estolano before his marriage. In honor of his wife and her possessions, he was later called Garesha or Sarziri. Ana's grandmother was from Mara, in the desert, and her name was Moruni or Emorun, that is, exalted mother. She joined Estolano on the advice of the prophet Arcos, who was head of the Essenes for ninety years and was a holy man with whom they always consulted before getting married, to listen to his word and make the right choice. I was surprised to see that these holy men and prophets always prophesied about female descendants and that Hannah's ancestors and Hannah herself always had female daughters. It seemed that it was their religious intention to prepare pure vessels, which should bear holy children, like the Forerunner, the Savior, the apostles, and the disciples.
II Ancestors of Saint Anne
I saw that Emorun, before the wedding, went to consult Arcos. She had to enter the meeting room, on Mount Horeb, in a designated place and speak, through a grill, with the supreme leader, as is used in the confessional. Then Archos climbed many steps to the top of Mount Horeb, where Elijah's cave was. The entrance was small and a few steps led down. The cave was clean and tidy and light entered the interior through an upper opening. I saw, against the wall, a small stone altar and on it Aaron's rod and a shining cup as if it were made of precious stone. In this chalice a part of the sacrament or mystery of the Ark of the Covenant was deposited. The Essenes acquired this treasure when the Ark fell into the hands of their enemies.
Aaron's rod was kept in a tree-shaped sheath with yellow leaves around it. He couldn't tell if the little tree was real or just an artistic work, like a Jesse root. When the superior of the Essenes prayed about a marriage, he took Aaron's rod in his hands. If the union referred to the genealogy of the Virgin Mary, the rod produced a bud and it blossomed several times with the sign of election. Ana's ancestors were chosen as sprouts from this genealogy, and her daughters were chosen through these signs, who gave other sprouts when they were about to get married. This small tree with its twisted branches was like the family tree, like the root of Jesse, through which one could know the proximity of Mary's birth, depending on what had grown. There were other small bushes in pots on the altar that had meaning when they sprouted or withered. Around the walls were spaces guarded by fences, where the bones of ancient Israelite holy men who lived and died on the mountain and in the surrounding area were preserved, wrapped in silk and wool. Also in the same caves of the Essenes I saw similar bones before which they prayed, placed flowers or lit lamps.
Arcos dressed in the manner of the temple priests when he prayed in the cave of Elijah. His clothing was made up of eight parts. First, a garment that Moses wore was placed on the chest: a kind of scapular, which had an opening for the neck and fell in equal length over the chest and back. Over it he wore a white silk alb, cinched with a wide belt and a stole crossed over his chest that reached his knees. Then he put on a kind of white silk chasuble, which reached the ground on his back, with two bells at the bottom. Around his neck he wore a kind of rigid tie, fastened at the front with buttons. His long beard rested on this tie. Finally, he put on a small cloak of bright white silk, fastened at the front with three stone hooks, on which were engraved letters or signs. From both shoulders hung a kind of precious stones, six in number, some also engraved. In the middle of the back there was a shield with signs and letters. Fringes, tassels and fruits were visible on the robe. On his arm he carried a handle. The miter was made of white silk wrapped like a turban and finished in a silk ornament that had a gold plate with precious stones on the forehead.
Arcos prayed prostrate or lying on the floor in front of the altar. I saw that he had a vision in which he saw a rose bush with three branches coming out of Emorun. On each branch there was a rose and the rose on the second branch was marked with a letter. He also saw an angel writing a letter on the wall. Then Arcos declared to Emorun that she should marry the sixth suitor who would have a daughter, with sign, who would be a vessel of choice for the upcoming promise. This sixth suitor was Estolanus. They did not live long in Marah, but moved to Efrem.
I also saw his daughters Emerência and Isméria consult the elderly Arcos, who advised them to get married because they were also chosen vessels for the next promise. The eldest, Emerência, married a Levite called Afras and was the mother of Elizabeth”, mother, in turn, of John the Baptist. Another daughter of Estolano was called Enué. Isméria was the second daughter of Estolano and Emorun. At birth she had the sign that Arcos said he saw on the second rose in his vision of Emorun. Isméria married Eliud, from the tribe of Levi. They were of noble status and rich in property. I noticed this in the vast domestic economy. They had a lot of cattle, but it seemed like they distributed everything to the poor and not to themselves. They lived in Sepphoris, six leaves from Nazareth, where they owned property. They had a possession in the valley of Zebulun, where they went in the good times of the year and where Eliud took up residence after the death of his wife Ismeria. Joaquim's father settled in the same valley with his family. The pious education that Estolano and Emorun had was passed on to their daughter Isméria and Eliud. Isméria's first daughter was called Sobe. Later, she married Solomon and was the mother of Mary Salome, who married Zebedee, father of the apostles James the Greater and John. As Sobe did not carry the sign spoken by Archos, the parents were very sad and went to Mt. Horeb saw the prophet, who imposed on them prayer and sacrifice, and comforted them.
For eighteen years they had no children, until Ana was born.
Then they both had a night vision. Isméria saw an angel writing a letter on the wall next to her bed. She told her husband, who had seen the same thing, and they both saw the letter when they woke up. It was the letter M, which Ana brought into the world at birth, engraved on the lower part of her abdomen. The parents loved Ana in a particular way. I've seen Miss Ana: she wasn't very pretty, but she was prettier than other girls her age. She was by no means as beautiful as Maria; but she was very simple, innocent and pious. That's how I saw her at all times, as a young woman, as a mother, as an old woman, so that when I see a really simple peasant girl, I always think: “That's Ana”. Hannah was taken to the temple at the age of five, as was Mary later. She lived there for twelve years and at seventeen returned home. Meanwhile, her mother had a third daughter, named Maraha, and upon returning Ana found a son of her older sister, Sobe, named Eliud.
Maraha later obtained possession of her paternal house, in Sepphoris, and was the mother of the disciples Arastaria and Cocharia. Young Eliud was later the second husband of Naiam's widow Maroni. A year later, Isméria fell ill and died. From his bed of sorrow he brought everyone in the house into her presence, exhorted and advised them, and appointed Ana as housewife after her death. Then he spoke to Hannah and told her that she must marry, because she was a vessel of choice and promise.
III Saint Joachim and Saint Anne
A year and a half later, Ana married Helí or Joaquim, also due to a prophetic warning from the elderly Arco. She should have married a Levite from the tribe of Aaron, like the rest of her tribe; but for the aforementioned reason she joined Jehoiachin, from the tribe of David, as Mary must have been from the tribe of David. She had several suitors and did not know Joaquim; but she preferred him to the others because of the warning from above. Joachim was poor in possessions and was related to Saint Joseph. He was small and thin, he was a man of good character and attractive manners. He had, like Ana, something inexplicable. Both were perfect Israelites and there was something in them that they themselves did not know: a longing and longing for the Messiah and a remarkable seriousness in their attitude. I rarely saw them laugh, although they were not melancholy or sad. They had a calm and peaceful character, always the same and even at a young age they carried the maturity of their elders. They got married in a little place where there was a small school. Only one priest attended the event. Weddings were very simple back then; suitors were generally shy; they talked and thought of nothing else other than that this was how it should be. The bride said “yes” and her parents agreed; if she said “no” instead, having her reasons, the parents would also agree. First it was the parents who resolved the matter; This was followed by conversation in the synagogue. The priests prayed in a sacred place with the scrolls of the law and family members in the usual place. The bride and groom talked in a separate place about the conditions and their intentions, then introduced themselves to their parents who spoke to the priest who came out to listen to them; and a few days later the wedding took place.
Joaquim and Ana lived with Eliud, Ana's father. The rigid life and customs of the Essenes reigned in their house. The house was in Sepphoris, though somewhat remote, among a group of houses, of which it was the largest and most conspicuous. They lived there for about seven years. Ana's parents were quite wealthy; they had many cattle, beautiful tapestries, notable household items, and male and female servants. I didn't see them cultivate fields, but I saw them herd cattle. They were very pious, reserved, charitable, simple and honest. They often divided the cattle into three parts: they gave one part to the temple, where they took them themselves and were received by those responsible for the temple. The other part was given to the poor or to relatives in need, of whom I saw that there were some who took them to their homes. The third part was kept for his needs. They lived very modestly and easily gave what was asked of them. That's why I thought in my childhood:
"Giving produces wealth; you get twice as much as you give." I have seen that this third part was always increased and that very soon they returned to having what they had donated, being able to divide their assets among others again.
There were many relatives who used to get together during the year's festivities.
I didn't see waste or excess on this vacation. They gave some of the food to the poor. I saw no real banquets among them. When they were together, they sat on the floor between mats, in a circle, and talked a lot about God with great hope. Sometimes there were not so good people among the relatives who despised these conversations and how they directed their eyes upward and towards the sky. However, with these bandits, they were good and gave twice as much. I saw that these bad servants demanded with tumult and pretensions what Joaquim and Ana willingly gave. If there were poor people in their family, they would give them a sheep or, sometimes, several. Here Ana had her first daughter, whom she also named Maria. I saw Ana full of joy at the birth of this girl. She was a very kind girl, I saw her grow robust and strong, but very pious and meek. Her parents loved her very much. They had, however, a concern that I did not understand well: it seemed to them that she was not the promised girl (from the prophet's vision) that they should expect from their union. They were sad and troubled as if they had committed something against God. They did long penances, lived separately and increased their charitable works. Thus, they remained in Eliud's house for about seven years, which I could calculate at the age of the first child, when they finished separating from their parents and living in retirement to begin their life anew and increase their piety to obtain God's blessing.
They made this decision at their parents' house and Eliud prepared what was necessary for the trip. The cattle were divided, separating the oxen, the donkeys and the sheep; these animals seemed larger to me than those in our country. Utensils, containers and clothing were loaded onto donkeys and oxen. These people were as skilled at carrying them as animals were at receiving the load placed upon them. We are not as capable of loading goods on carts as they were skilled at loading their animals. They had beautiful kitchen utensils: all their utensils were better and more artistic than ours. Delicate vases of elegant shapes, on which were beautiful engravings, were packed, filled with moss and skillfully wrapped; They were then secured with a strap and hung from the animals' backs. On the backs of the animals they placed all kinds of packages with clothes with multicolored packaging, blankets and blankets embroidered in gold. Eliud gave the dividers a small, heavy bag of dough, as if it were a piece of precious metal.
When everything was in order, servants came to reinforce the procession and herd the animals.
They carried them in front of them toward their new home, which was five or six hours away. The house was located on a hill between the valley of Nazareth and Zebulun. An avenue of terebinth trees bordered the access road to the site. In front of the house there was an enclosed courtyard whose floor was formed by bare stone, surrounded by a low wall, made of living stone; behind this wall above him was a hedge.
On one side of the courtyard there were small rooms to accommodate passengers and store belongings. There was a shed to house cattle and other pack animals. Everything was surrounded by gardens, and in the middle of them, close to the house, there was a large tree of a rare species; Its branches descended to the ground, created roots and new trees sprouted, forming dense vegetation. When the travelers arrived at the house they found everything tidy and everything in its place, as the parents had already sent some with the task of preparing everything that was needed.
The servants and maids untied the packages and put everything in its place. Soon everything was organized and having left the children settled in the new house, they said goodbye to Ana and Joaquim, with kisses and blessings, and returned taking little Maria, who had to stay with her grandparents. In all these visits and on other occasions I never saw them eat excessively or waste. They were placed in a wheel, each containing, on the carpet, two small plates and two containers. They generally spoke at all times only about the things of God and their hopes for the Messiah. The door to the big house was in the middle. Through it you entered a kind of anteroom, which ran the entire width of the house. To the right and left of the room were small rooms separated by woven reed screens, which could be removed or replaced at will. The most solemn meals were held in the room, as happened when Mary was sent to the temple.
Since then they started a completely new life. Wanting to sacrifice their entire past to God and acting as if they were reunited for the first time, they insisted, from that moment on, through a life pleasing to God, on bringing down upon them the blessing that was the only object of their ardent desire. . I saw them visiting their flocks and dividing them into three parts, following the custom of their fathers: one for the temple, another for the poor, and the third for themselves. They sent the best part to the temple; The poor received a good third and reserved the less good part for themselves. As the house was large, they lived and slept in small separate rooms, where it was possible to see them often in prayer, each one for themselves, with great devotion and fervor. I saw them live like this for a long time. They gave a lot of alms and each time they distributed their goods and their livestock, they multiplied quickly again. They lived modestly amid sacrifices and renunciations. I have seen them dressed in penance clothes.
It was a tendency when they prayed and several times I saw Joaquim, while visiting his flocks in remote places, praying to God in the countryside. They persevered in this penitent life nineteen years after the birth of their first daughter, Mary, ardently desiring the promised blessing and their sadness increased every day. I could also see some wicked men approaching them and offending them, telling them that they must be very bad not to be able to have children; that the girl who returned to Ana's parents was not hers; that Ana was sterile and that that girl was a mistake forged by her; If it weren't so, they would have her by her side and many other things. These detractions increased the discouragement of Joachim and Ana. She had the firm inner conviction that the advent of the Messiah was approaching and that she belonged to the family in which the Redeemer should incarnate. She prayed enthusiastically for the promise to be fulfilled and continued to aspire, like Joachim, to an increasingly perfect purity of life. The shame of her sterility distressed her deeply, and she could not attend the synagogue without being offended. Joaquim, despite being small and thin, was robustly built. Ana wasn't big either and her complexion was delicate: the pain consumed her so much that her cheeks were skinless, although quite red. From time to time they led their flocks to the temple or to the houses of the poor, to give them their share of the distribution, increasingly reducing the part they usually reserved for themselves.
IV The Holy and Immaculate Conception of Mary
When Joachim, who was among his cattle again, wanted to return to the temple to offer sacrifices, Hannah sent him doves and other birds in baskets and cages through the servants so that they could go and take them to the field. Joaquim took two donkeys and loaded them with three small, white and very alert animals, with long necks, lambs or goats, enclosed in baskets. He himself carried a lantern on his staff: it was a light in an empty pumpkin. They went up to the temple, guarding the donkeys in an inn that was close to the market. They took their offerings to the highest steps and passed through the temple servants' quarters. There Jehoiachin's servants gathered after the offerings were taken from them. Joaquim entered the room where the fountain was full of water where the victims were washed; He went down a long corridor to another room to the left of the altar of perfumes, the table of showbread, and the five-branched candelabra. Several people who came for the sacrifice were gathered there.
Joaquim had to suffer a very cruel punishment here. I saw a priest, called Rubén, who disdained his offerings, because instead of placing them next to the others, in an apparent place, behind the bars, to the right of the room, he placed them completely to the side. He publicly offended poor Joaquim for his wife's sterility and, without letting him get close, to make the situation worse, he relegated him to a corner. Then I saw Jehoiachin, full of sadness, leave the temple and, passing through Bethany, arrive at the outskirts of Machaerus. He was so sad and embarrassed that, for some time, he didn't say where he was. Hannah's distress was extraordinary when she was told what had happened to her in the temple and when she saw that she was not returning.
For five months, Joachim remained hidden on Mount Hermon. I saw your prayer and your anguish. When he went to where his flocks were and saw his lambs, he was very sad and lay down on the ground, covering his face.
The servants asked him why he looked so distressed; but he did not tell them that he was always thinking about the cause of his pain: his wife's sterility. Here also he divided his cattle into three parts: the best he sent to the temple; the other part was received by the Essenes, and he kept the lowest.
Ana also had to suffer a lot due to the shamelessness of a servant, who reprimanded her for her sterility. He suffered for a long time until he sent her away from home. She had asked to go to a party which, due to the strictness of the Essenes, she could not attend. When Ana denied her permission, she harshly reprimanded her for this refusal, saying that she deserved to be sterile and to be abandoned by her husband for being so bad and so harsh. Then Anne sent the maid away, and through two maids sent her to her parents' house, first showering her with gifts and dowries, begging them to take her in again, as she could no longer keep her with her. Afterwards, she retired to her room and wept bitterly. In the afternoon of the same day he covered his head with a large cloth, wrapped it all around him and went to stay under a large tree in the courtyard of the house. He lit a lamp and dedicated himself to prayer.
Ana remained there for a long time crying out to God and saying: “If you want, Lord, for me to remain sterile, make sure that at least my pious husband returns to my side”. Then an angel appeared to her. He came from above and stood before her, telling her to put peace in her heart because the Lord had heard her prayer; that the next morning she would go with two maids to Jerusalem and that entering the temple, under the golden gate on the side of the valley of Jehoshaphat, she would find Jehoiachin. He added that he was on his way to that place, that his offering would be well received, and that his prayer would be heard there. She told him that she too had already been with Joachim, and ordered him to bring doves for the sacrifice, and announced that she would see the name of the creature which she would later write.
Ana thanked God and returned home happy. When, after praying a lot in her bed, she fell asleep, I saw a radiance appear in her that penetrated her. I saw her, warned by an inner inspiration, wake up and sit up in bed. At that moment I saw a luminous face beside her, writing in large Hebrew letters to the right of her bed.
I know the content of the sentence word for word. In short, he expressed that she must conceive, that her fruit would be unique and that the source of this conception was the blessing that Abraham had received. He already saw her undecided, thinking about how she would communicate this to Joaquim; but she was comforted when the angel revealed to her the vision of Joachim.
I then had the explanation of the Immaculate Conception of Mary and I knew that a sacrament of the Incarnation, of the Immaculate Conception, a mystery of the Redemption of fallen humanity, was hidden in the Ark of the Covenant. I saw Hannah read with wonder and fear the brilliant red and gold letters of the writing, and her joy was so great that she seemed rejuvenated when she rose to go to Jerusalem. I saw, at the moment the angel approached her, a glow under Ana's heart, and there, an illuminated glass. I can't explain it any other way than by saying: there was like a cradle, a closed tabernacle that was now opening to receive something most holy. I cannot express how wonderfully I saw this. I saw it as if it were the cradle of all reborn and redeemed humanity; I saw it as an open sacred vessel, from which the veil was removed. I recognized this quite naturally. This knowledge was natural and heavenly. Ana was then, I believe, forty-three years old.
Joachim's vision
I also saw the appearance of the angel to Joachim. The angel ordered him to take the offerings to the temple and promised that his prayer would be heard. Although he told him to go to the golden door of the temple, Joachim was afraid to go. But the angel told him that the priests had already been informed of his visit. This happened at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. Joaquim built his hut with the help of his shepherds.
On the fourth day of the festival he went to Jerusalem with a large number of sacrificial cattle and lodged in the temple. Hannah, who also arrived in Jerusalem on the same day, went to stay with Zechariah's family at the fish market and met Joachim at the end of the festivities. When Joachim arrived at the entrance to the temple, two priests came out to meet him, who had received a supernatural warning. Joaquim carried two lambs and three goats. His offering was received in the usual place: the victims were decapitated and burned right there. A part of this sacrifice, however, was taken to the right of the antechamber and consumed there.” In the center of the place was the large chair where they taught. As the smoke from the victim rose, a ray of light descended upon the priest and Joachim. There was then a general silence and great admiration. Then I saw two priests carrying Joachim through the side chambers, to the Sancta Sanctorum, before the altar of incense. There the priest poured incense, not in grains, as was customary, but in a compact mass on the altar* (it was a mixture of incense, myrrh, cassia, nard, saffron, cinnamon, fine salt and other products and belonged to the daily sacrifice) , which has been activated. Joachim was left alone before the altar of incense, because the priests walked away.
I saw Joaquim kneeling, with his arms raised, while the incense was consumed. He remained locked in the temple all night, praying with great devotion. He was ecstatic when a glowing face approached him and handed him a scroll containing luminous letters. There were three names: Melia, Anna and Miryam' (Various forms of the names Joaquim, Ana and Maria). Beside them was the figure of the Ark of the Covenant or a small tabernacle. Joaquim placed this written parchment under his clothes, close to his heart. The angel then spoke: "Ana will have an immaculate girl and from her will come the salvation of the world. Ana must not regret her barrenness, which is not for her dishonor, but for her glory. What Ana will have will not be his (Joaquim) , but that through him it will be the fruit of God and the fulfillment of the blessing given to Abraham.” Joachim could not understand this, and the angel took him behind the curtain which was separated just enough for him to remain there. I saw that the angel placed a shining ball like a mirror before Joachim's eyes: he had to blow and look. I thought the angel presented him with the ball, according to the custom of our country where, at weddings, it is presented to the sacristan. When Joaquim blew on the ball, several figures appeared on it, without blurring in the slightest. the angel told him that this way Ana would give birth, through him, without being stained. The angel took the ball and lifted it high, remaining suspended inside it I could see, as if through an opening, a series of related images. that extended from the fall of man to his redemption. There was a whole world there, where things grew out of each other. I was aware of everything, but I can no longer give details.
At the top was the Holy Trinity; below, on one side, Paradise, Adam and Eve, original sin, the promise of redemption, all the figures that announced it in advance, Noah, the flood, the Ark, Abraham's blessing, the transmission of the blessing to his son Isaac, and from him to Jacob; then, when he was taken from Jacob by the angel with whom he wrestled; as happened with Joseph in Egypt; how this manifested itself in him and his wife in a degree of the highest dignity; and how the sacred gift, where the blessing rested, was taken from Egypt by Moses with the relics of Joseph and transformed into the Holy of Holies of the Ark of the Covenant, residence of the living God in the midst of his people. I saw the worship and life of the people of God in their relationships with this mystery, the arrangements and combinations for the development of the holy race, the lineage of the Blessed Virgin, as well as the figures and symbols of Mary and the Savior in history and the prophets . I saw this in symbolic images within the luminous sphere. I saw great cities, towers, palaces, thrones, gates, gardens, flowers, all these images wonderfully linked together by bridges of light. All of this was attacked by beasts and other fearsome apparitions. These paintings showed how the race of the Blessed Virgin, like everything that is sacred, was led by the grace of God, through combats and assaults. I remember seeing, in this series of photos, a garden surrounded by a dense, thorny fence, through which several snakes and similar repulsive animals tried in vain to pass. I also saw a very firm tower, attacked from all sides by warriors, who were then thrown from the top of the walls. I observed many similar images that referred to the story of the Virgin in her ancestors. The passages and bridges that connected the complex signified the victory obtained over obstacles and interruptions that opposed the work of salvation. It was as if an immaculate flesh, a most pure blood, had been placed by God in the midst of humanity, as in a river of murky waters, and had to, through much pain and effort, bring together its dispersed elements, while the river tried to attract them. them to him and stain them; but in the end, with the grace of God, countless favors and faithful cooperation on the part of men, this should, after obscurations and purifications, subsist in a river that incessantly renewed its waters, and was born from the river in the form of the Holy Virgin , from which the Word was born, made flesh, who lived among us.
Among the images that I contemplated in the luminous sphere there are many that are mentioned in the litanies of the Virgin: I see them, compare them, understand them and consider them with deep veneration when I recite the litanies. They later developed in these paintings until the perfect fulfillment of the work of divine Mercy with humanity, fallen into infinite division and laceration. On the side of the luminous globe opposite Paradise, the images reached the heavenly Jerusalem”, at the foot of the throne of God.
After seeing everything, the luminous globe disappeared, which was nothing more than the same succession of images that, starting from one point, all returned to it after having formed a circle of light. I believe it was a revelation made to Joachim by the angels, in the form of a vision, of which I was also aware. When I receive a communication of this type, it always appears to me within a luminous sphere.
VI Joachim receives the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant
The angel took something from inside, without opening the door of the Ark. It was the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant, the sacrament of the Incarnation, the Immaculate Conception, the fulfillment and culmination of Abraham's blessing. I saw this mystery of the Ark as a luminous body. The angel anointed or blessed Joachim's forehead with the tip of his thumb and forefinger; Then the luminous body passed under Joaquim's clothing, from where, I cannot say, it penetrated himself. He also gave him something to drink from a shiny cup or goblet that he held underneath with his two fingers. This cup was shaped like the cup from the Last Supper, but without a stem, and Joachim had to keep it for himself and take it to his home. I understood that the angel ordered Joachim to preserve the mystery, and I understood, then, why Zacharias, the Baptist's father, remained mute after having received from Elizabeth the blessing and the promise of having a son, a blessing and promise that came from the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant. Only later was the mystery of the Ark forgotten by the temple priests. From then on they went completely astray and became hypocrites. The angel took Joachim out of the Sancta Sanctorum and disappeared. Joaquim remained lying on the floor, rigid and beside himself.
I then saw that the priests arrived and, reverently, took Joachim away and sat him in an armchair, on some steps, that only the priests used. The armchair was comfortable and covered in the seat, similar to the chairs Madalena used in her luxurious times. The priests poured water on his face and put something in his nose or gave him something to drink; In a word, they treated him like someone who had fainted.
However, I saw that Joaquim remained, after what he received from the angel, all luminous, younger and more radiant.
VII Meeting of Joachim and Anne
Jehoiachin was guided by the priests to the door of the underground corridor, which passed under the temple and through the right door. This was a path that was used in some cases for purification, reconciliation or forgiveness. The priests left Joaquim at the door, in front of an initially narrow corridor, which then widened and descended gently.
There were columns covered with tree leaves and vines and golden ornaments shone on the walls illuminated by a light coming from above.
Joaquim had already covered a third of the way, when Ana came to meet him, in the corridor, under the golden door where there was a column in the shape of a palm tree with fallen leaves and fruits. Ana was led by the priests through an entrance on the other side of the basement. She had given them, along with her servant, the doves for sacrifice, in some baskets that she had opened and presented to the priests, as the angel had commanded her. She was taken there in the company of other women, including the prophetess Ana. I saw that when Joaquim and Ana hugged each other, they were ecstatic. They were surrounded by numerous angels who floated above them, supporting a luminous tower and recalling the ivory tower, the tower of David and other titles from the Laurentian litanies. The tower between Joachim and Anna disappeared: both were full of glory and splendor. At the same time, the sky opened above them and I saw the joy of the angels and the Holy Trinity and the relationship of all this with the conception of Holy Mary. When they embraced, surrounded by radiance, I understood that it was Mary's conception at that moment, and that Mary was conceived as everyone's conception would have been without original sin.
Joaquim and Ana walked like this, praising God, until the exit. They came to a large arch, like a chapel where there were lamps lit, and they went out. There they were received by the priests, who dismissed them. The temple was open and decorated with leaves and fruits. Worship was held under the sky, in the open air. In a certain place there were eight isolated columns decorated with branches. Joachim and Hannah arrived at an open exit at the edge of the Temple Mountain, facing the Valley of Jehoshaphat. It was not possible to advance further in that direction, as the road turned to the right and left. They even visited a priest and then I saw them and their people going to his house. Upon arriving in Nazareth, Jehoiachin gave a joyful banquet, served many poor people and distributed large amounts of alms. I saw the joy and fervor of the couple and their gratitude to God, thinking about his mercy towards them; I often watched them pray together, their eyes filled with tears.
It was explained to me on this occasion that the Blessed Virgin's parents generated her in perfect purity, through the effect of obedience. If it had not been for the purpose of obeying God, they would have maintained perpetual continence. I understood, at the same time, how purity, chastity, the reserve of parents and their fight against impure vices have an incalculable influence on the sanctity of the children generated. In general, I have always seen incontinence and excess as the root of disorder and sin. I also saw that many people congratulated Joachim for receiving his offering in the temple.
After four and a half months, minus three days, of Anne having conceived under the golden door, I saw that Mary had become so beautiful by God's will. I saw how God showed the angels the beauty of that soul and how they felt an inexplicable joy because of it. I also saw, at that moment, how Mary moved sensibly for the first time in her mother's womb. Ana got up immediately and told Joaquim; Then she went out to pray under that tree under which the Immaculate Conception had been announced to her.
VIII Figures of the mystery of the Immaculate Conception
I saw the land of Palestine dry for lack of rain and Elijah ascended Mount Carmel with two servants; at first, along the slope; then by steps to a terrace, and then again by steps into a plain with a hill that had a cave to which he came.
He left his servants at the edge of the plain to look at the Sea of Galilee, which seemed almost dry, with depths, swamps and holes full of dead fish and animals. Elijah leaned down until he rested his head on his knees, covered himself and cried out loud to God. Seven times he called his servants, asking them if they did not see a cloud rising over the sea. Finally I saw that in the middle of the sea a small white cloud was rising, from which another black cloud emerged, inside which was a white figure; It expanded and at the top it opened widely. As the cloud rose, Elijah saw within it the figure of a luminous Virgin. Her head was crowned with rays, her arms were raised in the form of a cross, in one of her hands was a victory crown and her long dress looked like it was beneath her feet. It seemed to float and spread across the land of Palestine.
Elijah recognized four mysteries of the Immaculate Virgin who should come in the seventh epoch of the world and from what lineage she must come; He also saw on one side of the sea a small and wide tree, and on the other, a very large tree, which spread its upper branches on the small tree. I watched the cloud split. In certain sanctified places, where there lived righteous men who aspired to salvation, the cloud left the cloud like white whirlwinds of dew, which had all the colors of the rainbow at the edges, and I saw the blessing concentrate in them, as if to form a pearl inside its shell. It was explained to me that he was a prophetic figure and that in the blessed places where the cloud had cast the whirlwinds there was real cooperation in the manifestation of the Blessed Virgin. I immediately had a prophetic dream, in which, during the ascension of the cloud, Elijah learned many mysteries related to the Blessed Virgin. Unfortunately, in the midst of so many things that disturb and distract me, I forgot the details, as well as many other things. Elijah knew that Mary should be born in the seventh age of the world; Therefore he called her servant seven times. Again I could see Elijah enlarging the cave over which he had prayed and establishing a more perfect organization among the sons of the prophets. Some of them regularly prayed in this cave to ask for the arrival of the Blessed Virgin, honoring her before her birth. This devotion was perpetuated uninterruptedly, it subsisted thanks to the Essenes, when it was already on earth, and was later observed by some hermits, from which the religious of Carmel finally emerged.
Elijah, through his prayer, directed the clouds of water according to internal inspirations: otherwise, he would have created a devastating torrent instead of beneficial rain. I watched as the clouds sent down the dew first; they fell in white lines, formed rainbow-colored swirls at the edges, and finally fell in raindrops. I recognized in this a relationship with the manna of the desert, which in the morning seemed reddish and dense, covering the ground like a spreading skin. These whirlwinds ran along the Jordan and did not fall everywhere, but in certain places, such as Salem, where John would later baptize. I asked what the reddish edges meant, and I was given the explanation of the sea shell, which also has these multicolored edges, which when exposed to the sun absorbs the colors and, purified of colors, pure white mother-of-pearl is formed. in its center. I can't explain it all any better; but I was given to understand that that dew and that rain meant much more than they could be, considering them only a refreshment of the thirsty earth. I understood that without that dew the coming of Mary would have been delayed a hundred years, while the descendants who feed on the fruits of the earth, and are ennobled by the appeasement and blessing of the soil, would once again magnify those descendants by receiving in the flesh the blessing of the propagation pure.
The mother-of-pearl figure referred to Mary and Jesus. In addition to the aridity of the land due to lack of rain, I observed the sterility of men, and how the rays of dew fell from descendant to descendant, until the substance of Mary. I can't say it better. Sometimes one or several pearls in the shape of a human face appeared on the multicolored edges, which seemed to pour out a spirit that then emerged again with the others.
IX The future Messiah is announced to the pagans
I saw that by the great mercy of God it was announced to the pious pagans of that time that the Messiah would be born of a Virgin in Judea. This happened in Chaldea, where there were astrologers, who saw visions of a figure in the stars or in the middle of the sky; These astrologers then prophesied everything they saw. Also in Egypt I saw announcements about future salvation.
Elijah was ordered to gather several pious families spread across the North, East and Middle East and take them to Judea. Elijah sent three disciples of the prophets, whom he recognized as fit for this purpose, due to a sign that God himself gave to Elijah. He needed very confident people, as it was an arduous and risky company. One of them went to the North, another to the East and the third to the South. This path took him to Egypt along a dangerous path for the Israelites. I saw this on the same road when the Holy Family fled to Egypt and then to the city of Heliopolis. In a valley there was a large temple, surrounded by many buildings, and he arrived there at the time when a live ox was worshiped. There were several figures of these animals in the temple, along with other idols. Children born deformed were sacrificed to the idol. As the prophet passed by, they arrested him and took him before the priests. Fortunately they were, in general, very curious about the news: otherwise they would have killed him. They asked him where he was from and he answered them clearly that a Virgin would be born from whom salvation would come to the world; that then all her idols would fall to the ground broken3. They were amazed at what he told them, they were moved and they let him go.
Then they met in council and caused the figure of a Virgin, which they hung in the middle of their temple, to stretch into the air as if it were hovering. The image had a hairstyle similar to that of its idols, of which a large number were lined up. It had the bust of a woman and the rest looked like a lion.” The image of the Virgin that the Egyptians made had a small, very deep cup on its head, similar to the one they used to measure fruit; the arms up to the elbow were glued along the body, separating from it and extending when lifted. The image had some ears of wheat in its hands; She had three breasts, a larger one in the center and smaller ones on each side. The lower part of the body was wrapped in long clothes; From the feet, small and very thin, hung something like tassels. From both shoulders rose beautiful feathers in the form of rays, which looked like wings and were like two honeycombs closely joined together. It had other feathers crossed hip-width apart, folded upwards in the middle of the body. The dress had no pleats. They honored this image and offered sacrifices to it, begging it not to destroy their ox Apis or the other deities. On the other hand, they persevered in all the abominations of their idolatrous cult, beginning, however, from that moment on, to invoke the Virgin of whom they had made the image, as I believe, according to various indications taken from the prophet's history and trying to reproduce the figure seen by Elijah.
I saw photos of Tobias' story and young Tobias's wedding, through the angel, and I knew that there was a picture of Saint Anne and her story. Old Tobias represented the pious race of Jews who waited for the Messiah. Becoming blind meant that she should not have any more children and that she should devote herself more to meditation and prayer. The annoyance that his wife caused him with her complaints summed up the empty ways of the Pharisees and doctors of the law. The dove was an indication of the approaching spring and the health to come. Blindness indicated an anxious wait for redemption and ignorance of the place of his advent. The angel spoke the truth when he claimed to be Azariah, son of Ananias, as these words meant more or less: the help of God that comes from the cloud of God. The angel was the guide of the descendants and the preservation and direction of the mysterious blessing, until its fulfillment in the Immaculate Conception of Mary. The prayers of old Tobias and Sarah, carried before the throne of God by the angels, having been heard, signified the cries and desires of the pious Israelites and the daughters of Zion, asking for the coming of redemption, and also the cry of Joachim and Anna for obtain the daughter of promise. Tobit's blindness and his wife's murmurings also indicated the contempt shown to Jehoiachin in refusing his sacrifice. Sarah's seven dead suitors signified those ancestors of Mary and salvation, as well as the suitors that Anne had to reject before Joachim. The contempt of Sarah's maid indicated the contempt of the pagans and unbelieving Jews, before the coming of the Messiah, who led the good to pray. She also expressed the contempt of Ana's maid, which motivated her to pray more fervently until her request was answered. The fish that intended to devour Tobias meant Ana's long sterility; The cutting of the liver, bile and heart of the fish expressed mortification and good works. The goat that Tobias's wife brought home as payment for her work was actually stolen, and the men gave it to her because it was good and paid cheaply. Tobias knew these people and knew this, and for this he was reprimanded. It also had the meaning of the contempt that the good Jews and Essenes suffered from the Pharisees, the stereotypical Jews and others I don't remember. The gall with which blind Tobias regained his sight indicated mortification and penance, through which the chosen Jews would come to the knowledge of salvation and redemption. It also indicated the entry of light into darkness, through the bitter passion of Jesus Christ, since his childhood.
XX Images of the Immaculate Conception
I saw a beautiful column emerge from the earth like the stem of a flower. Like the calyx of a flower or the head of a poppy emerging from a stalk, a resplendent octagonal church emerged from the column, which stood firm on the column. This rose to the center of the church like a small tree, whose branches, regularly divided, carried the statuettes of the Holy Virgin's family, which, in this representation of the festival, were the object of particular veneration. They were like the stamens of a flower. Santa Ana was placed between Joaquim and another, perhaps her father. Under Saint Anne's chest I saw a luminous cavity, like a chalice, and in it the figure of a shining child that fell apart and grew. Her little hands were crossed over her chest; From its curved little head, a multitude of rays radiated towards a part of the world. It seems to me that it wasn't in all directions. On the other surrounding branches there were several figures facing the center in a respectful attitude. In the church I saw an infinite number of saints lined up, surrounding it or forming choirs, who bowed to pray to the Holy Mother. The sweetest fervor was expressed and an intimate union was noted in this celebration, which can only be compared to that of a flowerbed of very varied flowers, which, agitated by the soft aura, turned towards the sun, as if to offer their fragrances and colors to the star from which they received their own gifts and their own life. Above this symbolic painting of the feast of the Immaculate Conception, stood the small luminous tree with a new shoot at the tip, and in this second crown of branches I was able to contemplate the celebration of a second stage of the feast. Here were Mary and Joseph kneeling and a little further down, in front of them, Saint Anne. Everyone adored the Baby Jesus, sitting, with the globe of the kingdom in his hand, in the highest part of the stem, surrounded by a glow. wonderful. Around this painting, several choirs could be seen from a distance: those of the Three Wise Men, the shepherds, the apostles and the disciples, while other saints formed circles a little further away from the center. I observed some more diffuse forms in the heights: the celestial choirs. Higher still, the glow of a half sun penetrated through the dome of the church. This second painting seemed to indicate the proximity of the feast of the Nativity that follows the Immaculate Conception.
When the first painting appeared, I seemed to be outside the church, under the column, in the surrounding region; Then I found myself inside it. I saw little Mary grow in the luminous space, under the heart of Saint Anne I felt penetrated by the last conviction of the absolute absence of any original stain in Mary's conception. I read it very clearly, like reading a book, and then I understood it perfectly.
I was told that in other times there was a church built in memory of this inestimable grace granted by God in this place; but it was given over to destruction precisely because of the many disputes and scandals that arose as a result of the controversies over the Immaculate Conception of Mary. I also understood these words: “In every vision remains a mystery until it becomes reality.” The triumphant Church continues to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception there.
XI Mysteries of the life of Mary
Many times I heard Mary tell some women she trusted, Joana Chusa and Susana of Jerusalem, different mysteries relating to Our Lord and herself, which she knew through the inner illumination of heaven or from what Saint Anne had told her that I heard. say to Susana. and Martha, who during the time she carried Jesus in her womb, never felt the slightest suffering, but rather continued joy and indescribable happiness. She said that Joaquim and Ana met under the Golden Gate in a golden hour; that in that place they received the fullness of divine grace, by virtue of which alone she received existence in her mother's womb as a result of the holy obedience and pure love of God, without any admixture of impurity. She also made them understand that, without original sin, the conception of all men would have been equally pure.
I immediately saw again everything related to the grace given to Mary's parents, from the appearance of the angel to her meeting under the Golden Gate. Underneath it I saw Joaquim and Ana surrounded by a multitude of angels that shone with heavenly light. They were also luminous and pure, almost like spirits. They were in the supernatural state that no human couple had been in before. I believe that it was under the Golden Door that the trials and ceremonies of acquittal of women accused of adultery took place, as well as other expiations. Under the temple there were five underground passages of this type and there was also another under the place where the virgins lived. These passages served for certain expiations. I don't know if other people went through this path before Joaquim and Ana; but this was a very rare case. I don't remember if they used it for sacrifices offered by barren people; but I know that in this circumstance the priests were ordered to arrange things as they happened.
XII Eve of Mary's birth
What great joy there is in all of nature!... I hear the birds sing, I see the lambs and kids jumping for joy, and the doves roam in flocks from one side to the other with unusual joy, where once stood the house of Ana. Now nothing exists: the place is completely deserted. I had a vision of pilgrims from very ancient times who, gathered together in their clothes, with turbans on their heads and long traveling staffs, crossed this region to go to Mount Carmel. They also noticed this extraordinary joy of nature. When they expressed their surprise and asked the people with whom they were staying the reason for such an event, they responded that such happiness and expressions of joy had been noticed every day since Maria's birth and that Ana's house was there. Then they spoke of a holy man, since ancient times, who observed this renewal of nature, which was the cause of the celebration of Mary's birth in the Catholic Church.
Two hundred and fifty years after Mary's passage to heaven, I saw a pious pilgrim cross the Holy Land and visit and notice all the places where Jesus was on his pilgrimage on earth, to venerate and remember them. This man enjoyed a supernatural inspiration that guided him. In some places he remained for several days, experiencing special sweetness and contentment, and receiving revelations while performing pious prayers and meditations. I always had the impression that from September 7th to 8th there was great joy in the nature of the Holy Land and at that time you could hear harmonious birdsong. Finally, after much prayer, I obtained the revelation that this was the date of Mary's birth. I had this revelation on the way to Mount Sinai and the news that there was a walled chapel dedicated to Mary, in a cave belonging to the prophet Elijah. I was told that I should say these things to the lonely people who lived on the slopes of Mount Sinai, where I saw him arrive. Where the monks are now, there were already hermits who lived in isolation: the place was then as wild on the slope of the valley as it is now, requiring a climbing device. I observed that, according to his instructions, the feast of Mary's birth was celebrated there on September 8, 250, and that this feast was later transmitted to the universal Church. I also saw that the hermits, together with the pilgrim, searched Elijah's cave in search of the walled chapel of Mary. It was not easy to find it, as there were many caves of ancient hermits and Essenes, among gardens and wild orchards, where beautiful fruits still grew. The seer said to bring a Jew, and the cave from which the Jew was expelled would be the sign that it was Elijah's. She was informed of this in a revelation. She then had a vision of how they sought out an old Jew and took him to the cave in the mountain, and how he was always thrown out of a cave, which had a narrow, walled door, despite his efforts to enter. By this prodigy they recognized Elijah's cave, inside which they found a second walled cave, which had been the chapel where the prophet had prayed to the future Mother of the Savior. Inside they found sacred bones of ancient prophets and fathers, as well as woven screens and utensils that were once used for divine service. The place where the hawthorn was located is called, according to the language of the region, “Shadow of God”, and is visited by pilgrims, who rest there first. Elijah's chapel was made with beautiful colored and flowery stones. Nearby is a mountain of reddish sand, at the foot of which beautiful fruits are harvested.
XIII Prayers for the feast of the Nativity of Mary
I saw many things related to Saint Bridget and became aware of several communications made to this saint about the Immaculate Conception and the Nativity of Mary. I remember that the Blessed Virgin told you that when pregnant women sanctify the eve of their birth by fasting and devoutly reciting the Hail Mary nine times, in honor of the nine months she spent in her mother's womb, and when they frequently renew this Hail Mary, exercise piety during pregnancy and on the eve of birth, approaching the sacraments with piety, take these prayers before God and obtain them a happy birth, even if the conditions are difficult.
As for me, the Virgin approached me and told me, among other things, that whoever today, in the afternoon, devoutly recites the Hail Mary nine times in honor of his stay of nine months in the womb of his mother and her birth, and continue this exercise of piety for nine days, she gives every day to the angels nine flowers destined to form a bouquet that she receives in heaven and presents to the Holy Trinity, in order to obtain a grace for those who prayed these same prayers . Later I felt transported to the heights, between heaven and earth. Below was the earth, dark and gone. In heaven, among the choirs of angels and saints, I saw the Blessed Virgin before the throne of God. I could see two doors or thrones of honor being built for her, with the prayers and devotions of the world's faithful, which grew to form churches, palaces, and entire cities. I was amazed to see that these buildings were made entirely of plants, flowers and garlands, expressing, in different species, the nature and merit of prayers, uttered by individuals or communities. I saw that to take him to heaven the angels and saints took all this from the hands of those who said such prayers.
XIV Birth of Holy Mary
Several days in advance, Ana announced to Joaquim that his birth was approaching. For this reason she sent messengers to Sepphoris, to her younger sister Marha; to the valley of Zebulun, to the widow Enue, Elizabeth's sister; and Bethsaida, his niece Maria Salome, calling them to her side. I saw Joaquim, on the eve of Ana's birth, send numerous servants to the meadows where his flocks were, and he himself went to the nearest one. Among Ana's new maids, she only kept at home those whose service was necessary. I saw Maria Helí, Ana's eldest daughter, busy with household chores. She was then about nineteen years of age, and having married Cleopas, chief of Jehoiachin's shepherds, was the mother of a girl called Mary of Cleopas, then about four years old. Jehoiachin prayed, chose his most beautiful lambs, goats and oxen and sent them to the temple as a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
He didn't return home until dark.
At night I saw her three relatives arrive at Ana's house. They visited her in her room located behind the fireplace and kissed her. After announcing to them the proximity of her birth, Ana, standing up, sang with them a song conceived more or less in these terms: “Praise be to God, the Lord, who had mercy on his people, who fulfilled the promise made. to Adam in paradise, when I told him that the woman's seed would crush the serpent's head..." It is not possible for me to repeat everything exactly. Ana was ecstatic, listing in her song all the images that featured Maria. He said: “The germ given by God to Abraham has reached maturity in me.” She then spoke of Isaac, Sarah’s betrothed, and added: “The blossoming of Aaron’s germ has been fulfilled in me.” I saw her penetrated by the light in the middle of her room, full of brilliance, where Jacob's ladder also appeared at the top. The women, full of astonishment and joy, were as if ecstatic and I believe they saw the apparition. After the welcome prayer, the women were served a small meal of fruit and water mixed with balm. They ate and drank standing up and slept for a few hours to rest from the journey. Hannah stayed awake and prayed. Around midnight, she woke her relatives to pray together, with them following her behind a curtain near her bed. Ana opened the doors of a cabinet built into the wall, where several relics were found in a box. I saw lights on each side; but I don't know if they were light bulbs. At the foot of this small altar was an upholstered footstool. The reliquary contained some of Sara's hair, whom Anne professed to venerate; bones of Joseph, which Moses brought from Egypt; something from Tobit, perhaps a piece of clothing, and the small shiny pear-shaped cup that Abraham had drunk from when receiving the angel's blessing and that Joachim had received along with the blessing. I now know that this blessing consisted of bread and wine and was like a sacramental food. Ana knelt down in front of the closet. On either side of her was one of two women, and the third was behind her. He recited a song: I think it was about Moses' burning bush. Then I saw a celestial glow that filled the room and, moving, condensed around Ana. The women fell as if fainting with their faces pressed to the floor. The light around Ana took the form of a bush that burned next to Moses, on Mount Horeb, and it was no longer possible for me to contemplate it. The flame was projected inwards: suddenly I saw that Ana received the luminous little Maria in her arms, wrapped her in her cloak, pressed her to her chest and placed her on the bench in front of the reliquary. He then continued his prayers. Then I heard the girl crying. I saw that Ana took some sheets from under the large veil that covered her and, wrapping her around her, left her head, chest and arms exposed. The appearance of the burning bush disappeared.
The women then stood up and, amidst great admiration, received the newborn in their arms, shedding tears of joy.
Everyone sang a song of thanks together and Ana lifted the girl into the air as if she was going to offer her. Then I saw that the room was full of lights again and I heard the angels singing Glory and Alleluia. I could hear everything they were saying: I knew that, as announced, twenty days later the girl would be named Maria. Ana entered the room and lay down. The women took the girl, took off her girdle, washed her, and, wrapping her up again, immediately carried her to her mother, whose bed was arranged in such a way that a small perforated basket could be fixed against her, where she the girl had a separate place next to her mother. The women then called Joaquim, who approached Ana's bed and, kneeling, shed abundant tears of joy for the girl. He took her in his arms and sang a song of praise, like Zacharias at the birth of the Baptist. He spoke in the song of the holy germ, which God placed in Abraham, was perpetuated in the people of God and in the Covenant, whose seal was circumcision and which reached its greatest flowering with this girl. I heard in the song that those words of the prophet: “A branch will sprout from the root of Jesse”, were fulfilled perfectly at this moment. He also said, with great fervor and humility, that after that he would die happy. I noticed that Maria Heli, Ana's eldest daughter, arrived very late to see the girl. Despite being a mother for several years before, she did not attend Mary's birth, perhaps because, according to Jewish law, a daughter should not be at her mother's side in such circumstances. The next day I saw the servants, the maids and many people from the countryside gathered around the house. They were forced to enter successively, and the girl Maria was shown to everyone by the women who attended to her. Other neighbors came because during the night a light appeared over the house and because Ana's motherhood, after so many years of sterility, was considered a special grace from heaven.
XV The birth of Mary in Heaven, in Limbo and in nature
At the moment when little Mary was in the arms of Saint Anne, I saw her in heaven presented before the Holy Trinity and greeted with joy by all the heavenly choirs. I understood that all her joys, her pains and her future destiny were manifested to her in a supernatural way.
Mary received knowledge of the deepest mysteries, yet maintained her innocence and frankness as a child. We cannot understand the science given to him, because ours originates from the fatal tree of the terrestrial Paradise. She knew all this as a child knows its mother's breast, where it must seek food. When the contemplation in which I saw the child Mary in heaven, instructed by divine grace, ended, for the first time I could see her cry. I saw the birth of Mary announced in Limbo to the holy Patriarchs at the same moment, full of inexplicable joy, because the promise made in Paradise had been fulfilled. I also learned that there was progress in the Patriarchs' state of grace: their home became clearer, wider and they acquired greater influence over things that happened in the world. It was as if all his work, all the penances of his life, all his struggles, his prayers and his desires had reached, so to speak, their complete maturity, producing fruits of peace and grace.
I observed a great movement of joy throughout nature at the birth of Mary; in animals and in the hearts of good men; and I heard harmonious singing everywhere. Sinners felt distressed and experienced sadness and affliction. I saw that in Nazareth and in the regions of the Promised Land several demon-possessed people were agitated in violent convulsions. They ran to and fro with loud cries; the demons roared through their mouths, shouting: “We have to get out!... We have to get out!...”.
I saw in Jerusalem the pious priest Simeon, who lived near the temple, at the time of Mary's birth, frightened by the wild cries of madmen and the possessed, locked in a building adjacent to the temple mountain, over which Simeon had rights. surveillance.
I saw him go to the square at midnight, in front of the house of the possessed man.
A man who lived there asked him the cause of those screams, which interrupted everyone's sleep. One of the possessed people screamed louder to be freed. Simeon opened the door and the possessed man shouted, rushing out through Satan's mouth: “We must leave... We must leave... A Virgin was born... There are so many angels who torment us on earth, that We must leave, because we can no longer possess just one man...! I saw Simeon praying with great fervor. The possessed unfortunate was violently thrown across the square, from one side to the other; and I saw the devil finally come out of his mouth. I was very happy to have seen old Simeon. I also saw the prophetesses Anna and Naomi, sister of Lazarus' mother, who lived in the temple and later taught the girl Mary. They were awakened and learned, through visions, that a creature of predilection had been born. They got together and told each other the things they had just learned. I think they already knew Santa Ana.
XVI In Chaldea, Egypt and other places the birth of Mary is announced
In the country of the Three Wise Men, seers had visions of the birth of the Holy Virgin. They told the priests that a Virgin had been born, to greet whom many spirits had descended from heaven; that other evil spirits lamented about it. The Three Wise Men, who were observing the stars, also saw figures and representations of the event.
In Egypt, on the same night as Mary's birth, an idol was thrown from the temple and thrown into the sea. Another idol fell from the pedestal and shattered.
Later, several of Joachim's relatives who came from the valley of Zebulun and some servants who were far away arrived at Ana's house. The girl Mary was shown to everyone. At home a meal was prepared for the visitors. Later, many people came to see baby Maria, so she was taken out of the cradle and placed in an elevated place, as if it were an easel, at the front of the house. She was wearing colored and white scarves on top, wrapped with colored and white transparent scarves even under her arms... her hair was blonde and curly. Later I saw Maria Cleopas, daughter of Maria Heli and Cleopas, Ana's granddaughter, who was a few years old, playing with Maria and kissing her. Maria Cleofás was a strong and robust girl, she had a little sleeveless dress, with red edges and embroidered red apple decorations. On her bare arms she wore small white crowns that looked like silk, wool, or feathers. The girl Maria also had a transparent veil around her neck.
XVI The girl is named Mary
Today I saw a big party at Ana's house. The furniture was removed and stored in the front rooms. The reed partitions, which formed separate rooms, were removed to make room for a large table. Around the room I saw a wide, low table, full of plates and dishes for food. In the center there was an altar covered with a red and white cloth, on which there was a red and white nativity scene and a light blue quilt. Next to the altar was a pulpit covered with scrolls containing prayers. Before the altar stood five priests from Nazareth in ceremonial robes.
Joaquim was with them. In the background, around the altar, were women and men, relatives of Joachim, all in festive attire. I remember Hannah's sister, Maraha of Sepphoris, and her eldest daughter. Santa Ana had gotten out of bed; but she did not attend the ceremony, staying in the room behind the fireplace. Enue, Isabel's sister, brought little Maria, placing her in Joachim's arms. The priests stood in front of the altar, near the scrolls, and recited the prayers aloud. Joaquim handed the girl to their leader, who lifted her into the air, while praying, as if he were going to offer her to God, then left her in the cradle, on the altar. He then took a pair of peculiarly shaped scissors, with which he cut three small strands of hair from both sides of the creature's head and forehead, burning them in the brazier. He then took a box containing oil and anointed the girl's five senses, touching her ears, eyes, nose, mouth and the pit of her stomach with his thumb. On the creature's chest he placed a parchment on which Mary's name was written. Afterwards, psalms were sung and food was served, which I couldn't see.
Several weeks after Mary's birth, I saw Joaquim and Ana going with the Girl to the temple to offer a sacrifice. They presented her to the temple with vivid feelings of piety and gratitude to God in a similar way to what the Blessed Virgin did later when she presented the Baby Jesus and rescued him from the temple, according to the prescriptions of the law. The next day they made their offer, promising to consecrate the girl to God in the temple within a few years. Then they returned to Jerusalem.
XVIII Preparations for the presentation in the Temple
Mary was three years and three months old when she made a vow to appear in the temple among the virgins who lived there. She had delicate skin, fair hair curled a little downward; He was already the height that a five or six year old child is today in our country. Maria Heli's daughter was a few years older and more robust. I saw Maria's preparations at Ana's house to be taken to the temple. It was a very big party. Five priests from Nazareth, Sepphoris and other regions were present, including Zechariah and a son of Hannah's father's brother.
They were rehearsing a ceremony with the girl Maria. It was a kind of test to see if she was ripe to be received into the temple. In addition to the priests, Ana de Sepphoris's sister and her daughter, Maria Heli and her little daughter, were present, as well as some girls and relatives.
The dresses, partially cut by the priests and arranged by the women, were placed on the girl at various times on this occasion, while they asked her questions. This ceremony had an air of gravity and seriousness, even when some questions were asked by the old priest with a childish smile, which were always answered by the girl, with admiration from the priests and tears from her parents. There were three types of garments for Mary, which she wore at three times. This took place in a large space adjacent to the dining room, which received light through a quadrangular opening in the ceiling, often closed by a curtain.
On the floor there was a red carpet and in the middle of the room an altar covered with red and white transparent cloth on top. On the altar there was a box with written parchments and a curtain that drew or embroidered the image of Moses, wrapped in his large prayer shawl and holding the tablets of the law in his arms. I always saw Moses with broad shoulders, a high head, a large, curved nose and two elevations on his large forehead facing each other, which gave him a very particular appearance. Moses had these types of horns since he was a child, like two warts. The color of his dark, fiery face and blond hair. I have often seen this kind of horns on the foreheads of ancient prophets and hermits, and sometimes just one of these excrescences in the middle of the forehead.
On the altar were Mary's three dresses; There were also cloths and sheets donated by relatives for the girl's hygiene. In front of the altar there was, on steps, a kind of throne. Joaquim, Ana and their family were together. The women were behind and the girls were next to Maria. The priests entered barefoot.
There were five of them, but only three of them wore priestly robes and participated in the ceremony. A priest took the different articles of clothing from the altar, explained their meaning and presented them to Ana's sister, Maraha de Sepphoris, who dressed the child Mary with them. First they put a little yellow dress on her and on top, over her chest, another piece of clothing embroidered with ribbons, which she placed around her neck and fastened to her body. Then, a dark cloak with openings on the arms; A few pieces of fabric hanging above. This cloak was open at the top and closed below the chest. They put on her dark sandals with thick yellow soles. She had combed blonde hair and a white silk crown with several feathers. They placed a square gray veil over the head, which could be tied under the arms so that they were supported as if they were in two knots. This veil looked like penance or prayer. The priests asked him all kinds of questions related to the way the young women lived in the temple. They told him, among other things: “Your parents, when they consecrated you to the temple, swore that you would not drink wine or vinegar, nor eat grapes or figs. What do you want to add to this poll? Think about this during the meal. Jews, especially young Jewish women, are very fond of vinegar, and Mary also liked to drink it. They asked further questions and gave her a second type of dress. This consisted of a light blue, with a bluish-white mantle, and an ornament on the chest and a transparent white silk veil with pleats at the back, as the nuns wear. On her head they placed a wax crown decorated with flowers and green leaf buds. The priests placed another veil on her face: on top it looked like a cap, with three clasps at different distances, so that a third, half or all of the veil could be lifted over her head. She was instructed on how to wear the veil: how to take it up to eat and lower it when asked.
In this dress, Mary appeared with the others at the table: they placed her between the two priests and one in front. Women with other children sat at one end of the table, separated from the men. During the meal, the priests tested the girl Mary when wearing the veil. There were questions and answers. She was also instructed about other customs that she should observe. They told her she could eat anything for now, giving her various foods to tempt her. Maria left everyone amazed with her way of acting and the answers she gave them. She ate very little and responded with a childlike wisdom that everyone admired. I saw the angels around her all the time, suggesting and guiding her in every case.
After the meal she was taken to the other room, in front of the altar, where they took off her second-class dresses to put on third-class ones. Saint Anne's sister and a priest dressed her in the new festive clothes. It was a violet dress with embroidered fabric decoration on the chest. It was tied sideways with the back cloth, formed curls and ended in a point at the bottom. They placed over him a larger and more festive violet cloak, rounded at the back, which looked like a pasta chasuble. It had wide sleeves and five lines of golden ornaments. The middle one was divided and gathered and closed with buttons. The cloak was also embroidered at the ends. Then a large veil was placed over her: one part fell white and the other white violet over her eyes. On top of this, they placed a closed crown, with five clasps, which consisted of a golden circle, wider at the top, with points and buttons. This crown was covered with silk on the outside, with roses and five pearls as decoration; The five terminal arches were made of silk and had a button. The chest scapular was fastened at the back; On the front there were ribbons. The cape was fastened in front of the chest.
Dressed in this way was the child that Mary carried on the altar steps. The girls surrounded the altar on both sides. Maria said that she did not plan to eat meat or fish nor drink milk; that he only drank a drink made of water and reed pith, which the poor used, and that he sometimes put a little terebinth juice into the water. This drink is like a white oil, it expands and is very refreshing, although not as thin as a balm. She promised not to like spices and not to eat fruits other than the yellow fruits that grow like grapes. I know these fruits: children and poor people eat them. He also said he wanted to rest on the floor and get up three times during the night to pray. The pious people, Ana and Joachim, wept when they heard these things. Old Joaquim, hugging his daughter, said to her: "Ah, daughter! This is very difficult to observe. If you want to live in this penance, I don't think I can see you anymore, because of my advanced age." It was a very moving scene. The priests told her to get up just once, like the others, and gave other suggestions to mitigate her abstinence. They forced her to eat other foods, such as fish, during the big festivities.
There was in Jerusalem, in the lower part of the city, a large fish market, which received water from the pool of Bethsheda. One day, when there was a lack of water, Herod the Great wanted to build an aqueduct there, selling priestly vestments and sacred vessels from the temple to make money. For this reason there was an attempted revolt, as the Essenes, charged with inspecting the priestly vestments, came to Jerusalem from all parts of the country and firmly opposed it. I remembered these things at this moment. Finally, the priests said: “Many of the other girls who go to the temple without paying food and clothing, undertake, with the consent of their parents, to wash the priests' clothes stained with the blood of the victims and other coarse clothes . cloths, very hard work that hurts your hands. You don't have to do that, because your parents pay for your support." Maria quickly responded that she wanted to do that too, if she was deemed worthy to do so. Meanwhile, ceremonies were going on, I saw that Maria, on several occasions, had grown up so much so that he surpassed them in height. It was a sign of his grace and wisdom. The priests were serious, with pleasant admiration.
Finally, the girl Maria was blessed by the priest. I saw her standing on the shining throne. Two priests stood beside her; another, in front. The priests had scrolls in their hands and prayed over them with outstretched hands. I had an admirable vision of Maria. It seemed to me that because of the blessing she became transparent. I saw a glory of indescribable splendor and within it the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant as if it were in a vase of shining glass. Then I saw Mary's heart that opened in two like a small door in the temple, and the sacramental. the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant penetrated her heart. Around this mystery he formed a tabernacle of varied and very significant precious stones. He entered the heart, like the Ark in the Holy of Holies, like the Monstrance in the tabernacle.
I saw little Maria as if transformed, floating in the air. With the entry of the sacrament into the heart of Mary, then closed, what was a figure became a reality and a possession, and I saw that the girl was from then on as if penetrated by an ardent inner concentration. I also saw, during this vision, that Zechariah received an inner persuasion or heavenly revelation that Mary was the chosen vessel of the mystery or sacrament. He received a ray of light that I saw coming from Mary.
After that, the priests led the girl to where her parents were. Ana lifted her daughter high and, holding her to her breast, kissed her with internal sweetness and affection, mixed with veneration. Joaquim, very moved, shook his hand, full of admiration and veneration. Maria Santíssima's older sister, Maria de Heli, embraced the girl with more vivacity than Santa Ana, who was a very reserved, moderate and very restrained woman in all her actions. Her niece, Maria Cleofás, put her arms around her neck, as children do. Then the priests took the girl again, took off her symbolic clothes and dressed her in her usual clothes. I still saw them standing, drinking some liquid from a container and then leaving.
XIX Departure to the Jerusalem temple
I saw Joaquim, Ana and their eldest daughter, Maria Heli, busy all night preparing packages and utensils. A lamp with several wicks was burning. I saw Maria Heli with a light going from one place to another. A few days before, Jehoiachin had ordered his servants to choose five sacrificial animals of each species, among the best, and sent them to the temple: these animals formed a beautiful herd. Then he took two pack animals and loaded them with all kinds of packages: dresses for the girl and gifts for the temple. On the animal's back he placed a wide seat so that she could sit comfortably. The loaded objects were packed and tied, easy to transport. I saw baskets of various shapes attached to the animal's sides. In one of them there were birds the size of partridges; Other baskets, similar to grape baskets, contained fruit of all kinds. When the donkey was fully loaded, they spread a large blanket over it with thick tassels hanging from it.
There were still two priests left. One of them was very old, he wore a pointed hood on his forehead and two pieces of clothing, the top one shorter than the bottom one. This priest is the one who was busy examining Mary the day before, and I saw him give the girl further instructions. She had a kind of stole hanging down. The other priest was younger.
Maria was just over three years old at that time: she was beautiful and delicate and as advanced as a five-year-old child in our country.
Her straight hair, curly at the ends, was golden blonde and longer than that of seven-year-old Maria Cleopas, whose blonde hair was short and curly. Almost all elderly people wore long, undyed woolen clothes.
I had not noticed the presence of two children who were not from this world: they were there in a spiritual and figurative way, like prophets; They didn't belong to the family and didn't talk to anyone. It seemed that no one had noticed their presence.
They were beautiful and kind; They had long, curly blonde hair. Looking from side to side, they addressed me. They carried books, probably for instruction. Little Maria did not have books, although she knew how to read. The books were not like ours, but long strips about two feet wide, wound around a stick, the ends of which projected on each side. The taller of the two children approached me with one of the parchments open in his hand and read something, then explained it to me. They were golden letters, completely unknown to me, written backwards and each one of them seemed to represent an entire word. The language was also completely unknown to me, but I understood it perfectly. Too bad I forgot the explanation. It was a text from Moses about the burning bush. He declared to me: “Just as the bush burned and did not burn, so the fire of the Holy Spirit burns in the girl Mary, and in her humility it is as if she knew nothing about it. It also means the divinity and humanity of Jesus and how the fire of God unites with the girl Mary." The removal of the shoes was explained as the law was fulfilled, the shell fell and the substance arrived. The little flag that the tip of the stick carried it meant that Mary began her journey, her mission to be Mother of the Redeemer. The other child played innocently with her parchment, thus representing the childish candor of Mary, upon whom rested a very great promise, which, despite such a lofty destiny, now I played like a child. These children explained to me seven passages from their scrolls, but due to the state I am in, it disappeared from my memory at the same time, how simple and clear..
At dawn I saw that they were leaving for Jerusalem. Little Maria really wanted to get to the temple and hurriedly left the house, approaching the beast of burden. The child prophets showed me some of her scroll texts. One of them said that the temple was magnificent, but that the girl Maria contained something even more admirable. There were two pack animals. One of the donkeys, the most loaded, was led by a servant and must always go ahead of the travelers. The other, who was at the front of the house, loaded with more packages, prepared a seat and Maria was placed on it.
Joaquim led the donkey. He carried a long staff with a thick, round tip: it looked like a pilgrim's staff. A little further ahead was Ana with little Maria Cleofás and a maid who would accompany her the whole way. At the beginning of the journey, they were joined by some women and girls: they were family members who at various junctions along the way separated from the procession to return to their homes. One of the priests followed the procession for some time. I saw about six female relatives, with their children and some men. They carried a flashlight, and I saw that the light disappeared completely in the face of that other light that the holy people cast on the road on their night journey, without, apparently, the others noticing. At first it seemed to me that the priest was after little Mary with the children of the prophets. Later, when she got off the donkey to continue on foot, I was beside her. More than once I heard my young companions singing Psalm 44: Eructavit cor meum, and 49: Deus deorum Dominus locutus est. I learned from them that these psalms would be sung in double chorus when the Girl was admitted to the temple. Hear this when they reach the temple. At first I saw that the road went down a hill and then went up again. Being early, and having good weather, the procession stopped near a spring from which a stream emerged. There was a meadow there and the walkers rested sitting next to a hedge of balsam trees. Cups and stone containers were placed under these fragile bushes to collect the balm that fell drop by drop. The travelers drank balm and poured some into the water, filling small containers. They ate fruits from certain plants that were there, with rolls that they carried in their saddlebags.
At that moment, the two child prophets disappeared. One of them was Elijah; The other one seemed to me to be Moses. Little Maria had seen them; but he didn't talk about it to anyone. It happens then that sometimes we see holy children in our childhood and in a more mature age young saints or boys, and we keep quiet about these visions without communicating them to others because such a moment is an instant of heavenly joy and reflection. Later I saw the travelers enter an isolated house, where they were welcomed and brought supplies, as the inhabitants seemed to be family. There they said goodbye to the girl Cleofás, who had to return home. During the day I saw the road route, which is usually quite difficult, as there are many ups and downs. In the valleys there is often fog and dew; Even so, I saw some better situated places, where flowers sprouted. Before reaching the place where they would spend the night, they found a small stream. They stayed at an inn at the foot of a mountain where they could see a city. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of that city, as I've seen it on other trips to the Sagrada Familia, so I get the names confused.
What I can say is that they followed the path that Jesus took in the month of September, when he was thirty years old and went from Nazareth to Bethany and then to the baptism of John and even this I say without complete certainty. The Holy Family later took this route when fleeing to Egypt. The first stage was Nazara, a small place between Massaloth and another city located at a height, closer to the latter. I see so many cities everywhere, whose names I hear pronounced, that I then confuse one with the other. The city covers the side of a mountain and is divided into several parts, if they all form the same city. There is no water and it is necessary to raise it from the plain with the help of ropes. I see ancient towers there in ruins. At the top of the mountain there is a tower that looks like an observatory with a masonry device that has beams and ropes to raise something from the city. The number of these ropes is so great that everything looks like ship masts. It should be about an hour's walk from the base to the top of the mountain, from where you can enjoy a very extensive and splendid view. The hikers entered an inn located on the plain. In one part of the city there were pagans, considered slaves by the Jews, who had to undergo hard work in the temple and other buildings.
This evening I saw little Mary arriving with her parents at a city located about six leagues from Jerusalem, in a northwest direction. This city is called Bet-Horon and is located at the foot of a mountain. During the journey they crossed a small river that flows into the sea around Joppa, where Saint Peter taught after the coming of the Holy Spirit. Great battles took place near Bethhoron that I have seen and forgotten. There were still two leagues to go before reaching a point on the road from which Jerusalem could be seen; I heard the name of this place, which I cannot specify now. Bet-Horom is a city of Levites of some importance: it produces beautiful grapes and a large amount of fruit. The holy procession entered the house of some friends, which was very well located. Its owner was a teacher at a Levite school and there were some children there. I was surprised to see several of Ana's relatives there, with their young daughters, who I thought had returned to their homes at the beginning of the trip: now I notice that they arrived earlier, taking some shortcut, perhaps to announce the arrival of the holy procession.
The relatives of Nazareth, Sepphoris and Zebulun, who had attended Mary's examination, were there with their daughters: I saw, for example, Mary's elder sister with her daughter Mary of Cleophas, and Hannah's sister coming from Sepphoris with your daughters. On the occasion of little Maria's arrival there were great celebrations.
Mary was taken in the company of other girls into a large room, and placed on a high throne-like seat prepared for her. The teacher and other people asked Maria all kinds of questions and put garlands on her head. Everyone was amazed at the wisdom manifested in their responses. On this occasion I heard about the judgment and prudence of another girl who had passed by shortly before, returning from the temple school to her parents' house. This girl was called Susana and was later among the holy women who followed Jesus. (On another occasion Ana Catalina said that this girl was related to Maria).
Maria filled her vacant position in the temple, as there was a fixed number of vacancies for these young women. Susana was fifteen years old when she left the temple, that is, about eleven years older than the girl Maria. Santa Ana was also educated there at the age of five. Little Maria was filled with joy to be so close to the temple. I saw Joaquim holding her in his arms, crying and saying to her: “My daughter, I will never see you again”. They had prepared food and while they were at the table, I saw Maria pass from one side to the other, pressing herself against her mother, full of grace, or, standing behind her, throwing her little arms around her neck.
This morning, very early, I saw travelers leaving Beth-Horon heading for Jerusalem. All the relatives with their children joined them and the owners of the house too. They brought gifts for the girl, consisting of clothes and fruit. I think I saw a party in Jerusalem. I learned that Maria was three years and three months old at that time. On the trip they did not go to Ussen Sheera or Gofna, despite having friends there; They just passed by the surroundings. I saw that the teacher of the Levites and his family accompanied them to Jerusalem. The closer they got to the city, the happier and more anxious Maria seemed. He used to run in front of his parents.
XX The city of Jerusalem
Today at noon I saw the delegation that accompanied Mary arrive at the temple in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a strange city. We shouldn't think that it's like one of our cities, with so many people on the streets. Many low and high streets run around the city walls and have no exits or doors. The houses on the heights, behind the walls, are oriented towards the other side, as different neighborhoods were built and new hill crests were formed and the old walls remained there. You often see valley streets rebuilt with solid vaults. The houses have interior-facing courtyards and rooms; towards the street there are only doors and terraces in the walls. Generally the houses are closed. When people don't go to squares, markets or temples, they generally stay entertained inside their homes. There is silence in the streets, outside markets or certain palaces, where soldiers and travelers can be seen coming and going. On certain days, when almost everyone is at the temple, the streets seem dead. Because of the lonely streets, the deep valleys, and the habit of people staying in their homes, Jesus could come and go with his disciples without being disturbed. Water was often lacking in the city: I often saw tall buildings where it was taken and towers where water was pumped. In the temple, great care was taken with water because many vessels had to be purified and priestly clothes had to be washed. Large machines and devices were seen pumping water to high places. There were many traders and sellers in the city: they were almost always in the markets or in open places, under tents. I saw, for example, not far from Porta das Ovelhas, a lot of people dealing in jewelry, gold, shiny objects and precious stones. The little houses where they lived were very light, but solid, brown in color, as if they were covered in tar or bitumen. Inside they did their business; Between one tent and another, tarps were spread, under which they displayed their merchandise. There were, however, other parts of the city where there was greater movement and people could be seen coming and going near certain palaces.
Compared to ancient Rome, which I saw, Jerusalem was much busier in the streets; It looked better and wasn't as uneven or steep. The mountain where the temple was located was surrounded, on the side where the slope was gentler, by houses that formed several streets behind thick walls. These houses were built on terraces placed one above the other. The priests and junior servants of the temple lived there, who did harder work, such as cleaning the pits, where the waste from animal sacrifices was dumped. I believe there was a north side where the temple mountain was very steep. At the top, around the summit, there was a green area made up of small gardens belonging to the priests. Even in the time of Jesus Christ, work was always done somewhere in the temple. This work never stopped. There was a lot of mineral on the temple mountain, which was mined and used in the construction of the building itself.
Under the temple there were wells and places where metal was melted. I couldn't find a place in this large temple where I could pray peacefully. The whole building was admirably massive, tall, and solid. The numerous courtyards were narrow and shadowy, filled with scaffolding and seats. When there were a lot of people, it was scary to be squeezed between thick walls and thick columns.
I also didn't like the continuous sacrifices and the copious amounts of blood spilled, even though it was done with incredible order and cleanliness. It had been a long time since I saw the buildings, roads and passages as clearly as I do today. But there are so many things here that it is impossible to describe them in detail.
The travelers arrived with little Mary, from the north, to Jerusalem: however, they did not enter from that side, but went around the city to the eastern wall, following a part of the valley of Jehoshaphat. Leaving the Mount of Olives and the road to Bethany on their left, they entered the city through the Sheep Gate, which gave access to the animal market. Not far from this gate there was a lake where the sheep intended for sacrifice were washed for the first time. This was not Bethsheda's pool.
The procession, after entering the city, turned right again and entered another neighborhood following a long internal valley dominated on one side by the high walls of a higher area of the city, reaching the western part close to the fish market. , where the paternal house of Zechariah of Hebron was located. An elderly man was there: I think he was his father's brother. Zacharias used to return home after finishing his temple service. In those days he was in the city and, having finished his time of service, he wanted to stay just a few days in Jerusalem to attend Mary's entry into the temple. When the delegation arrived, Zechariah was not there. Other relatives from the Bethlehem and Hebron region were present at the house, including two daughters of Elizabeth's sister. Isabel was also not there at that time. These people advanced to meet the walkers as far as a quarter of a league along the valley road. Several young women accompanied them carrying garlands and tree branches. The walkers were greeted with demonstrations of joy and taken to Zechariah's house, where their arrival was celebrated. They offered them refreshments and everyone prepared to take them to an inn near the temple, where strangers stayed on festival days. The animals that Joaquim had destined for sacrifice had already been taken from the area around the cattle square to the stables located near this house. Zechariah also came to guide the procession from his father's house to the inn. They put little Maria in her second ceremonial dress with light blue peplum.
Everyone left, forming an orderly procession. Zechariah was at the front with Joachim and Ana; then the girl Maria surrounded by four girls dressed in white, and the other girls with their parents brought up the rear. They walked through several streets and passed in front of Herod's palace and the house where Pilate later lived. They headed towards the northeast corner of the temple, leaving behind the Antônia fortress, a very tall building, located to the northwest. They climbed some open steps in a high wall. Little Maria climbed up alone, in a joyful hurry, without letting anyone help her. Everyone looked at her in astonishment. The house where they stayed was a holiday inn located a short distance from the cattle market. There were several such inns around the temple, and Zechariah had rented one. It was a large building with four galleries surrounding a large courtyard. In the galleries were the rooms, as well as long, very low tables. There was a spacious living room and a fireplace for the kitchen. The yard of the animals sent by Zechariah was very close by. On both sides of the building lived the temple servants who took care of the sacrifices. When foreigners entered, their feet were washed, as happened with travelers; those of men were washed by men; and women did this service with women. They then entered a room in the middle of which was suspended a large lamp with several arms over a bronze tank filled with water, where they washed their faces and hands. After unloading Joaquim's donkey, a servant took him to the stable. Joachim had said he would sacrifice and accompanied the temple servants to the place where the animals were, which they examined.
Joaquim and Ana then went with Maria to the priests' room, located higher up. There the child Maria, as if lifted by the inner spirit, climbed the steps very lightly and with extraordinary momentum. The two priests who were in the house received them with great signs of friendship: one was elderly and the other younger. The two had attended the girl's examination in Nazareth and were awaiting her arrival. After talking about the trip and the upcoming presentation ceremony, they called one of the women from the Temple. This was an elderly widow who had to take care of the girl. She lived in the neighborhood with other people of the same condition, doing all kinds of women's work and educating girls. Her room was further away from the temple than the adjacent rooms, where small oratories had been set up for women and girls consecrated to the service of the Temple, from where they could see the sanctuary without being seen by others. The matron who had just arrived was so tightly wrapped in her robes that her face was barely visible. The priests and Mary's parents presented her to them, entrusting her to their care. She was dignifiedly affectionate, without losing her seriousness. Miss Maria was humble and respectful. They instructed her in everything related to the girl and her solemn entry into the temple.
That woman went down with them to the inn, took the layette that belonged to the girl and took it with her to prepare everything in the room assigned to her. The people who followed the procession from Zechariah's house returned home, leaving only their family members at the inn. The women settled there and prepared the party that would take place the next day.
Joaquim and some men took the victims to the Temple at dawn and the priests examined them again. Some animals were discarded and immediately taken to the livestock square. Those accepted were taken to the courtyard where they would be sacrificed. I saw many things there that it is no longer possible to say in order. I remember that before immolating, Joaquim placed his hand on the victim's head, receiving the blood in a cup and also some parts of the animal. There were several columns, tables and glasses. Everything was cut, distributed and organized. The foam was removed from the blood and the fat, the liver, the spleen were set aside, salting it all. The lambs' intestines were cleaned, stuffed with something and replaced in the body, so that the animal appeared whole, and the legs were tied in the shape of a cross. Afterwards, much of the meat was taken to the courtyard where the young women of the Temple had to do something with it: perhaps prepare it as food for the priests or for themselves. All of this was done with incredible order. The priests and Levites came and went, always two by two. This complicated and painful work was done easily, as if it were done alone. The pieces intended for sacrifice were soaked in salt until the next day, when they would be offered on the altar.
There was a big party at the inn that day, followed by a solemn meal.
There were about a hundred people, including children. There were around twenty-four girls of various ages present, including Serapia, who after Jesus' death was called Veronica: she was quite tall, around ten or twelve years old. Wreaths and garlands of flowers were woven for Mary and her companions, and seven scepter-shaped candelabras without a pedestal were also decorated. As for the flame that shone at the end of it, I do not know whether it was fed with oil, wax, or other matter. During the feast, numerous priests and Levites came and went. They participated in the banquet and, when expressing their astonishment at the large number of victims offered in sacrifice, Joachim told them that they were in memory of the affront received in the temple, when their sacrifice was rejected, and by the mercy of God that he had heard in his prayer he wanted to show his gratitude according to his means. I could see little Maria walking with the other young women around her house. Other details I completely forgot.
XXI Presentation of Mary in the Temple
This morning they went to the Temple: Zacharias, Joachim and other men. Later, Maria was carried by her mother amidst a solemn accompaniment. Ana and her daughter Maria Heli, with little Maria Cleofás, marched in front; Then came the holy girl Mary in her little dress and light blue mantle, her arms and neck adorned with garlands: she had in her hand a candle girded with flowers. Three girls walked beside him with similar candles. They had white dresses, embroidered with gold and light blue peplums, like Mary's, and were surrounded by garlands of flowers; They wore other small garlands around their necks and arms. The other young women and girls came next, dressed for the party, although not uniformly. Everyone wore small capes. The other women closed the procession. As they could not go in a straight line from the inn to the Temple, they had to go around several streets. Everyone was amazed to see the beautiful procession and paid tribute at the doors of several houses. There was something holy and moving about Mary. When the procession arrived I saw several servants of the Temple trying with great effort to open a very tall and very heavy door, which shone like gold and had various figures engraved on it: heads, bunches of grapes and sheaves of wheat. It was the Golden Door. The procession entered through that door. To get there you had to climb fifty steps; I think there were some rifts between them. They wanted to take Mary by the hand; but she would not allow it: she climbed the steps quickly, without stumbling, full of joyful enthusiasm. Everyone was deeply moved.
Under the Golden Door, Mary was received by Zechariah, Joachim and some priests who took her to the right, under the wide arch of the door, to the high rooms where a meal had been prepared in honor of someone. Here the people of the procession separated. Most of the women and girls went to the Temple area that was reserved to pray. Joachim and Zechariah went to the place of sacrifice. The priests also asked Maria some questions in a room and when they left, they were amazed at the girl's wisdom. Ana dressed her daughter in the third festive dress, which was violet blue, and placed the mantle, veil and crown over her. already described by me when reporting the ceremony that took place at Ana's house.
Meanwhile, Jehoiachin went to the sacrifice with the priests. After receiving fire taken from a certain place, he placed himself between two priests near the altar. I'm too sick and distracted to explain the sacrifice in the necessary order. I remember the following: the altar could only be reached from three sides. The pieces prepared for the Holocaust were not all in the same place, but placed around them in different places.
At the four ends of the altar were four hollow metal columns, on which rested things that looked like chimney pipes. They were wide copper funnels that ended in horn-shaped tubes, so that the smoke could escape over the heads of the priests who offered the sacrifice. While Joachim's offering was being consumed at the altar, Ana went, with Mary and the young women who accompanied her, to the hall reserved for women. This place was separated from the sacrificial altar by a wall that ended at the top in a fence. In the middle of this wall was a door. The female court, from the dividing wall, was raised so that at least those who were further away could see to some extent the altar of sacrifice. When the door in the wall was open, some women could see the altar. Maria and the other young women were in front of Ana, and the other relatives were a short distance from the door. In a separate place there was a group of children from the Temple, dressed in white, playing flutes and harps.
After the sacrifice, a covered portable altar was prepared under the separation door, with some steps to climb. Zechariah and Jehoiachin went with a priest from the courtyard to this altar, before whom stood another priest and two Levites with parchment and everything necessary for writing. A little behind were the maidens who accompanied Mary. Maria knelt on the steps; Joaquim and Ana stretched their hands above their heads. The priest cut off some of her hair and then burned it in a brazier.
The parents spoke a few words, offering their daughter, and the Levites wrote them down. Meanwhile, the girls sang Psalm 44: Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum, and the priests sang Psalm 49: Deus deorum Dominus locutus est, while the boys played their instruments. I then observed that two priests took Mary by the hand and led her up some steps to a high place in the wall, which separated the vestibule from the Sanctuary. They placed the girl in a kind of niche in the center of that wall, so that she could see the place where several men were lined up who seemed to me to be consecrated to the Temple. Two priests stood beside her; There were two others on the steps, loudly reciting prayers written on parchment. On the other side of the wall stood an old prince of the priests, near the altar, in a place high enough for his bust to be seen. I saw him presenting the incense, the smoke of which spread around Mary.
During this ceremony I saw a symbolic painting around Mary that soon filled the Temple and darkened it. I saw a luminous glory beneath Mary's heart and understood that it contained the promise of God's sacrosanct blessing. This glory appeared surrounded by Noah's ark, so that Mary's head was raised and the ark, in turn, took the form of the Ark of the Covenant, later seeing it as if it were enclosed in the Temple. Then I saw that all these forms disappeared while the chalice of Holy Supper appeared out of glory, in front of Mary's chest, and higher up, in front of the Virgin's mouth, a loaf of bread marked with a cross appeared. On the sides, rays shone from whose ends emerged figures with mystical symbols of the Blessed Virgin, like all the names in the Litany addressed to her by the Church. Two branches of olive and cypress, or cedar and cypress, crossed over the shoulders, rose above a beautiful palm tree along with a small branch that I saw appear behind it. In the spaces of the branches I could see all the instruments of the passion of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, represented by a winged figure that looked more like a human form than a dove, was suspended above the painting, above which I saw the open sky, the center of the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of God, with all its palaces. , gardens and places of future saints.
Everything was full of angels, and the glory that now surrounded the Blessed Virgin was full of the heads of these spirits. Ah, who could describe these things in human words!... Everything was seen in forms so diverse and multiform, deriving from one another in such continual transformation, that I forgot most of them. Everything related to the Holy Virgin in the old and new Covenants and even in eternity was represented there. I can only compare this vision with a smaller vision I recently had, in which I saw in all its magnificence the meaning of the Holy Rosary. Many people, who consider themselves wise, understand this less than the poor and humble who recite it simply, as they increase the splendor with their obedience, their piety and their simple trust in the Church, which recommends this prayer. When I saw all this, the beauty and magnificence of the Temple, with its elegantly decorated walls, seemed to me opaque and blackened behind the Blessed Virgin. The Temple itself seemed to fade and disappear: only Mary and the glory that surrounded her filled everything. While these visions passed before my eyes, I stopped seeing the Blessed Virgin in the form of a girl: she then seemed large to me and as if suspended in the air. However, I also saw, through Mary, the priests, the sacrifice of incense and everything else in the ceremony. It seemed as if the priest was behind her, announcing the future and inviting the people to thank and pray to God, because something very big would come out of that girl. All those who were in the Temple, although they did not see what I saw, were shocked and deeply moved. This image gradually disappeared in the same way I saw it appear. In the end, only the glory remained beneath Mary's heart and the blessing of the promise shining within her. Then she also disappeared and I only saw the girl Maria decorated among the priests.
The priests took the garlands that wrapped her arms and the torch that she carried in her hand and handed them to her companions. They placed a brown veil on her head and made her go down the steps, taking her to a neighboring room, where six older virgins from the Temple came out to meet her, throwing flowers at her. Behind him were her teachers, Naomi, the sister of Lazarus' mother, the prophetess Hannah, and another woman. The priests received little Mary and then left. The girl's parents, as well as her closest relatives, were present. After finishing the sacred songs, Maria said goodbye to her parents. Joachim, deeply moved, took Mary in his arms and, pressing her to his heart, said through tears: “Remember my soul before God”. Maria then went with the teachers and several other young women to the women's rooms, to go North of the Temple. These lived in open rooms in the thick walls of the Temple and could, through passages and stairs, climb to the small oratories located near the Sanctuary and the family members of the Holy of Holies returned to the room next to the Golden Door, where they had previously stopped to eat at the company of priests. The women ate in a separate room.
I forgot, among many other things, why the party was so joyful and solemn. However, I know it was the result of a revelation of God's will. Maria's parents were wealthy people and if they lived poorly it was out of a spirit of mortification and to be able to give more alms to the poor. That's how Ana, I don't know for how long, only ate cold food. Despite this, they treated their servants generously and provided them with resources.
I saw many people praying in the Temple. Others followed the procession to the door. Some of those present must have had a certain premonition of the Girl's fate, as I remember some words that Saint Anne, in a moment of joyful enthusiasm, addressed to the women, the meaning of which was: “Behold the Ark of the Covenant, the vessel of the Promise , who now enters the Temple.” Mary's parents and other relatives returned to Beth Horom today.
XXII Mary in the Temple
I saw a party in the virgins' rooms of the Temple. Maria asked the teachers and each maid in particular if they wanted to admit her among them, as this was the custom practiced. There was a meal and a party at which some girls played musical instruments. At night I saw Naomi, one of the teachers, leading the girl Maria to the small room that was reserved for her and from where she could see the inside of the Temple. There was a small table, a stool and some shelves in the corners. In front of this room there was space for Naomi's bedroom, wardrobe and bedroom. Mary spoke to Naomi about her desire to get up several times during the night, but Naomi would not allow it. The women of the Temple wore long, loose white robes, fastened with sashes and very wide sleeves, which they gathered together to work. They were veiled.
I don't remember seeing Herod rebuild the entire Temple again. I only saw that during his reign several changes were made. When Mary entered the Temple, eleven years before the birth of the Savior, no real work was done; but, as always, work was carried out on the exterior buildings: this never stopped being done.
Today I saw Mary's room in the Temple. On the north side, in front of the Sanctuary, there were several rooms at the top that communicated with the women's rooms. Maria's room was one of the most isolated, facing the Holy of Holies. From the corridor, lifting a curtain, one entered a previous room separated from the bedroom by a convex or angular partition. In the right and left corners were divisions for storing clothes and household items; In front of the open door of this partition, some steps led to an opening, in front of which there was a tapestry, from which the interior of the Temple could be seen. On the left, against the wall of the room, there was a rolled-up rug, which when rolled out formed the bed where the child Maria rested. A lamp was placed in a niche in the wall, near which I saw the girl standing on a stool, reading prayers from a scroll. She wore a white and blue striped dress, dotted with yellow flowers. There was a low round table in the room. I saw the prophetess Ana enter the room and place a platter with fruit as thick as a bean and an amphora on the table. Mary had a skill beyond her years: ever since then I have seen her working on small pieces of white cloth for the Temple service. The walls of her room were covered with triangular stones of different colors. Many times I heard the girl say to Ana: “Ah, soon the promised Child will be born! Ah, if I could see the Redeemer son!”...
Ana answered her; “I am already old and I should have waited a long time for this Boy. You, on the other hand, are so little!”... Maria often cried for the desire to see her son, the Redeemer. The girls who were educated in. The Temple took care of embroidering, decorating, washing and arranging the priestly vestments and cleaning the sacred utensils of the Temple.
In their rooms, where they could see the Temple, they prayed and meditated.
They were consecrated to the Lord through the dedication that their parents made in the Temple. When they reached the appropriate age, they married, for there was a silent hope among the pious Israelites that the Messiah should be born of one of these virgins consecrated to the Lord.
How blind and hard the Pharisees and priests of the Temple were can be seen by the little interest and ignorance they showed towards the holy people with whom they dealt. First, they rejected Jehoiachin's sacrifice without reason. Only after a few months, by God's order, Joaquim and Ana's sacrifice was accepted. Joachim arrived near the Sanctuary and found Ana, without knowing it beforehand, led through the passages under the Temple by the same priests. There the two spouses met and Mary was conceived. Other priests waited for them at the exit of the Temple. All of this happened by God's order and inspiration. Sometimes I have seen that the barren were taken there by God's command. Mary arrived at the Temple when she was just under four years old: throughout her presentation there are extraordinary and unusual signs. The sister of Lazarus' mother became the teacher of Mary, who appeared in the Temple with signs so unusual that some elderly priests wrote in large books about this extraordinary girl. I believe these writings still exist among other writings, hidden for now. Later, other wonders happened, such as the flowering of the rod at the wedding with Joseph. Then the strange story of the coming of the three wise men, of the shepherds, through the call of the angels. Then, at the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the testimony of Simeon and Anna; and the admirable feat of Jesus among the doctors of the Temple at the age of twelve. All these extraordinary things the Pharisees despised and neglected. Their heads were full of other secular and governmental ideas and matters. Because the Holy Family lived in voluntary poverty, they were relegated to oblivion, like ordinary people. The few enlightened ones, like Simeon, Anna and others, had to remain silent and reserve themselves before them.
When Jesus began his public life and John gave testimony to him, they contradicted him with such obstinacy in their teachings that the extraordinary facts of their youth, if they had not heard them, had no interest in making them known to others. The government of Herod and the yoke of the Romans, under which they fell, so entangled them in palace intrigues and human affairs, that every spirit fled from them. They disregarded John's testimony and forgot the beheaded man. They despised the miracles and preaching of Jesus. They had wrong ideas about the Messiah and the prophets: that is why they could mistreat him so savagely, kill him and then deny his resurrection and the miraculous signs that occurred, as well as the fulfillment of the prophecies in the destruction of "Jerusalem". Blindness was great at that time, not recognizing the signs of the coming of the Messiah, greater was their obstinacy after seeing him perform miracles and hearing his preaching. If his obstinacy were not so extraordinary, how could this blindness continue to this day?
When I walk through the streets of present-day Jerusalem to make the Stations of the Cross, I often see, under a ruined building, a large arch that is partially demolished and partially filled with water. The water now reaches the top of the table, in the middle of which stands a column, around which boxes full of written parchments hang. Under the table there are also parchments in the water. These undergrounds must be tombs: they extend as far as Mount Calvary. I think it's the house where Pilate lived. This treasure trove of writings will be discovered in due time.
I saw the Blessed Virgin in the Temple, sometimes in the women's room with the other girls, other times in her small room, growing up in the midst of study, prayer and work, while spinning and weaving for the service of the temple. Mary washed the clothes and cleaned the sacred vessels. Like all saints, he only ate for his own sustenance, never tasting foods other than those to which he had promised to limit himself. I could often see her dedicated to prayer and meditation. In addition to the vocal prayers prescribed in the Temple, Mary's life was an unceasing aspiration for redemption, a continuous inner prayer. She did all this with great serenity and in secret, getting up from her bed and calling on the Lord when everyone was asleep. Sometimes I saw her crying, shining, during prayer. Maria prayed with her face veiled. She also covered herself when she spoke to the priests or went down to a neighboring room to receive her work or deliver what she had finished. On three sides of the Temple were these rooms, which looked similar to our sacristies. The objects that those responsible had to take care of or make were stored in them.
I saw Mary in a state of continuous ecstasy and inner prayer. Her soul did not seem to be on earth and often received heavenly consolations.
She continually sighed for the fulfillment of her promise and in her humility she could barely formulate her desire to be the last among the servants of the Mother of the Redeemer.
The teacher who took care of her was Naomi, sister of Lázaro's mother. She was fifty years old and belonged to the society of the Essenes, as well as the women added to the service of the Temple. Maria learned to work alongside her, accompanying her in cleaning clothes and vessels stained with the blood of sacrifices; She distributed and prepared portions of the victims' flesh reserved for priests and women. Later, she began to take more active care of household chores. When Zechariah was on duty at the Temple, he visited her frequently; Simeon also knew her. The destinies to which Mary was called could not have been completely unknown to the priests. Your way of being, your bearing,
his infinite grace, his extraordinary wisdom, were so remarkable that not even his extreme humility could hide it.
XXIII The birth of John is announced to Zechariah
I saw Zechariah talking to Elizabeth, confiding in her the pain it caused him to have to go and perform his service in the Temple of Jerusalem, due to the contempt with which he was treated due to the sterility of his marriage.
Zechariah was on duty twice a year: they lived not in Hebron, but a league away, in Juta. Between Juta and Hebron many ancient walls remained; perhaps in other times these two places would have been united. On the other side of Hebron were many scattered buildings, like the remains of the ancient city that had once been as large as Jerusalem. The priests who lived in Hebron were less elevated in dignity than those who lived in Juta. Zechariah was, therefore, the leader of the latter and enjoyed, like Elizabeth, the greatest respect because of his virtue and the purity of his lineage from Aaron, his ancestor. I saw Zechariah visit, with several priests from the country, a small property of his near Juta. It was an orchard with fruit trees and a small house. Zechariah prayed there with his companions, then giving them instructions and preparing them for the Temple service that would befall them. I also heard him speak of his distress and the presentiment of something that would happen to him. Zechariah marched with those priests to Jerusalem, where he waited four days until it was his turn to offer sacrifices. During this time he prayed continually in the Temple. When it was his turn to present the incense, I saw him enter the Sanctuary, where the altar of perfumes stood in front of the entrance to the Holy of Holies. Above him the roof was open, so that the sky could be seen. The priest was not visible from the outside. When he entered, another priest said something to him, leaving immediately.
When Zechariah was alone, I saw him lift a curtain and go into a dark place. He took something and placed it on the altar, lighting the incense.
At that moment I could see, to the right of the altar, a light descending towards it and a bright shape approaching. Frightened, overcome with ecstasy, I saw him fall towards the altar. The angel took him, spoke to him for a long time and Zechariah responded. Above his head the sky was open and two angels were going up and down as if they were on a ladder. Zechariah's belt was removed, leaving his clothes half open; I saw that one of the angels seemed to remove something from his body while the other placed a luminous object next to him. All of this is similar to what happened when Joachim received the angel's blessing for the conception of the Blessed Virgin.
It was the custom of the priests to leave the Sanctuary immediately after lighting the incense. As Zechariah took a long time to leave, the people, who were praying outside, waiting, began to get restless; But Zechariah, when he came out, was silent and I saw that he wrote something on a tablet. When he walked out into the lobby, many people gathered around him asking why he was late; but he could not speak, and, making signs with his hand, he showed his mouth. The written tablet, which he immediately sent to Juta to Isabel's house, announcing that God had made him a promise and at the same time telling him that he had lost the use of speech. After some time he returned home. Isabel also received a revelation, which I don't remember now. Zechariah was a man of tall stature, large and majestic in appearance.
XXIV Details about Saint Joseph
Joseph, whose father was called Jacob, was the third among six brothers. His parents lived in a large building located just before arriving in Bethlehem, which had once been David's paternal home, whose father, Jesse, was the owner. In Joseph's time, almost nothing remained, except the wide walls of that ancient building. I think I knew this house better than our village of Flamske. In front of the house there was a front courtyard surrounded by open galleries like the facade of houses in ancient Rome. In its galleries I could see figures similar to the heads of ancient characters. On one side of the courtyard there was a fountain under a small stone building, from which water came out of the animals' mouths. The house had no windows on the ground floor, but had round openings on the upper floor. I saw an entrance door.
A wide gallery surrounded the house, at the corners of which there were four turrets similar to thick columns, each ending in a kind of dome, where small streamers stood out. Through the openings of those small domes, which could be reached by stairs opened in the towers, one could see into the distance, without being seen. There were little towers like these in David's palace in Jerusalem; It was from the dome of one of them that he was able to look at Beersheba while she was bathing. At the top of the house, the gallery surrounded a low floor, whose flat roof supported a construction ending in another small tower. Joseph and his brothers lived in the upper part with an old Jew, his guardian.
They slept around a room placed in the center, which dominated the gallery. Their beds consisted of quilts rolled up against the wall during the day, separated from each other by moving mats. I saw them playing in their room. I also saw the parents, who had little relationship with their children. They seemed neither good nor bad to me. José was eight years old or older. Very different in nature from his brothers, he was very intelligent, and learned everything very easily, despite being simple, peaceful, pious and without ambitions. His brothers made him the victim of all kinds of pranks and sometimes mistreated him.
Those boys had small gardens divided into compartments: in them I saw many plants and bushes. I saw that Joseph's brothers often went secretly and caused destruction in his fields, making him suffer greatly. I often saw him under the courtyard gallery, on his knees, praying with his arms outstretched. It would then happen that his brothers would sneak up behind him and beat him. While he was on his knees, one of them hit him on the back and, as José didn't seem to notice, he hit him again with such insistence that poor José fell forward onto the ground. From this I understood that Joseph must have been ecstatic during the prayer. When he woke up, he showed no signs of getting upset, nor did he think about taking revenge: he looked for another isolated corner to continue his prayer.
His parents didn't show him much affection either. They would like him to use his talent to gain a position in the world; but José did not aspire to any of this. His parents thought José was very simple and routine; It seemed wrong to them that he enjoyed prayer and manual labor so much.
At another time, when he must have been twelve years old, I often saw him flee from the annoyances of his brothers, going to the other side of Bethlehem, not far from what later became the grotto of the manger, and stopping there for some time near some pious women belonging to the Essene community. These women lived near an open quarry on the hill above which Bethlehem stood, in caves carved into the same rock. They cultivated small adjacent gardens and taught other Essene children. Many times I saw little Joseph, while they recited prayers written on parchment in the light of the lamp suspended on the rock, seek refuge near them to escape the persecution of his brothers. I also saw him stop at the caves, one of which would later be the birthplace of the Redeemer. He prayed alone there or was busy making small wooden objects. An old carpenter had his workshop near the Essenes. José went there frequently and little by little he learned this trade, in which he progressed easily as he studied a little geometry and drawing with his tutor. Finally, his brothers' annoyances made it impossible for him to live together in his father's house. A friend who lived near Belém, in a house separated from his parents by a small stream, gave him clothes with which he could disguise himself and leave his parents' house at night to earn a living elsewhere. He would then be between eighteen and twenty years old. I first saw him working in a carpenter's house in Libona, where you could say he learned his trade. His patron's house was built against walls leading to a ruined castle along the ridge of a mountain. Many poor people in the region built their homes on that wall. There I saw José working long pieces of wood, enclosed between large walls, where light penetrated through the upper openings. These pieces formed frames into which wattle and daub partitions should fit. His employer was a poor man who did nothing but crude, low-value work. Joseph was pious, simple and good; everyone wanted it. I always saw him, with perfect humility, perform all kinds of services for his boss, collecting shavings, gathering pieces of wood and carrying them on his shoulders. Later, he once passed through these places in the company of a liary and I believe he visited his old workshop with her.
Meanwhile, his parents believed that José had been robbed by bandits.
Then I saw that his brothers discovered where he was and rebuked him sharply, because they were very ashamed of the low condition in which he had placed himself. José wanted to stay in that condition, out of humility; But he left that place and went to work in Taanac, near Megiddo, on the bank of a small river, the Kishon, which flows into the sea. This place is not far from Afeké, hometown of the apostle Saint Thomas. There he lived in the house of a very wealthy patron, where more delicate work was carried out. Later I saw him working in Tiberias for another employer, living alone in a house by the lake. He would have been around thirty years old then. His parents died in Belém, where two of his brothers still lived. The others dispersed. The paternal house was no longer the property of the family, becoming completely ruined. Joseph was very pious and prayed for the soon coming of the Messiah. While one day he was busy organizing an oratory near his room, so that he could pray in complete solitude, an angel appeared to him, ordering him to suspend his work: just as in other times God had entrusted the patriarch Joseph with the administration of the granaries in Egypt. , now the barn that contained the harvest of Salvation should be entrusted to his paternal custody. Joseph, in his humility, did not understand these words and continued to pray with great fervor until he was ordered to go to the Temple of Jerusalem to become, by virtue of an order from above, husband of the Blessed Virgin. Before he had never seen him married, as he was very withdrawn and avoided the company of women.
XXV Wedding of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph
Meanwhile, Mary lived in the Temple with many other young women under the custody of the pious matrons, busy with embroidery, weaving, and working for the Temple curtains and priestly vestments. They also cleaned clothes and other objects intended for divine worship.
When they reached adulthood, they got married. Their parents had given them completely to God and among the most pious Israelites there was a premonition that one of these marriages would produce the advent of the Messiah. When Mary was fourteen years old and soon had to leave the Temple to get married, along with seven other young women, I saw Saint Anne visit her in the Temple. When they announced to Mary that she must leave the Temple to get married, I saw her deeply moved, declaring to the priest that she did not wish to leave the Temple, as she had consecrated herself only to God and had no inclination towards marriage. To all this she was answered that she should accept a husband.” “Later I saw her in her oratory, praying to God with great fervor. I remember that, very thirsty, she went down with her small jug to get water from a fountain or reservoir, and that there, without visible appearance, she heard a voice that consoled her, letting her know at the same time that it was necessary to accept this marriage. This was not the Annunciation, which I was able to see later in Nazareth. I thought, however, that this time she had seen the appearance of an angel. In my youth, I sometimes confused this event with the Annunciation, believing that it had taken place in the Temple.
I saw a very old priest who couldn't walk: he must have been the Supreme Pontiff. He was taken by other priests to the Holy of Holies and while lighting an incense sacrifice he read the prayers on a roll of parchment placed on a kind of pulpit. Caught in ecstasy, he had an apparition and his finger was led over the parchment to the following passage from Isaiah: "A shoot will arise from the root of Jesse, and a flower will grow from that root." When the old man came to his senses, he read this passage and came to know something about it.
Then messengers were sent to all regions of the country summoning all men of David's race who were not married to the Temple.
When several of them were gathered in the Temple, in festive attire, Mary was presented to them. Among them I saw a very pious young man from Bethlehem, who had asked God, with great fervor, for the promise to be fulfilled: in his heart I saw a great desire to be chosen as Mary's husband.
As for the latter, she returned to her cell and shed many tears, without even being able to imagine that she would always remain a virgin.
After this I saw the High Priest, obeying an inner impulse, present some branches to those present, ordering each one to mark one with his name and hold it in his hand during the prayer and sacrifice. After they had done this, the branches were again taken from their hands and placed on an altar before the Holy of Holies, and it was announced to them that the one among them whose branch would blossom would be the one appointed by the Lord to be the husband of Mary of Nazareth. While the branches were in front of the Holy of Holies, the sacrifice continued and the prayer continued. During this time I saw the young man, whose name you must remember, invoke God in a room of the Temple, with his arms outstretched, and shed hot tears, when after the appointed time the branches were returned to them "announcing to them that none of them had been appointed by God to be the husband of that Virgin. The men returned to their homes and the young man retired to Mount Carmel, together with the priests who had lived there since the time of Elijah, staying with them and praying continually for the fulfillment of the Virgin. promise.
Then I saw the Temple priests searching the family records again to see if there were any descendants of David's family who had not been called!12 They found the indication of six brothers who lived in Bethlehem, one of whom was unknown and had been absent for a long time. They looked for Joseph's house, finding it a short distance from Samaria, in a place near a stream. He lived on the riverbank and worked under a carpenter. Obeying the orders of the High Priest, Joseph went to Jerusalem and appeared at the Temple. As they prayed and offered sacrifices, they also placed a staff in his hands, and just as he was preparing to place it on the altar, in front of the Holy of Holies, a white flower, similar to a lily, sprouted; and I could see a luminous apparition descend upon him: it was as if at that moment Joseph had received the Holy Spirit. Thus it was known that this was the man designated by God to be married to the Most Holy Mary, and the priests presented him to Mary, in the presence of his mother. Mary, resigned to God's will, humbly accepted it, knowing that God could do anything, as he had received her vow to belong only to Him. The wedding of Mary and Joseph, which lasted six to seven days, was celebrated in Jerusalem. in a house located near Mount Zion, which was often rented for these occasions. In addition to Maria's teachers and classmates from the Temple school, many relatives of Joaquim and Ana attended, among others a couple from Gofna with two daughters. Weddings were solemn and sumptuous, and many lambs were offered and sacrificed in the Temple.
I could see Maria very well in her wedding dress. She wore a very loose tunic, open in the front, with wide sleeves. It had a blue background, with large red, white and yellow roses, mixed with green leaves, like the rich chasubles of ancient times. The lower edge was decorated with fringes and tassels. Over her suit she wore a light blue peplum similar to a large cloth. In addition to this cloak, Jewish women often wore something resembling a mourning coat with sleeves on certain occasions. Mary's cloak fell over her shoulders, turning forward on both sides and ending in a train. In her left hand she carried a small crown of white and red silk roses; On his right he had, like a scepter, a beautiful gold candlestick without legs, with a small tray on top, on which something was burning that produced a whitish flame.
The young women of the Temple fixed Mary's hair, finishing the headdress in a very short time. Ana had brought the wedding dress and Maria, in her humility, did not want to wear it after the engagement. Her hair was tied around her head, from which hung a white veil that fell below her shoulders. A crown was placed over this veil. Maria's hair was abundant, golden blond, with high black eyebrows, large eyes with eyelids usually half-closed with long black eyelashes, a beautiful, slightly elongated nose, a noble and graceful mouth and a thin chin. Her height was average. Dressed in her beautiful dress, her walk was full of grace, decency and seriousness. He then dressed for the wedding in another, less ornate attire, of which I have a small piece that I keep among my relics. She wore this listed costume at Cana and on other solemn occasions. Sometimes she would put on her wedding dress again when she went to the Temple.
Rich people changed their dresses three or four times at weddings. In that formal dress, Maria reminded me of some illustrious women from other times, for example Saint Helena and Saint Cunegunde, although she was distinguished from them by the cloak with which Jewish women wrapped themselves, more similar to that of Roman ladies. There were in Zion, near the Cenacle, some women who prepared beautiful fabrics of all kinds, as I saw in their clothes. José was wearing a long and very spacious blue suit, with wide sleeves fastened at the sides by laces.
Around his neck he wore a brown cloak, or rather a wide stole, and two white straps hung across his chest.
I saw all the details of Mary and Joseph's engagement: the wedding meal and other solemnities; but I saw many other things at the same time. I feel so bad, so disturbed in a thousand different ways, that I don't dare say anything else so as not to introduce confusion into these stories.
XXVI Mary's wedding ring
I saw that Mary's wedding ring was not gold, nor silver, nor any other metal. It was a dark color with changeable reflections. It was also not a small, thin circle, but rather thick, about the width of a finger. I saw everything smooth, although it was embedded with small regular triangles in which there were letters. I saw that it was well kept under many locks in a beautiful church. There were pious people who, before celebrating their wedding, touched this precious relic with their wedding rings.
In the last few days I have learned many details regarding the story of Mary's wedding ring; but I can't relate it in the correct order.
I saw a party in a city in Italy where this ring was kept. It was exposed in a kind of mantle, above the tabernacle. There was a large altar embellished with silver ornaments. Many people brought their rings to make them touch the monstrance. During this feast, I saw Mary and Joseph appear on both sides of the circular altar in their wedding clothes.
It seemed to me that Joseph put the ring on Mary's finger. At that moment I saw the ring all luminous, as if it were moving. To the left and right of the altar, I saw two other altars, which were probably not in the same church; but they were shown to me there in this vision13. On the right altar there was an image of Ecce Homo, which a pious Roman magistrate, a friend of Saint Peter, had miraculously received. On the left altar was one of Our Lord's shrouds.
After the wedding, Anne returned to Nazareth, and Mary also left in the company of several virgins who had left the Temple at the same time as her. I don't know how far they accompanied Mary: I only remember that the first place they stopped to spend the night was at the Levite school in Beth-Horon. Maria made the journey on foot. After the wedding, José had gone to Belém to resolve some family matters. He later moved to Nazareth.
XXVII The house of Nazareth
I saw a party at Santa Ana's house. I saw six guests there, not counting the relatives of the house and some children gathered with José and Maria around a table, on which there were glasses. The Virgin had a cloak with red, blue and white flowers, as seen on ancient chasubles. She wore a transparent veil and a black one on top. It looked like a continuation of the wedding party. My guide took me to Santa Ana's house, which I recognized immediately with all its details. I didn't find Joseph or Mary there. I saw that Saint Anne was preparing to go to Nazareth, where the Holy Family now lived. He carried a package for Maria under her arm. To go to Nazareth he had to cross a plain and then a forest, in front of a hill. I followed the same path. José's house was not far from the city gates and was not as large as Santa Ana's.
In the neighborhood there was a quadrangular well to which descended through some terraces in front of the house there was a small square courtyard; I saw Ana visiting Maria and giving her what she had brought for her, then returning to her house. Mary cried a lot and accompanied her holy mother part of the way. I saw São José in front of the house, in a somewhat isolated place.
The little house in Nazareth, which Anne had prepared for Mary and Joseph, belonged to Saint Anne. She could get there from her house unobserved, along lost roads, in half an hour's walk. The little house was not far from the city gate. There was a small courtyard in front of it. It was on a small hill, neither built nor excavated, but separate from the hill at the back, and to which a narrow path carved in the same rock led. At the back there was an opening at the top, shaped like a window, which looked out onto the top of the hill. It was quite dark behind the house. The back of the house was triangular and taller than the front.
The lower part was carved into the stone; The upper part was made of lightweight materials. In the background was Mary's room: the Annunciation of the Angel took place there. This piece had a semicircular shape due to the coarsely woven reed partitions, which covered the back walls instead of the light screens that were used. The partitions that covered the walls had designs of different shapes and colors. Maria's bed was on the right; behind a woven partition. On the left side was the closet and the small table with a footstool: it was Mary's place of prayer. The back part of the house was separated from the rest by the fireplace, which was a wall in the middle of which a chimney rose to the roof. The chimney exited through the roof opening, ending in a small roof. Later I saw two little bells hanging at the end of this chimney. To the right and left were two doors with three steps that led to Maria's room. On the walls of the fireplace were several open spaces with household utensils and other objects that I still see in Loreto's house. Behind the fireplace there was a cedar support, to which the fireplace wall with the chimney was attached. From this vertically planted support another came out in the middle of the back wall, where others were inserted on both sides. The color of these woods was bluish with yellow decorations. Through them you could see the roof, covered inside with leaves and mats; In the corners were star decorations. The star in the center corner was large and seemed to represent the morning star. Later I saw more stars there. The lamp hung from the horizontal support that came from the fireplace and went to the back wall through an external opening. Under the chimney was another support.
The outer cover was not pointed, but flat, so that one could walk on it, as it was protected by a parapet around that cover.
When the Blessed Virgin, after the death of Saint Joseph, left the little house in Nazareth and went to live near Capernaum, the house began to be decorated, preserving it as a sacred place of prayer. Mary frequently made pilgrimages from Capernaum to visit the place of the Incarnation and dedicate herself to prayer.
Peter and John, when they went to Palestine, used to visit the little house to consecrate there, as an altar had been installed in the place where the house was located. The small cupboard that Mary used was placed on the altar table as a tabernacle.
XXVIII At Holy House de Loreto
I often had a vision of the transfer of the holy house to Loreto. I couldn't believe it, even though I had seen it repeatedly in visions.
I saw her carried by seven angels, who floated with her on the sea. There was no floor, but instead of the floor there was a base of light and clarity.
It had handles on both sides. Three angels held her on her side; another three on the other, carrying her through the air. One of the angels was flying ahead, casting a large trail of light and brilliance. I remember seeing the back of the house being taken to Europe, with the fireplace and chimney, with the apostle's altar and the little window. It seems to me, when I think about it, that the other parts of the house were connected to this part and were almost in a state of falling down on their own. I also saw in Loreto the cross that Mary used in Ephesus: it was made of different types of wood. Later the apostles possessed it. Many wonders were accomplished through this cross. The walls of the holy house in Loreto were absolutely the same as those in Nazareth. The supports that were under the fireplace are the same. The miraculous image of Mary is now on the altar of the apostles.
XXIX The Annunciation of the Angel
I had a vision of the Annunciation of Mary on the day of that feast. I saw the Blessed Virgin shortly after her wedding, at the house of Saint Joseph, in Nazareth. José had gone out with two donkeys to bring something he had inherited or to look for the tools of his trade. It seemed to me that he was still on his way. In addition to the Virgin and two young women of her age who had been, I believe, her companions in the Temple, I saw Saint Anne at home with that widowed relative who was in her service and who later accompanied her to Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus. Santa Ana had renovated everything in the house. I saw the four women coming and going, walking together in the courtyard. At dusk I saw them come in and pray around a small round table; Then they ate vegetables and separated. Santa Ana still moved from one place to another in the house, like a mother busy with household chores. Maria and the two young women retired to separate rooms. The front of the room, towards the door, was round, and in this circular part, separated by a partition the height of a man, was rolled up Mary's bed.
I was taken to that room by the resplendent young man who always accompanied me, and I saw there what I am going to tell you in the way that a person as miserable as I could do.
When the Blessed Virgin entered, behind the bed screen, she wore a long white woolen dress with a wide belt and covered her head with a yellowish-white veil. The servant entered with light, turned on a multi-armed lamp hanging from the ceiling and left. The Virgin took a low table against the wall and placed it in the center of the room. The table was covered with a red and blue folder, in the middle of which there was an embroidered figure: I don't know if it was a letter or simply an ornament. On the table was a scroll of parchment with writing on it. The Virgin, having placed him between her bed and the door, in a place where the floor was covered with a carpet, placed in front of her a small round cushion, on which she knelt, leaning on the table with her two hands. Maria covered her face and clasped her hands in front of her chest, without crossing her fingers. For a long time I saw her pray ardently, with her face turned to the sky, invoking Redemption, the coming of the King promised to Israel, and fervently asking that she be allowed to participate in that mission.
She knelt for a long time, transported in ecstasy; then she lowered her head onto her chest.
Then, from the ceiling of the room, on the right side, in a somewhat oblique line, a ray of light descended so large that I was forced to turn my eyes to the patio door. I saw, in the middle of that mass of light, a resplendent young man, with flowing blond hair, who had descended before Mary, through the air. It was the Archangel Gabriel. When he spoke, I saw the words coming out of his mouth as if they were letters of fire: I read them and understood them. Maria tilted her veiled head a little to the right. However, in his modesty, he did not look at the angel. The Archangel continued speaking. Mary then turned her face to him, as if she were obeying an order, lifted her veil a little and responded. The angel said a few more words. Mary completely lifted the veil, looked at the angel and pronounced the sacred words: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word”...
Maria was in deep ecstasy. The room was glowing and I could no longer see the ceiling light or the ceiling itself. The sky appeared open and my gaze followed a luminous path above the angel. At the end of that river of light stood a figure of the Holy Trinity: it was like a triangular glow, whose rays penetrated each other. I recognized there that which can only be worshiped without ever understanding it: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and also an Almighty God.
When the Blessed Virgin said: “May it be done to me according to your word,” I saw a winged appearance of the Holy Spirit, which did not resemble the usual dove-shaped representation: the head resembled a human face; the light spilled to the sides in the form of wings. I saw three luminous effluvia from there to the right side of the Virgin, where they met again. When this light penetrated her right side, the Holy Virgin herself became luminous and. as if she were transparent: It seemed that everything that was opaque about her disappeared under that light, as on the night before the splendid day. She was so permeated with light that there was nothing opaque or dark about her. It glowed as if it had been completely. illuminated.
After that I saw that the angel disappeared and that the luminous band from which he came disappeared. It seemed as if the sky was sucking up and returning to itself the light it had let fall. When I saw all these things in Maria's room I had a personal impression of a singular nature. I was in constant anguish, as if dangerous ambushes awaited me, and I saw a horrible serpent crawling through the house and up the steps to the door, where it had stopped when the light penetrated the Blessed Virgin. The monster had already reached the third step. That snake was the size of a child, with a wide, flat head, and at chest height it had two short, membranous legs, with claws at the ends, on which it rested, looking like bat wings. It had spots of different colors, disgusting in appearance; It looked like the serpent from the Earthly Paradise, but with a more deformed and frightening appearance. When the angel disappeared from the Virgin's presence, she stepped on the head of the monster that was in front of the door, which let out a scream so horrible that it made me shudder. Then I saw three spirits appear and beat the hateful reptile, driving it out of the house.
Without the angel, I saw Mary ecstatic in deep ecstasy, in absolute remembrance. I could see that he already knew and adored in himself the Incarnation of the Redeemer, where he found himself as a small luminous human body, completely formed and endowed with all its members.
Here, in Nazareth, it is not the same as in Jerusalem, where women must remain in the atrium and cannot enter the Temple, because only the priests have access to the Sanctuary. In Nazareth, the Virgin herself was the Temple: the Holy of Holies was in her, as was the High Priest, and She was alone with Him. How moving and at the same time natural and simple this is! The words of Psalm 45 were fulfilled: “The Most High has sanctified his tabernacle; God is in his midst and will not be shaken.”
It was around midnight when I witnessed this entire spectacle.
After some time Ana entered Maria's room with the other women. A wonderful movement of nature woke them up: a wonderful light appeared above the house. When they saw Mary on her knees, under the lamp, carried away by the ecstasy of her prayer, they respectfully moved away.
After a while I saw the Virgin get up and approach the small altar on the wall; He lit the lamp and prayed standing up. In front of her, on a high pulpit, were written scrolls. I only saw her resting at dawn.
The guide led me out of the room; but when I was in the small hallway of the house I was overcome by a great fear. That horrible snake, which was lurking there, ran towards me and tried to hide between the folds of my dress. I found myself in the midst of horrible anguish; but my guide took me away and I could see that the three spirits reappeared and hit the monster again. Her horrible scream still resonates with me and her memory frightens me.
Contemplating the mystery of the Incarnation tonight, I understood many other things. Ana received an inner knowledge of what was happening. She also knew why the Redeemer had to remain nine months in his Mother's womb and be born in the form of a child; Why he did not want to appear in the form of a perfect man like our first father, Adam, coming out of the hands of God: all this has been explained to me, but I can no longer explain it clearly. What I can say is that He wanted to sanctify again the act of conception and the birth of men, degraded by original sin. If Mary became a Mother and He did not come into the world before, it was because She was what no creature was before or will be after: the pure vessel of grace that God had promised to men and in which He would become man. .to pay the debts of humanity, through the abundant merits of his passion.
The Blessed Virgin was the perfectly pure flower of the human race, opened in the fullness of time. All the children of God among men, all, even those who from the beginning labored in the work of sanctification, contributed to its coming. She was the only pure gold on earth; She alone was the immaculate portion of the flesh and blood of all humanity, which was prepared, purified, collected and consecrated through all the generations of her ancestors; guided, protected and strengthened under the regime of the law of Moses, it finally came to fruition as the fullness of grace. Predestined in eternity, she emerged in time as Mother of the eternal Word.
The Virgin Mary was just over fourteen years old when the Incarnation of Jesus Christ occurred. Jesus reached the age of thirty-three years and three times six weeks. I say three times six, because right now I'm seeing the number six repeated three times.
XXX Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
A few days after the Angel's Annunciation to Mary, Joseph returned to Nazareth and made some arrangements in the house so that he could exercise his office and remain there, as until then he had only stayed there for two days.
He knew nothing about the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word in Mary. She was the Mother of God and was the servant of the Lord, and she humbly kept the secret. When the Virgin felt that the Word was incarnated in her, she had a great desire to go to Juta, near Hebron, to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who, according to the angel's words, had been pregnant for six months.
As the time approached for Joseph to go to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, she wanted to accompany him to help Elizabeth during her pregnancy. Joseph, in the company of the Blessed Virgin, left for Juta.
The road headed south. They had a donkey that Maria rode from time to time. This donkey had a bag belonging to Joseph tied around its neck, inside which was a long brown dress with a kind of hood. Mary wore this clothing to go to the Temple or the synagogue. During the trip she wore a brown woolen tunic, a gray dress with a sash over it and a yellow cap covering her head. They were traveling very quickly. After they had crossed the plain of Esdraelon, I saw them climb a hill and enter the city of Dothan, to the house of a friend of Joseph's father. This was a very wealthy man, originally from Bethlehem. called him a brother, although he was not: he was a descendant of David through an ancestor who was also a king, I believe, called Elah, or Eldoa or Eldad'*, since I don't remember his name well.
Dotan was a city of active trade. Then I saw them spending the night under a shed. Still twelve leagues from Zechariah's house I was able to see them the other night in the middle of a forest, under a hut of branches covered in green leaves with beautiful white flowers. It was common in that country to see gazebos made of branches and leaves on the roadsides and some more solid buildings where travelers could spend the night or cool off, season and cook the food they carried with them. A family in the neighborhood was responsible for monitoring several of these places and providing the necessary supplies for a small fee. They did not go directly from Jerusalem to Juta. To travel in greater solitude, they took a tour of the eastern lands, passing by a small town, two leagues from Emmaus and taking the roads where Jesus walked during his years of preaching. Later they had to cross two mountains, between which I once saw them rest, eating bread, mixing some of the balm they had collected during the journey with water. In that region the country was very mountainous.
They passed some rocks, wider at the top than at the base; In those places there were large caves, inside which all kinds of curious stones could be seen. The valleys were very fertile. This path led them through forests and moors, meadows and fields. In a place very near the end of the trip I particularly noticed a plant that had beautiful small green leaves and clusters of flowers formed by nine closed pink bells. I had something there that I needed to occupy myself with; But I forgot what it was about! Zechariah's house was on a hill, around which there was a group of houses. A rushing stream runs down the hill. It seemed to me that it was the moment when Zacharias was returning home from Jerusalem after the Easter holidays. I saw Isabel walking, far from her home, on the road to Jerusalem, carried away by a restless and indefinable longing. There he found her Zechariah, who was shocked to see her so far from home in the state she was in. She said that she was very agitated, as she was haunted by the idea that her cousin Maria de Nazaré was coming to visit her. Zechariah tried to make her understand that she should reject such an idea and, through signs and writing on a tablet, told her how unlikely it was for a newlywed to undertake such a long journey at that time. Together they returned home. Isabel could not discard that fixed idea, having known in a dream that a woman of her own blood had become Mother of the eternal Word, of the promised Messiah. Thinking of Mary, he had a great desire to see her, and he saw her, in fact, in spirit coming towards her. In her house, to the right of the entrance, she prepared a small room with seats and waited there the next day, expectantly, looking at the road in case Maria arrived. Soon he would get up and go out to meet her on the road.
Isabel was a tall woman, of a certain age: she had a small face and beautiful features; Her head was veiled. She only knew Maria because of her voices and her fame. Mary, seeing her from afar, knew that it was Elizabeth and ran to meet her, overtaking Joseph, who remained discreetly at a distance. Soon Maria was among the first houses in the neighborhood, whose residents, impressed by her extraordinary beauty and moved by a certain supernatural dignity that radiated from her entire person, respectfully withdrew at the moment of meeting Isabel. They greeted each other friendly with a handshake. At that moment I saw a luminous point above the Blessed Virgin and like a ray of light that went from there towards Isabel, who received a wonderful impression. They did not stop in the presence of the men, but, arm in arm, they headed towards the house through the inner courtyard. On the doorstep, Isabel welcomed Maria again and then they entered the house.
Joseph arrived at the courtyard bringing the donkey, which he gave to a servant and went to look for Zechariah in an open room next to the house. He greeted the old priest with great humility, who embraced him cordially and spoke to him through the tablet on which he was writing, as he had been mute since the angel appeared to him in the Temple. Maria and Isabel, as soon as they entered, found themselves in a room that seemed to serve as a kitchen. There they linked arms. Maria greeted Isabel very cordially and the two touched each other's faces. I then saw that something luminous radiated from Mary into Elizabeth, leaving her completely illuminated and deeply moved, with her heart agitated by holy joy. Isabel stepped back a little, raising her hand and, full of humility, joy and enthusiasm, exclaimed: “Blessed are you among all women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But where did I get so much favor that the Mother of my Lord comes to visit me?... Because behold, when the voice of your greeting reached my ears, the child I carry trembled with joy within me. Oh, blessed are you, who believed; What the Lord told you will be fulfilled!” After these words, she led Maria to the little room prepared, so that she could sit down and rest from the fatigue of the journey. You only needed to take a few steps to get there. Mary left Elizabeth's arm, crossed her hands over her chest and began the song of the Magnificat: “My soul glorifies the Lord; and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior.
Because he looked upon the humility of his servant; for behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Almighty has done great things for me; and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation to generation to those who fear him. He did brave things with his arm; He scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He removed the mighty from their thrones and exalted the humble, he filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He helped Israel, his servant, remembering his mercy. As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants, forever.”
Elizabeth repeated the Magnificat in a low voice, with the same impulse of inspiration as Mary. Then they sat down on very low chairs, at a low table. On top was a small cup.
How happy I felt, because I repeated all the prayers with them, sitting very close to Mary! How great was my happiness then!
XXXI In the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth
Joseph and Zechariah had been talking together about the Messiah, his upcoming coming, and the fulfillment of the prophecies. Zechariah was an elderly man, tall and handsome when dressed as a priest. Now he always responded by signs or by writing on his tablet. I saw them next to the house, in a room open to the garden. Mary and Elizabeth were sitting on a rug in the garden, under a large tree, behind which there was a fountain through which the water escaped when the gate was removed. Around me I saw a meadow covered with grass, flowers and trees with small yellow plums. They were together eating fruit and bread taken from José's saddlebag. What simplicity and touching frugality! In the house there were two servants and two maids: I saw them coming and going, preparing food on a table, under a tree, Zechariah and Joseph arrived and also ate something.
Joseph wanted to return to Nazareth immediately; but he will have to stay there for eight days. He still knew nothing about Maria's pregnancy. Elizabeth and Mary kept silent about this, maintaining a secret and deep harmony between them, which united them intimately. Several times a day, especially before meals, when everyone was gathered together, the holy women recited a kind of Litany. Joseph prayed with them. I could see a cross that appeared between the two women, although the cross did not yet exist: it was as if two crosses had visited each other. The day before, in the afternoon, they all got together to eat, sitting until midnight by the light of a lamp, under the tree in the garden. Then I saw Joseph and Zacharias alone in their oratory, and Mary and Elizabeth in their little room, facing each other, standing, absorbed and in ecstasy, reciting together the song of the Magnificat.
In addition to the aforementioned clothes, the Virgin wore something similar to a transparent black veil, which she lowered over her face when she had to speak to men. On this day Zechariah led Joseph to another garden far from his house. Zechariah was a very organized man in all his things. In this orchard there were many trees with beautiful fruits of all types: it was very well looked after, crossed by a long arbor, under which there was shade; At the end there was a hidden viewpoint whose door opened on the side. At the top of this house one could see openings closed with moldings; Inside there was a resting bed, made of mats, mosses or other grasses. I saw two white statues the size of children there: I don't know how they were there or what they represented. I thought they looked like Zechariah and Elizabeth when they were younger.
This afternoon I saw Maria and Isabel busy at home. The Virgin participated in household chores and prepared all types of clothes for the expected child. I saw them working together: they wove a large quilt for Isabel's bed, for when she gave birth. Jewish women used quilts of this type, which had a kind of pocket in the center, arranged so that the mother could completely wrap herself and her child. Locked inside and propped up with pillows, she could sit or lie down as she pleased. On the edge of the quilt there were embroidered flowers and some phrases. Elizabeth and Mary also prepared all kinds of objects to give to the poor when the child was born. I saw Saint Anne, during the absence of Mary and Joseph, often send her maid to the house in Nazareth to see if everything was still in order there.
I once saw her go there alone.
Zacharias went with Joseph for a walk in the countryside. The house was on a hill and was the best in the entire region; I saw other small houses scattered around. Maria was alone, a little tired, at home with Isabel.
I saw Zechariah and Joseph spend the night in the garden located some distance from the house. Sometimes I saw them sleeping in the gazebo, other times praying outside. They returned at dawn. I saw Isabel and Maria inside the house. Every morning and every evening they repeated the Magnificat, inspired to Mary by the Holy Spirit, after Elizabeth's greeting. The angel's greeting was like a consecration that the temple of Mary Most Holy made to God. When she uttered these words: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word”, the divine Word penetrated her, greeted by the Church and greeted by her servant. From then on, God was in her temple and Mary was the temple and the Ark of the New Testament Covenant. Elizabeth's greeting and John's joy in the womb were the first service held before that Sanctuary. When the Virgin intoned the Magnificat, the Church of the New Covenant, of new marriage, celebrated for the first time the fulfillment of the divine promises of the Old Covenant, of old marriage, reciting, in thanksgiving, a Te Deum laudamus. Who could worthily express the emotion of this tribute paid by the Church to her Savior, even before his birth!
That night, as I watched the holy women pray, I had several intuitions and explanations about the Magnificat and the approach to the Blessed Sacrament in the Blessed Virgin's current situation. My state of suffering and my countless discomforts made me forget almost everything I could see. At the moment of the passage of the song: '"He did courageous things with his arm", I saw different figurative images of the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar in the Old Testament. There was there, among others, an image of Abraham sacrificing Isaac, and of Isaiah announcing to an impious king something that he mocked and that I have forgotten. I saw many things, from Abraham to Isaiah, and from him to the Holy Mary. I always saw the Blessed Sacrament approaching the Church of Jesus Christ, who was still resting in his Mother's womb. It was very hot where Mary was in the promised land. Everyone went to the garden where the little house was. First Zechariah and Joseph, then Elizabeth and Mary. They spread an awning under a tree as if they wanted to make a tent. On one side I saw very low benches with backs.
The night before, I saw Elizabeth and Mary going to the garden a little far from Zechariah's house. They were carrying fruit and bread in some baskets and it looked like they wanted to spend the night in that place. Later, when Joseph and Zechariah returned, I saw Mary coming out to meet them. Zechariah had his tablet, but the light was not enough for him to write and I saw that Mary, inspired by the Holy Spirit, announced to him that that same night she would speak again and that he could leave his tablet, as soon he would be able to talk to Joseph and pray. with him. This surprised me so much that, shaking my head, I didn't want to admit it; but my Guardian Angel, or my spiritual guide, who always accompanies me, said to me, motioning for me to look elsewhere: "No, do you want to believe that? Well, look what happened there." looking in the direction he indicated to me I saw a totally different picture, from a much later period. I saw the holy hermit Goar in a place where the wheat had been cut. He was talking to the messengers of a bishop who was in a bad mood. he and those men still had no affection for him. When he accompanied them to his house, I saw him looking for some hook to hang his cloak. When he saw a ray of sunlight entering through the opening in the wall, in the simplicity of his faith he hung his cloak on that ray that remained suspended there in the air. I was so amazed by this prodigy that I was no longer surprised to hear Zechariah speak, because that grace came to him through the intention of the Most Holy Mary, in whom God himself dwelt. My guide then told me about what is called a miracle. Among other things, I remember him telling me: “Total trust in God, with the simplicity of a child, gives life and substance to all things.” These words enlightened me about all miracles, although I cannot explain it clearly.
I saw the four sacred characters spend the night in the garden: they sat down and ate some things. Then I saw them walk two by two, pray together and alternately enter the gazebo to rest there. I also learned that after the Sabbath, Joseph returned to Nazareth and that Zechariah accompanied him for some distance. There was a beautiful moonlight and the sky was very pure.
XXXII Mysteries of the "Magnificat"
During the prayer of the two holy women I saw a part of the mystery related to the Magnificat. I'll see all this again on Saturday, the day before the octave of the festival, and then I'll be able to say something more. Now I can only communicate this: the Magnificat is the song of thanksgiving for the fulfillment of the mysterious blessing of the Old Covenant.
During Mary's prayer I saw all her ancestors in succession.
Over the centuries there have been fourteen couples of husbands who have succeeded each other three times, the father always being the son of the previous marriage. From each of these couples I saw a ray of light come out directed at Mary as she prayed. The whole picture grew before my eyes like a tree with luminous branches, which became more and more beautiful, and finally, in a certain place on this tree of light, I saw the most pure and immaculate flesh and blood of Mary, with whom God had who form his Humanity, showing himself in the midst of an increasingly vivid glow. I prayed then, full of joy and hope, like a child watching the Christmas tree grow in front of her. All of this was an image of the closeness of Jesus Christ incarnate and his Blessed Sacrament. It was as if I had seen wheat ripen into the bread of life that I was hungry for. All of this was ineffable. I cannot say how the flesh in which the Word himself became incarnate was formed. How is this possible for a human creature who is still inside that flesh, which the Son of God and Mary said is useless and that only the spirit gives life?... He also said that those who feed on his flesh and blood they will enjoy eternal life and will be resurrected by him on the last day. Only His flesh and blood are the true food and only those who eat this food live in Him, and He in them.
I cannot express how I saw, from the beginning, the successive approach of the Incarnation of God and with it the proximity of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, manifesting itself from generation to generation; then a new series of patriarchs representing the living God who resides among men as victim and food until his second advent on the last day, in the institution of the priesthood which the God-Man, the new Adam, charged with expiating the sin of the first, he transmitted it to his apostles and these to the new priests, through the laying on of hands, thus forming a similar succession of priests uninterrupted from generation to generation. All of this taught me that the recitation of Our Lord's genealogy before the Blessed Sacrament on the feast of Corpus Christi contains a very great and very profound mystery. From him I also learned that just as among the ancestors of Jesus Christ there were some who were not saints and others who were sinners, without ceasing to constitute steps on Jacob's ladder, through which God descended to Humanity, so unworthy bishops are also qualified to consecrate the Blessed Sacrament and to grant the priesthood to others with all the powers inherent to it. When you see these things, you understand why the old German books call the Old Testament the Old Covenant or old marriage, and the New Testament the New Covenant or new marriage. The supreme flower of the ancient marriage was the Virgin of virgins, the bride of the Holy Spirit, the most chaste Mother of the Savior; the spiritual vessel, the honorable vessel, the distinguished vessel of devotion where the Word became flesh. With this mystery begins the new marriage, the New Covenant. This Covenant is virginal in the priesthood and in all those who follow the Lamb, and in it Marriage is a great sacrament: the union of Jesus Christ with his bride, the Church.
In order to be able to express, as much as possible, how the proximity of the Incarnation of the Word and at the same time the approach of the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar was explained to me, I can only repeat, once again, that all this appeared before my eyes in a series of symbolic paintings, without being able, due to the state I am in, to account for the details in an intelligible way. I can only speak in general terms. I saw for the first time the blessing of the promise that God made to our first parents in Paradise and a ray that came out of this blessing for the Holy Virgin, who was reciting the Magnificat with Elizabeth. I saw Abraham, who had received that blessing from God, and a ray coming from him towards the Blessed Virgin. I saw the other patriarchs who carried and possessed that sacred thing and always that ray that went from each of them to Mary. Later I saw the transmission of that blessing to Joachim, who, satisfied with the highest blessing coming from the Holy of Holies of the Temple, was therefore able to become the father of the Blessed Virgin conceived without sin. And finally, it is in her that, through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, the Word, He became flesh. In it, as in the Ark of the Covenant of the New Testament, the Word lived among us for nine months, hidden from all eyes, until, having been born of Mary in the fullness of time, we were able to see his glory, like the glory of the Son, unique to the Father, full of grace and truth.
That night I saw the Blessed Virgin sleeping in her little room, with her body lying on her side and her head resting on her arm. She was wrapped in a piece of white cloth, from head to toe. Beneath her heart I saw shining a luminous pear-shaped glory surrounded by a small flame of indescribable brilliance. In Isabel also shone a glory, less brilliant, although greater, circular in shape; The light it emitted was less vivid.
Yesterday, Friday night, as the new day began, I saw in a room in Zechariah's house, which I hadn't yet seen, a lamp lit to celebrate the Sabbath. Zechariah, Joseph and six other men, probably local residents, prayed standing under the lamp, around a chest containing written parchments. They wore cloths on their heads; but when they prayed they did not do the contortions that modern Jews do. They often lowered their heads and raised their arms in the air. Mary, Elizabeth and two other women were isolated, behind a barred partition, in a place where they could see the oratory: they wore prayer shawls and were veiled from head to toe. After dinner on Saturday, I saw the Blessed Virgin in her little room reciting the Magnificat with Elizabeth.
They were leaning against the wall, facing each other, with their hands clasped on their chests and black veils covering their faces, praying, one after the other, like the nuns in the choir. I recited the Magnificat with them and during the second part of the song I could see, some distant and others close, some of Mary's ancestors, from whom they departed like luminous lines heading towards her. I saw those rays of light coming from the mouths of their male ancestors and from the hearts of the other sex, to conclude in the glory that was in Mary. I believe that Abraham, upon receiving the blessing that prepared the Virgin's advent, lived close to the place where Mary recited the Magnificat, because the rays that came from him reached Mary from a very close point, while those that came from people much closer to the time, they seemed to come from very far away, from more distant points. When they finished the Magnificat, which they recited every morning and evening since the Visitation, Isabel retired and I saw the Virgin surrender to rest. After the party ended on Saturday, I saw them eating again on Sunday night. Everyone ate together in the garden near the house. They ate green leaves that they soaked in sauce. On the table there were plates with small fruits and other containers containing, I believe, honey, which they carried with horn spatulas.
XXXIII Joseph's return to Nazareth
Later, under the moonlight and the clear starry night, Joseph set out on a journey accompanied by Zechariah. He carried a small package of bread, a jug and a stick with a curved handle. Both were wearing hooded traveling coats. The women accompanied them for a short distance, returning alone in the middle of a beautiful night. The two went directly to Mary's room, where a lamp was lit, as was customary when she prayed and prepared to rest. The two stood facing each other and recited the Magnificat.
Tonight I saw Mary and Elizabeth. The only thing I remember is that they spent the whole night in prayer, although I don't know why. During the day I saw Maria busy with various jobs, such as braiding quilts.
I saw Zacharias and Joseph, who were still on the way: they spent the night in a shed. They made long detours and visited, it seemed to me, several families. I think there were three days left until the end of the trip. I don't remember other details.
Yesterday I saw José at his house in Nazareth. I think he went directly to her, without stopping in Jerusalem. Ana's maid was responsible for domestic care, going from one house to another. Besides her there was no one else in José's house, he was completely alone. I also saw Zacharias at his house. I saw Mary and Elizabeth reciting the Magnificat and busying themselves with various tasks. At dusk, they walked through the garden, where there was a fountain, something unusual in the country. At night, after the heat, they would go for a walk in the surrounding area, as Zacarias' house was isolated and surrounded by meadows. They usually went to bed around nine o'clock, always getting up before sunrise.
I saw an indescribable image of the Church. The Church appeared to me in the form of a very delicate octagonal fruit that sprouted from a stem whose roots touched an undulating spring in the earth. The stem was no taller than necessary to be able to see between the church and the ground. In front of the church there was a door, over the fountain itself, which undulated, throwing something white like sand to both sides, and everything around it was green and fruitful. In the front part of the Church there were no roots that reached the ground. Inside the church and in the middle of it there was, like the apple seed capsule, a container made of very tender white filaments, in the interstices of which they could be seen like the seeds of an apple. On the inner floor of the church was an opening through which one could look down at the rippling fountain below. As I looked at this, I saw some dry and withered grains falling into the fountain. This type of flower was becoming more and more like a church and the capsule in the middle was becoming an artistic structure similar to a beautiful bouquet.
Within this artifice I saw the Blessed Virgin and St. Elizabeth, which in turn looked like two sanctuaries or Sancta Sanctorum. I saw that the two greeted each other, turning to each other. At that moment two faces appeared: Jesus and John. I saw John curled up in his mother's lap. I saw Jesus as I usually see him in the Blessed Sacrament: in the likeness of a small luminous Child who was heading towards where John was. He was standing, as if floating, and reaching out to John he carried him away like a mist. Little João was now face down on the ground. The mist fell into the well through said opening and was absorbed and disappeared into the fountain below. Then Jesus lifted little John into the air and hugged him. After that, I saw them both return to their mother's womb, while Mary and Elizabeth sang the Magnificat. Under this song, I saw Joseph and Zechariah advance on both sides of the Church, and behind them many others until the church was filled, which ended with a great celebration held inside. Around the church a vine grew so vigorously that it was necessary to prune it in several places.
The church finally established itself; An altar appeared in it and a baptistry was formed in the opening that gave access to the well. Many people entered the church through the door. All these transformations occurred slowly, as if they were sprouting and growing. It is difficult for me to explain all this as I saw it. Later, on the feast of Saint John, I had another vision. The octagonal church was now transparent like crystal, or rather, as if they were rays of crystal clear water. In the middle there was a fountain of water, under a small tower, where I saw John baptizing. Suddenly the image changed and a flower-like stem sprouted from the middle fountain. Around it were eight columns with a pyramidal crown on which stood the ancestors of Anne, Elizabeth and Joachim, with Mary and Joseph and the ancestors of Zechariah and Joseph somewhat removed from the main branch. João was on a middle branch. It seemed that a voice was coming from him, and then I saw many people, kings and princes entering the church and a bishop distributing the Blessed Sacrament. I heard João talking about the great happiness of the people who had entered the church.
XXXIV Birth of John. Mary returns to Nazareth
I saw the Blessed Virgin after her return from Juta to Nazareth, spending a few days in the house of the parents of the disciple Parmenas, who at that time had not yet been born. I think I saw it around the same time of year it happened. I have a feeling it was like that. According to this, João's birth would have occurred at the end of May or beginning of June. Mary stayed at Santa Isabel's house for three months, until John's birth. At the time of the child's circumcision, she was no longer there.
When Mary left for Nazareth, Joseph met her halfway. When Joseph returned to Nazareth with the Blessed Virgin, he realized that she was pregnant, and all kinds of doubts and worries assailed him, as he was unaware of the appearance of the angel and his revelation to Mary. After the wedding, Joseph went to Bethlehem to deal with family matters, and Mary, meanwhile, to Nazareth, with her parents or some companions. The angelic greeting occurred before Joseph's return, and Mary, in her shy humility, kept silent about God's secret. José, disturbed and restless, showed nothing outwardly; but he struggled silently "with his doubts." The Virgin, who had foreseen this, remained serious and thoughtful, which increased Joseph's anguish. When they arrived in Nazareth, the Virgin did not immediately go home with Saint Joseph, but remained for two days in the house of a family related to her, where they lived. the parents of the unborn disciple Parmenas, who was born later. one of the seven deacons of the first community of Christians in Jerusalem. These people were linked to the Holy Family, the mother being the sister of the third husband of Mary of Cleophas, who was the father of Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem. They had a house and a garden in Nazareth. They were also related to Mary Most Holy through Elizabeth. I saw the Virgin stay for some time in that house, before returning to Joseph's house. However, Joseph's restlessness increased to such a point that, when Mary returned to his side, Joseph decided to leave her, secretly running away from the house and the side of her.
While he was thinking about these things, an angel appeared to him and spoke words that calmed his spirit.
XXXV Preparations for the birth of Jesus
For several days I saw Mary in the house of Hannah, her mother, whose house was about a league from Nazareth, in the valley of Zebulon. Hannah's maid remained in Nazareth when Mary was away and served Joseph. I saw that while Hannah lived they had almost no independent house, as they always received from her everything they needed to support themselves. In the last fifteen days I saw Mary busy preparing for the birth of Jesus: sewing quilts, straps and diapers. Her father, Joaquim, was no longer alive. In the house there was a girl of about seven years old who was often with the Virgin and received lessons from Mary. I believe she was the daughter of Mary of Cleopas and that her name was also Mary. Joseph was not in Nazareth, but he was due to arrive very soon. He returned from Jerusalem, where he had taken the animals for sacrifice. I saw the Blessed Virgin at home, working, sitting in a room with other women. They prepared clothes and quilts for the birth of the Child.
Ana had considerable assets in herds and fields and provided abundantly with everything that Maria, who was in an advanced state of pregnancy, needed.
As she believed that Maria would give birth in her home and that all her family would come to see her, she made all the preparations there for the birth of the Son of Promise, arranging, among other things, beautiful quilts and precious rugs. When João was born I could see one of these quilts at Isabel's house. It had symbolic figures and phrases made with embroidery. I even saw some gold and silver threads mixed in the needle work. All these clothes were not just for the future mother's use: there were many intended for the poor, always designed for such solemn occasions. I saw the Virgin and other women sitting on the floor around a chest, working on a large quilt placed over the chest. They used chopsticks with different colored threads wrapped around them. Ana was very busy, and went from place to place taking wool, distributing it and providing work for each of them.
Joseph was to return to Nazareth on this day. He was in Jerusalem, where he had gone to take animals for sacrifice, leaving them in a small inn run by a childless couple, located a quarter of a league from the city, on the Bethlehem side. They were pious people, in whose house one could live with confidence. From there Joseph went to Bethlehem; but he did not visit his relatives, wanting only to take reports relating to a registration or collection of taxes that required the presence of every citizen in his native city.
However, he had not yet signed up, as he intended, once Mary's purification had been accomplished, to go with Her from Nazareth to the Temple of Jerusalem, and from there to Bethlehem, where he intended to settle. I don't know exactly what advantages he found in this, but not liking his stay in Nazareth, he took the opportunity to go to Belém. He took information about stones and wood for construction, as he had the idea of building a house. He then returned to the inn near Jerusalem, took the victims to the Temple, and returned home.
On this day, crossing the plain of Kimki, six leagues from Nazareth, an angel appeared to him, telling him to leave with Mary for Bethlehem, as that was where the Child would be born. She told him that she should bring few things and no embroidered quilts. In addition to the donkey that Maria was going to ride, he needed to take with him a one-year-old donkey, which had not yet had a baby. He had to let her run freely, always following the path the animal took.
That night Ana went to Nazareth with the Virgin Mary, as they knew that Joseph should arrive. It did not seem, however, that they were aware of the journey that Mary would make with Joseph to Bethlehem. They believed that Mary would give birth in her house in Nazareth, as they saw that many prepared objects were brought there, wrapped in large mats. At night, Joseph arrived in Nazareth. On this day I saw the Virgin with her mother Anne in the house of Nazareth, where Joseph informed them of what the angel had commanded him the night before. They returned to Ana's house, where I saw them making preparations for an upcoming trip. Ana was very sad. The Virgin knew in advance that the Child would be born in Bethlehem; but out of humility he did not speak. She knew everything from the prophecies about the birth of the Messiah that she kept with her in Nazareth. These writings were given to her and explained by her teachers in the Temple. She often read these prophecies and prayed for their fulfillment, always invoking, with ardent desire, the coming of that Messiah. She called blessed she who should give birth, and wished to be but the last of her servants. In her humility, she did not think this honor should fall to her. Knowing from the texts that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, she joyfully accepted God's will, preparing herself for a journey that would be very painful for her, in her current state and in that season, since the cold used to be very intense. in the valleys between mountain ranges.
XXXVI Departure of Mary and Joseph towards Bethlehem
That night I saw Joseph and Mary, accompanied by Anne, Mary of Cleopas and some servants, leave Anne's house for their journey. Maria was sitting on the donkey's saddle, also loaded with luggage, Joseph was leading it. There was another donkey that Ana had to go back on.
That morning I saw the holy travelers about six leagues from Nazareth, arriving at the plain of Kimki, which was the place where the angel had appeared to Joseph two days before. Ana had a field in that place and the servants had to take there the one-year-old donkey that José wanted to take, which ran and jumped in front of or alongside the travelers. Ana and Maria de Cleopas said goodbye and returned to their servants. I saw the Holy Family walking along a path that went up to the top of Gelboé. They did not pass through the cities and followed the cub, who took shortcuts. I was able to see them on a property owned by Lázaro, a short distance from the city of Ginim16, on the Samaria side. The caretaker received them friendly, having already met them on a previous trip. His family was related to Lázaro's. I saw many beautiful gardens and avenues there. The house was tall; From the terrace it was possible to see a large area of the region. Lazarus had inherited this property from his father. I saw that Our Lord stopped frequently during his public life at this place and taught in the surrounding area. The caretaker and his wife treated Maria with great kindness. They were amazed that he had undertaken such a trip in the state he was in, given that he could have stayed calm at Ana's house.
I saw the Holy Family several leagues from the previous location, walking in the middle of the night towards a mountain along a very cold valley, where frost had fallen. The Virgin Mary, who was suffering greatly from the cold, said to Joseph: “We must stop here, because I cannot continue.” As soon as he said these words, the little donkey stopped under a large terebinth, next to which was a fountain. They stopped and José prepared a seat with the quilts for the Virgin, who helped her dismount the donkey. Mary sat under the tree and Joseph hung his lantern on the tree. I often saw people traveling through these places do the same thing. The Virgin asked God for help against the cold. She then felt such a great relief and such a great flow of warmth that she held out her hands to José so that he could warm her hands that were a little cold. They ate some bread and fruit and drank water from the nearby spring, mixing it with drops of the balm that José carried in the jar. Joseph comforted and encouraged Mary. He was very good and suffered a lot on that trip that was so painful for her. He talked about the good accommodation he planned to get in Bethlehem. They were good people and he planned to stay there with certain comforts. As they walked, he praised Bethlehem, reminding Mary of all the things that could comfort and encourage her. This made me sad, because I knew everything I would suffer: everything would happen differently. At this point they had already crossed two small streams, one of them over a high bridge, while the two donkeys swam across it. The donkey that was free had curious attitudes. When the road was straight and well laid out, without danger of getting lost, like between two mountains, it ran ahead or behind the travelers. When the road split, he waited and followed the straight path. When they had to stop, he stopped like he did under the terebinth. I don't know if they spent the night under this tree or looked for other accommodation. This old terebinth was a sacred tree, which was part of the forest of Moreh, near Shechem. Abraham, coming from Canaan, saw the Lord appear there, who had promised him that land for his posterity, and the Patriarch erected an altar under the oak. Jacob, before going to Bethel to offer sacrifice to the Lord, buried Laban's idols and his family's jewelry under the tree. Joshua built the tabernacle where the Ark of the Covenant was, and when the population gathered, he demanded that they renounce their idols. In this same place Abimelech, son of Gideon, was proclaimed king by the Shechemites.
On this day I saw the Holy Family arrive at a farm, two leagues south of the terebinth. The owner of the farm was absent and the man did not want to receive José, telling him that he could go further. A little further on they saw the donkey enter a shepherd's hut and they went in too.
The shepherds who were there, emptying the hut, received us benevolently: they gave them straw and bundles of reeds and branches to light a fire. They then went to the farm where the Holy Family had been rejected, and praised Joseph and the beauty and holiness of Mary, before the owner of the house, who reprimanded her husband for having rejected such good people. Then I saw this woman go to where Maria was; but she did not dare to enter out of shyness and returned home in search of food. The hut was on the west side of a mountain, roughly between Samaria and Thebez. To the east, beyond the Jordan, was Sukkot. Ainón was located a little further south, on the other side of the river. Salim was closer. From there it would be about twelve leagues to Nazareth. The woman returned with her two children to visit the Sagrada Familia, bringing supplies. She apologized graciously and seemed very touched by the walkers' plight. After they had eaten and rested, the woman's husband appeared and asked Saint Joseph for forgiveness for having rejected him. He advised him to climb another league to the top of the mountain, where he would find a good refuge before starting Saturday's festivities, where he could spend the festive day of rest.
They left and after walking a league they arrived at an inn with several buildings, surrounded by trees and gardens. I saw some bushes from which they take the balsam, planted on trellises. The inn was on the northern part of the mountain. The Blessed Virgin dismounted and Joseph led the donkey. They approached the house and José asked for accommodation; but the owner apologized, saying it was full of travelers. At this moment the woman arrived and when the Virgin asked her for accommodation with the most moving humility, she felt a deep emotion. The owner could not resist and provided them with a comfortable shelter in the nearby barn and took the donkey to the stable. The donkey ran freely around the surroundings. He was always far from them when he didn't need to point the way.
XXXVII The Saturday Feast
Joseph prepared his lamp and began to pray in the company of the Blessed Virgin, observing the Sabbath with moving piety.
They ate something and rested on mats spread out on the floor.
I saw the Sagrada Familia stay there all day. Mary and Joseph prayed together. I saw the inn owner's wife spend the day next to Maria with her three children. That woman who welcomed them the day before also came, with two of her children. They sat amicably next to Mary, being very impressed by the modesty and wisdom of the Virgin, who also talked to the children, giving them some useful instructions. The children had small rolls of parchment. Maria made them read and spoke to them in such a gentle way that the creatures did not take their eyes off her for a moment. It was very moving to see the children's attention and hear Maria's teachings. At dusk I saw José walking with the owner of the inn through the region, looking at the fields and gardens and treating each other with familiarity. This is how I saw the pious people of the country on the holy day of Saturday. The traveling saints remained in that place the following night. The good couples at the inn really liked Maria and asked her to stay with them until the Baby was born.
They showed her a very comfortable room, and the woman offered to serve them with all her heart and with gentle insistence; but the travelers resumed their journey early in the morning and descended southwest of the mountain, towards a beautiful valley. They moved away from Samaria. As they descended, they could see the Monte Garizim temple, which could be seen from a long way away. On the roof there were figures of lions or other similar animals, which shone in the sun's rays.
Today I saw them travel about six leagues. By nightfall they were in a plain a league southeast of Shechem. They entered a rather large shepherd's house, where they were well received. The owner of the house was in charge of taking care of the fields and gardens, owned by a neighboring city. The house was not on the plain, but on a slope. Everything was fertile in this region and in better conditions than the previously recognized country; for here they were facing the sun, which in the Promised Land is due to a remarkable difference at this time of the year. From this place to Belém there are many of these pastoral houses spread across the valleys. Some lines of shepherds, who lived in these locations, later married men who looked like the Three Wise Men, and settled in the region. From one of these marriages a son was born, who was healed by Our Lord, in this same house, at the request of Mary, on July 31st of his second year of preaching, then his dialogue with a Samaritan woman.
Jesus then chose this young man and two others to accompany him during the journey he made through Arabia after the death of Lazarus. This young man was later a disciple of the Lord. I saw that Jesus stopped here often to preach and teach. Now Joseph blessed some children he found in the house.
XXXVIII Travelers are rejected in several houses
On this day I saw them follow a more uniform path. The Virgin dismounted a few times, following some sections on foot. They often stopped at appropriate places to take food. They carried pancakes and a drink that refreshed and strengthened, in very elegant containers, with two handles that looked like bronze due to their shine. This drink was the balm they drank mixed with water. They collected berries and fruits from trees and bushes in places more exposed to the sun. Maria's saddle had ledges on the right and left on which she rested her feet: that way they weren't left in the air, as I see people in our country. Maria's movements were always calm, singularly modest. He sat alternately on the right and left. Joseph's first task, when they arrived at a location, was to find a place where Mary could sit and rest comfortably. Both washed their feet frequently.
It was already night when they arrived at an isolated house. Joseph called and asked for hospitality; but the owner of the house didn't want to open it. José explained Maria's situation, saying that she was unable to continue her journey and added that she did not ask for free accommodation. Everything was useless: that rude and rude man replied that his house was not an inn, that they should leave him alone, that they should not knock on the door. He didn't even open the door to speak, but instead gave his answer from inside. The travelers continued on their way and soon entered a shed near which they had seen the donkey stop. Joseph turned on a light and prepared a bed for Mary, who helped him through it all. He brought the donkey and gave it fodder. They prayed, ate and slept for a few hours. From the last inn to here it would be about six leagues. There were now about twenty-six from Nazareth and about ten from Jerusalem. Until that road they had not followed the main path, but crossed other routes of communication that went from Jordan to Samaria, touching the ancient routes that go from Syria to Egypt. The shortcuts were very narrow and in the mountains they were often so tight that it was necessary to take great care to be able to walk without tripping or falling. The donkeys advanced with a very sure step. The shelter was on level ground. Before dawn they set out and took a path that went uphill again.
It seemed to me that they reached the road that went from Gabara to Jerusalem, which in this place was the border between Samaria and Judea. In another house, where they asked for hospitality, they were equally rudely rejected. Several leagues northeast of Bethany, Mary felt very tired and wanted to rest and eat. Joseph went a league off the road in search of a large fig tree that used to be loaded with figs, around which there were seats to rest in its shade. José visited the place on one of his previous trips.
When he arrived at the fig tree he did not find a single fruit on it, which made him very sad. I vaguely remember that Jesus later found this fig tree covered in green leaves but without fruit. I believe the Lord cursed it when he left Jerusalem and the tree withered completely. Later, they approached a house whose owner treated Joseph severely, who had humbly asked for hospitality. He then looked at the Blessed Virgin, in the light of a lantern, and mocked Joseph for carrying such a young woman. Instead, the owner of the house approached and took pity on Maria: she offered her a room in a neighboring building and brought them bread to eat. The husband regretted being rude and later became more helpful to the traveling saints. Later they arrived at another house inhabited by a young couple. Although they were received, they did not do so courteously and almost no attention was paid to them. These people were not simple shepherds, but, like rich peasants, people busy with business. Jesus later visited one of these houses after his baptism. The room where the Holy Family spent the night was converted into an oratory. I don't remember if it was actually the house whose owner mocked Joseph. I vaguely remember that the arrangement was made after the miracles that followed the birth of Jesus.
XXXIX Last stages of the journey
In the last stages José stopped several times, as Maria was increasingly tired. Following the path indicated by the donkey, they took a day and a half detour to the east of Jerusalem. José's father owned some pastures in that region and knew the region well. If they had continued directly through the southern desert behind Bethany, they could have reached Bethlehem in six hours; but the road was rough and very uncomfortable in that season.
They followed the donkey through the valleys and came a little close to the Jordan.
On this day I saw the walking saints entering the house of a great pastor in broad daylight. It was three leagues from a place where John later baptized in the Jordan and seven leagues from Bethlehem. It was the same house where Jesus, thirty years later, was on the night of October 11, the eve of the day when, for the first time, After his baptism, he passed before John the Baptist.
Next to the house, and a little away from it, there was a farm where agricultural instruments and those used by shepherds were kept. The courtyard had a fountain surrounded by baths that received water through special pipes. The owner appeared to have extensive properties and considerable traffic there. I saw several employees coming and going who ate at that property. The owner received the travelers very kindly, was very helpful and took them to a comfortable room, while some servants took care of the donkey. A servant washed Joseph's feet in a fountain and gave him other clothes while he cleaned his feet, which were covered in dust. A woman provided the same services to Maria. In this house they ate and slept. The owner of the house had a somewhat strange character: she had locked herself in the house and watched Mary secretly, and as she was young and vain, the Virgin's admirable beauty made her uncomfortable. She also feared that Maria would turn to her and ask her to let her stay until she gave birth to her son. She had the discourtesy not to show up and looked for ways for the travelers to leave the next day. This was the woman whom Jesus found there, thirty years later, blind and bent over, and whom he healed and healed after warning her for a time about her lack of charity and her vanity. I saw some children. The Holy Family spent the night in this place.
The next day at noon I saw the Holy Family leave the farm where they were staying. Some members of the house accompanied them for some distance. After traveling about two leagues, they arrived at dusk at a place crossed by a large road, on the sides of which stood a row of houses with courtyards and gardens. José had relatives there. It seemed to me that they were children from their stepfather's or stepmother's second marriage. The house looked very good; however, they passed this place without stopping. After half a league, they turned right, towards Jerusalem, and arrived at a large inn in whose courtyard there was a fountain with water pipes. They found many people gathered celebrating a funeral. The interior of the house, in the center of which was the fireplace with smoke opening, was transformed into a large room, eliminating the movable partitions that normally separated the various rooms. Behind the fireplace there were black curtains and in front of it something like a coffin covered with black cloth. Several men were praying. They wore long black clothes and other shorter white dresses over them. Some wore a kind of black manipule, with fringes, hanging from their arms. In another room were women completely wrapped in their clothes, crying, sitting on very low trunks. The owners of the house, busy with the funeral ceremony, contented themselves with signaling for them to enter; but the servants received them very courteously and took care of them. They prepared a separate lodge with suspended mats, which gave it the appearance of a tent.
Later I saw the owners of the house visiting the Sagrada Familia, having a friendly conversation with them. They no longer wore white clothes. Joseph and Mary ate, prayed together, and rested.
The next day, at noon, Mary and Joseph left for Bethlehem, where they were only three leagues away. The owner of the house insisted that they stay, thinking that Maria would give birth at any moment. Mary, lowering her veil, replied that she must wait another thirty-six hours. I even think she said thirty-eight. That woman would have gladly hosted them, not in her house, but in another building nearby. At the time of departure I saw that José, talking about his donkeys with the owner of the house, praised his animals, and said that he was carrying the donkey to pawn in case of need. The guests talked about how difficult it would be to find accommodation in Belém, and José said he had several friends there and was sure he would be well received. It saddened me to hear him speak with such conviction of the good reception he would receive. He even talked about the same thing with Maria on the way. We see, then, that even saints can be wrong.
XL Arrival in Belém
From the last accommodation, Bethlehem was about three leagues away. They made a detour to the north of the city, approaching from the west. They stopped under a tree, off the path, and Maria got off the donkey, arranging her clothes. Joseph went with Mary to a large building surrounded by small buildings and courtyards, a few minutes from Bethlehem.
There were many trees there. Many people pitched their tents there. This was the old paternal house of David's family, which belonged to Saint Joseph's father. Relatives or people related to Joseph lived there; but they did not want to recognize him and treated him as a stranger. In that house, taxes were collected for the Roman government. Joseph entered accompanied by Mary, leading the donkey by the halter, as everyone had to make themselves known upon arrival, and there they received permission to enter Bethlehem.
The donkey was not with them: it is running through the city, towards the South, where there was a small valley. José entered the large building. Maria was accompanied by several women in a small house overlooking the courtyard. These women were quite benevolent and fed her, as they cooked for the soldiers in the garrison. They were Roman soldiers, they had straps that hung from their waists. The temperature was not cold: it was pleasant; The sun appeared above the mountain, between Jerusalem and Bethany.
From this place it was possible to see a very beautiful landscape. José was in a spacious room, which was not on the ground floor. They asked him who he was and consulted large written parchments, some suspended on the walls; They unfolded them and read their genealogy as well as Mary's. Joseph seemed unaware that Mary, through Joachim, also descended in a direct line from David.
The man asked where his wife was. It had been about seven years since they regularized the tax for the country's population, due to some confusion and disorder. This tax had been in force for two months: it had been paid in the previous seven years, but without regularity. Now I had to pay twice. José arrived a little late to pay, but despite that they treated him with courtesy. He hasn't paid yet. They ask him what his livelihood was; He replied that he did not own property, that he lived from work and that he also received help from his mother-in-law.
There were a large number of scribes and employees in the house. Above were the Romans and the soldiers. I saw Pharisees, Sadducees, priests, elders, various scribes, and other Roman and Jewish authorities. There was no other such committee in Jerusalem; But there are other places in the country, like Magdala, near Lake Gennesaret, where the people of Galilee and Sidon went to pay, I believe. Only those who did not own real estate, on which the corresponding tax was levied, had to appear at the place of birth. This tax would be divided within three months into three parts, each with a different destination. A part went to Emperor Augustus, Herod and another prince who lived near Egypt. Having participated in a war and having rights over part of the country, it was necessary to give him something. The second part was intended for the construction of the Temple: it seemed to me that it should be used to pay a debt contracted. The third should be for widows and the poor, who had not received anything for a long time; but as almost always happens, even in our time, this money almost never reached where it was supposed to go. These good reasons were given to demand the tax, but almost everything remained in the hands of the powerful.
When Joseph's case was resolved, they took Mary to the scribes, but they did not ask for documents. They told Joseph that it was not necessary to bring his wife with him. They added some jokes because of Maria's youth, leaving poor José confused.
XLI The Holy Family takes refuge in the cave
They entered Bethlehem. The houses seemed very far from each other. They entered through the rubble, as if it were a collapsed door. Maria remained calm, next to the donkey, at the beginning of a street, while José looked in vain for accommodation among the first houses. There were many foreigners and many people could be seen going from one place to another. Joseph returned to Mary, telling her that it was not possible to find accommodation; that they would have to penetrate further into the city. They walked pulling Joseph's donkey by the halter and Mary was at his side. When they arrived at the entrance to another street, Maria remained with the donkey, while José went from house to house; but he found no place where they would receive them. He returned full of sadness to Maria's side. This happened several times and Maria had to wait a long time. Everywhere they said that the place was already taken and, having rejected it everywhere, Joseph told Mary that it was necessary to go to another place where, without a doubt, they would find a place. They returned to the opposite direction to the one they had taken when they entered and headed towards the South. They followed an alley that looked more like a country path, as the houses were isolated, on small hills. Attempts were also unsuccessful there. Arriving on the other side of Bethlehem, where the houses were even more dispersed, they found a large empty space, like a deserted field in the city. In it there was a kind of shed and a short distance away a large tree, similar to a lime tree, with a smooth trunk, with outstretched branches, forming a roof around it. Joseph led Mary under this tree, and arranged a seat for her with the bundles at her feet, so that she could rest, while he returned in search of better refuge in the neighboring houses. The donkey stayed there with its head against the tree. Maria, at first, remained standing, leaning against the tree trunk. Her beltless white woolen dress fell in folds around her. Her head was covered by a white veil. People passing by looked at her, not knowing that her Savior, her Messiah, was so close to them. How patient, humble and resigned Mary was! He had to wait a long time. Finally he sat down on the quilts, clasping his hands over his chest, with his head bowed. Joseph returned full of sadness, as he could not find inn or refuge. The friends he told Maria about barely recognized him. Joseph cried and Mary comforted him with sweet words. He went once more, from house to house, representing his wife's condition, to make the request more effective; but he was also rejected for precisely this reason. The place was lonely. However, some people stopped looking at her from afar with curiosity, as happens when you see someone who stays in the same place for a long time at dusk. I think some people spoke to Maria, asking who she was. Finally Joseph returned, so distraught that he barely dared to approach Mary. He told him that he had searched in vain; but that he knew a place, outside the city, where the shepherds met when they went to Bethlehem with their flocks: that they could even find shelter there. José had known that place since his youth. When his brothers bothered him, he often withdrew to pray out of reach of his persecutors. Joseph said that if the shepherds returned he would easily make peace with them; they rarely came at that time of year. He added that when she was calm in that place, he would leave again in search of more suitable accommodation. Then they left Bethlehem to the east, following a deserted path that turned to the left. It was a path similar to that of the ruined walls of the moats of the demolished fortifications of a small town: first it went up a little, then down the side of a small hill. and he led them in a few minutes to the east of Bethlehem, in front of the place they sought, near an ancient hill or wall that had some trees in front: terebinths or cedars with green leaves; others had small leaves like those of boxwood.
XLII Description of the Belém Cave
At the southern end of the hill, around which the path leading to the Valley of the Shepherds wound, was the cave where Joseph sought refuge for Mary. There were other caves opened in the same rock. The entrance was to the west and a narrow passage led to a room rounded on one side, triangular on the other, on the eastern side of the hill. The cave was natural; but on the south side, facing the road leading to the Shepherds' Valley, some rough masonry repairs were made. On the side facing south there was another entrance, usually walled. José opened it again for greater convenience. Leaving to the left, there was another wider opening, which led to a narrow and uncomfortable cave, of greater depth, which ended below the manger cave. The common entrance to the manger cave faced west. From there it was possible to see the roofs of some houses in Belém. Leaving there and turning right, you reached a deeper and darker cave, where Maria must have hidden once. In front of the entrance, to the west, there was a small reed roof supported on stakes, which extended to the south and covered the entrance on that side, so that one could remain in the shade in front of the cave. In the southern part, the cave had three openings, with bars at the top, through which air and light entered. There was a similar opening in the vault of the same rock: it was covered with grass and was the end of the height on which the city of Bethlehem was built. Going from the corridor, which was higher, to the cave, formed by nature itself, it was necessary to go down further. The floor around the cave was raised, so that the cave itself was surrounded by a stone bench of varying widths.
The walls of the cave, although not completely smooth, were quite uniform and clean, even pleasing to the eye. To the north of the corridor was an entrance to another, smaller side cave. Passing in front of this entrance was the place where José used to light a fire; Then, the wall turned northeast toward another, larger cave, located at a higher altitude. There later I saw José's donkey. Behind this place there was a rather large corner, where the donkey could fit with enough forage.
This cave, in front of the entrance, was where the Blessed Virgin was when the Light of the world was born from her. In the part that extends to the south, the manger where the Baby Jesus was worshiped was placed. The manger was nothing more than a basket carved into the stone itself, intended for giving water to animals. Above it there was a trough, with a wide opening, made of wooden lattice and raised on four legs, so that the animals could comfortably reach the hay or grass placed there. To drink, all you had to do was tilt your head towards the stone trough below. In front of the manger, to the east of this part of the cave, the Virgin was sitting with the Baby Jesus when the three wise men came to offer him their gifts. Leaving the manger and turning west along the corridor in front of the cave, one passed in front of the aforementioned south entrance and arrived at the place where Joseph later made his room, separating it from the rest with wattle and daub partitions. pike. On that side there was a cavity where he placed several objects. Outside, in the southern part of the cave, there was the path that led to the valley of the shepherds. Scattered across the hills were small houses and, on the plain, shacks with reed roofs, supported by stakes. In front of the cave the hill fell into a dead-end valley, closed to the north, about half a quarter of a league wide. There were mulberry trees, trees and gardens there.
Crossing a beautiful meadow, where there was a fountain, and passing under the symmetrical trees, one reached the east of the valley, where there was a prominent hill and in it the cave of the tomb of Maraha, the nurse of Abraham. It is also called the Milk Grotto. The Blessed Virgin took refuge there with the Baby Jesus repeatedly. Above this cave there was a large tree, around which there were some seats. From here it was possible to see Bethlehem better than from the entrance to the manger cave.
I knew many things about the manger cave, which happened in ancient times. I remember, among others, that Set, the son of promise, was conceived and born in this cave by Eve, after a period of penance of seven years. It was there that an angel told him that God gave him Seth instead of Abel. There Seth was hidden and fed, and in the cave of Maraha, because his brothers wanted to take his life, as the sons of Jacob tried to do with Joseph. In a very distant time, where I saw that men lived in caves, I could often see them making excavations in the stone so that they could live and sleep comfortably with their children, on animal skins or on grass mattresses. The excavation made under the manger cave may have served as a bed for Set and later inhabitants. I'm not sure about these things anymore. I also remember seeing in my visions of Jesus' preaching that on October 6th the Lord, after his baptism, celebrated the Sabbath feast in the grotto of the manger, which the shepherds transformed into an oratory.
Abraham had a nurse named Maraha, who was greatly honored by him and who lived to old age. This nurse followed Abraham everywhere on a camel and lived with him on Sukkot for a long time. In her last days she also followed him to the Valley of the Shepherds, where Abraham had pitched his tents around the cave. After the hundred years and seeing her last hour approaching, she asked Abraham to bury her in that cave, about which she made some predictions, and which he called the Milk Cave or Nurse's Cave. There was a miraculous event there, which I have forgotten, and a fountain gushed out of the ground. The cave was then a narrow and high corridor, opened in white stone, not very hard. On one side there was a layer of this material that did not reach the vault. By climbing this layer of matter you could reach the entrance of another, higher cave.
The cave was later enlarged, as Abraham had to excavate its side for Maraha's tomb. On a large stone block there was a kind of trough, also made of stone, supported by short, thick legs. I was very surprised to see nothing like this in the time of Jesus Christ. This cave of the nurse's tomb had a prophetic relationship with the Mother of the Savior, feeding her Son hidden there, whom they persecuted; because in the story of Abraham's youth there was also a figurative persecution of him, and his nurse saved his life by hiding him in the cave.
Since the time of Abraham, this cave was a place of devotion, especially for mothers and nurses: in this there was something prophetic, since in Abraham's nurse the Holy Virgin was venerated, in figure, just as Elijah had seen her in that cloud. who brought the rain and dedicated an oratory to him on Mount Carmel. Maraha cooperated in a certain way with the advent of the Messiah, having fed an ancestor of Mary with his milk. I can't express it well; but everything was like a deep well that went to the source of universal life and which they always took advantage of, until Mary emerged as the only source of clean and immaculate water.
The tree that cast its shadow over the cave looked like a large lime tree from afar; It was wide at the bottom and ended in a point: it was a terebinth. Abraham met Melchizedek under this tree, I don't remember now on what occasion. This leafy tree had something sacred for the shepherds and the surrounding people: they liked to rest in its shade and pray. I don't remember its history well, but I think Abraham himself planted it. Next door there was a fountain where shepherds went to fetch water on certain occasions and attributed unique virtues to it. On both sides of the tree they built open huts for resting, and all this surrounded by a protective fence. Later I saw that Saint Helena had a church built there, where Holy Mass was celebrated.
XLIII Joseph and Mary take refuge in the cave of Bethlehem
It was quite late when Joseph and Mary arrived at the entrance to the cave. The donkey, who had disappeared at the entrance to the Sagrada Familia in José's paternal house, and was running around the city, then ran towards them and started jumping happily near them.
Seeing this, the Virgin said to Joseph: “See, it is certainly God’s will that we enter here.” José led the donkey under the eaves, in front of the cave; he prepared a seat for Mary, who sat down; while he made a little light and penetrated the cave. The entrance was somewhat obstructed by bundles of straw and mats against the walls. There were also several objects inside the cave that made passage difficult. Joseph cleaned her, preparing a comfortable place for Mary on the eastern side. He hung a lighted lamp on the wall and brought Mary inside, who lay down on the bed that Joseph had prepared for her with quilts and cloths. Joseph humbly asked for forgiveness for not being able to find anything better than that inadequate refuge; but Mary, inside, felt happy, full of holy joy.
Once Mary was installed, José left with a leather boot and went behind the hill, to the meadow, where a fountain ran, and filling it with water, he returned to the cave.
Later he went to the city, where he got small containers and some coal. As Saturday's festival approached and many strangers entered the city, tables were set up on the corners of some streets with the most essential foods for sale.
I think there were people who were not Jewish. José returned bringing coals in a grated box; He placed them at the entrance to the cave and lit the fire with a small handful of sticks; He prepared the meal, which consisted of rolls and stewed fruit. After eating and praying, Joseph prepared a bed for the Holy Mary. On a layer of reeds he spread a quilt similar to the ones I had seen at Ana's house and placed another rolled up one at the head of the bed. Then he brought the donkey and tied it in a place where it could not cause discomfort; He covered the openings in the vault where the air entered and arranged a small place at the entrance for his own rest.
When the Sabbath began, Joseph approached Mary, under the lamp, and recited with her the corresponding prayers; so he went out into the city. Maria wrapped herself in her clothes to rest. During José's absence I saw her praying on her knees. Then she lay down to sleep, lying on her side. Her head rested on one arm, on top of the pillow. José returned late. He prayed once more and lay down humbly on the bed at the entrance to the cave.
Maria spent the Saturday celebration praying in the grotto, meditating with great concentration. José went out several times: he probably went to the synagogue in Bethlehem. I saw them eating food prepared days before and praying together.
In the afternoon, when Jews usually take the Sabbath walk, Joseph took Mary to the cave of Maraha, Abraham's nurse. They stayed there for some time. This cave was more spacious than the one in the manger and Joseph found another seat there. He also stayed under a nearby tree, praying and meditating, until the end of the Sabbath. Joseph took her again, because Mary told him that the birth would take place that same day at midnight, when nine months had already passed since the greeting of the angel of the Lord. Mary asked him to have everything prepared, so that they could honor in the best possible way the entry into the world of the Child promised by God and conceived in a supernatural way. She also asked Joseph to pray with her for the people who, because of the hardness of their hearts, did not want to give them hospitality. Joseph offered to bring two pious women he knew from Bethlehem; but Maria told her that she didn't need anyone's help. As soon as the sun set, before the end of Saturday, José returned to Bethlehem, where he bought the most necessary objects: a bowl, a low table, dried fruits and raisins, returning with all of these to the cave. He went to the cave of Maraha and took Mary to the manger, where Mary sat on her quilts while Joseph prepared the food.
They ate and prayed together. José made a separation between the bedroom and the rest of the cave, using some poles on which he hung some mats that were there. He fed the donkey that was tied to the wall to the left of the entrance. He filled the trough in the manger with reeds, grass, and moss and spread a quilt over it. When the Virgin indicated to him that the time was approaching, urging him to pray, José hung several lighted lamps from the ceiling and left the cave, as he had heard a noise at the entrance. He found the cub that until then had roamed freely in the valley of the shepherds and now returned, jumping and playing, full of joy, around Joseph. He tied it under the eaves, in front of the cave, and gave it the fodder. Upon returning to the cave, before entering it, he saw the Virgin praying on her knees on her bed, with her back facing the East. It seemed to him that the entire cave was on fire and that Mary was surrounded by a supernatural light. Joseph looked at all this like Moses looked at the burning bush. Then, filled with holy fear, he entered his cell and prostrated himself on the floor in prayer.
XLIV Birth of Jesus
I saw that the light that surrounded the Virgin became more and more dazzling, so that the light from the lamps lit by Joseph was no longer visible. Maria, in her loose, loose dress, was kneeling on the bed, with her face facing east. When midnight arrived, I saw her carried away in ecstasy, suspended in the air, at a certain height above the earth. He had his hands crossed over his chest. The glow around him grew with each moment. All of nature seemed to feel an emotion of joy, even inanimate beings. The rock that made up the floor and atrium seemed to pulse under the intense light that surrounded them. Afterwards I didn't see the chest again. A luminous trail, which constantly increased in clarity, went from Maria to the highest heavens. Above there was a wonderful movement of heavenly glories approaching the earth, and six choirs of heavenly angels clearly appeared. The Holy Virgin, lifted from the earth in the midst of ecstasy, prayed and lowered her gaze to her God, of whom she became Mother. The eternal Word, a weak Child, was lying on the ground before Mary.
I saw Our Lord in the form of a small, totally luminous child, whose brilliance eclipsed the surrounding radiance, lying on a small rug before Mary's knees. He seemed very small to me and was growing before my eyes; but all this was the irradiation of a light so powerful and dazzling that I cannot explain how I managed to look at it. The Virgin remained in ecstasy for some time; Then she covered the Boy with a cloth, without touching him or even taking him in her arms. A short time later I saw the Boy moving and heard him crying. It was at that moment that Mary seemed to come to her senses and, taking the Child, she wrapped him in the cloth with which she had covered him and held him in her arms, hugging him to her chest. She sat, hiding herself and the Child under her wide veil, and I believe she nursed him. Then I saw the angels around, in human form, kneeling before the newborn Child, to worship Him.
An hour after the birth of the Baby Jesus, Mary called Joseph, who was still praying with his face pressed to the ground.
He approached, prostrating himself, full of joy, humility and fervor. Only when Mary asked him to press the sacred Gift of the Most High into his heart, Joseph stood up, received the Child in his arms and, shedding tears of pure joy, thanked God for the Gift received from heaven.
Maria wrapped the Boy: he only had four diapers. Later I saw him, Mary and Joseph sitting on the floor, next to each other: they didn't speak, they seemed absorbed in silent contemplation. Before Mary, swaddled like an ordinary child, stood the newborn Jesus, beautiful and bright as lightning. “Ah, I said, this place contains the salvation of the entire world and no one suspects it!”
I saw that the Child was placed in the manger, arranged by Joseph with straws, beautiful plants and a quilt on top. The manger was in the basket excavated in the rock, to the right of the entrance to the cave, which widened to the south.
After placing the Child in the manger, the two stood on either side, shedding tears of joy and singing songs of praise.
Joseph brought Mary's seat and bed to the manger. I saw the Virgin, before and after the birth of Jesus, wrapped in a white dress, which completely covered her. I could see her there in the first few days sitting, kneeling, standing, lying down or sleeping; but I never saw her sick or tired.
XLV Signs in nature. Announcement to pastors
I saw in many places, even in the most distant places, an unusual league, an extraordinary movement that night. I have seen the hearts of many men of good will quickened by a desire full of joy, and, on the other hand, the hearts of the wicked full of fear. Even in animals I saw joy manifest in their movements and jumps. The flowers raised their corollas, the plants and trees gained new vigor and verdure, and spread their fragrances and perfumes. I saw springs of water springing from the earth. At the exact moment of Jesus' birth, an abundant spring gushed in the cave on the North Hill. When Joseph realized this the next day, he immediately prepared a ditch for her. The sky was dark red over Bethlehem, while a faint, glowing vapor was seen over the Manger Grotto, the Tangled Grotto Valley, and the Shepherds Valley.
About a league and a half from the cave of Bethlehem, in the Valley of the Shepherds, there was a hill where a series of vineyards began that extended to Gaza. On the slopes of the hill were the huts of three shepherds, heads of the families of the other shepherds in the surrounding area. Twice the distance from the manger cave was what they called the shepherds' tower. It was a large pyramidal wooden scaffold, set on huge blocks of the same rock: surrounded by green trees and located on an isolated hill in the middle of a plain. It was surrounded by stairs; it had galleries and turrets, all covered with mats. It had a certain resemblance to the wooden towers I saw in the country of the Three Wise Men, from where they observed the stars. From a distance it gave the impression of a large ship with many masts and sails. From this tower there was a splendid view of the entire region. Jerusalem and the mountain of temptation were seen in the desert of Jericho. The shepherds had men there who watched the progress of their flocks and warned others, blowing hunting horns, in case there were incursions by thieves or men of war. The families of the shepherds lived in those places within a radius of about two leagues. They had isolated farms, with gardens and meadows. They gathered near the tower, where they kept the utensils they had in common. Along the hill of the tower were the huts, and a little away from them there was a large shed with rooms where the wives of the guardian shepherds lived: there they prepared the food. I saw that this night part of the flocks were near the tower, part in the field and the rest under a shed near the mountain of the shepherds.
At the birth of Jesus Christ I saw these three shepherds very impressed by the appearance of that wonderful night; That's why they stayed in their huts looking everywhere. Then they saw with admiration the extraordinary light over the manger cave. I saw that the shepherds who were next to the tower got excited and went up to their viewpoint, looking at the cave. As the three shepherds looked toward that side of the sky, I saw a luminous cloud descend upon them, within which I noticed movement as it approached. First I saw vague shapes being drawn, then faces, finally I heard very harmonious, very happy songs, increasingly clearer. As the shepherds were frightened at first, an angel appeared before them and said to them, "Do not be afraid, for I have come to proclaim to you a great joy for all the people of Israel. For you have been born today in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord. This I give you as a sign: you will find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes, cast in a manger." As the angel spoke these words, the radiance became more and more intense around him. I saw five or seven large figures of very beautiful and luminous angels. They carried in their hands a kind of long flag, with letters the size of a palm and I heard them praising God singing: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men of good will."
Later the shepherds who were near the tower had the same appearance. Some angels also appeared to another group of shepherds, near a spring, east of the tower, about three leagues from Bethlehem. I did not see the shepherds go immediately to the manger, because some were a league and a half away and others to three: I saw them, instead, consulting each other about what they would take for the newborn and preparing the gifts with great haste. They arrived at the manger cave at dawn.
XLVI Signs in Jerusalem, Rome and other cities
This night I saw Naomi, Mary's teacher, the prophetess Anna and the elder Simeon in the Temple. I saw, in Nazareth, Ana, and in Juta, Santa Isabel. Everyone had visions and revelations of the birth of the Savior.
I saw little João Batista, close to his mother, expressing great joy. They saw and recognized Mary in the midst of those visions, although they did not know where the event had occurred. Isabel didn't know either. Only Anne knew that it took place in Bethlehem. That night I saw an admirable and strange event in the Temple: all the Sadducees' scrolls of scriptures jumped out of the cupboards where they were locked, scattering them18. This event caused great astonishment among everyone, but the Sadducees attributed it to the effects of witchcraft, and distributed money to those who knew about it so that they could keep the secret.
I saw many things in Rome that night. When Jesus was born, I saw a neighborhood in the city where many Jews lived: there a fountain of oil gushed out that caused wonder to all who saw it. A magnificent statue of Jupiter fell from its pedestal into pieces because the temple's vault fell.
The pagans were filled with terror, made sacrifices and asked another idol, that of Venus, I believe, what it meant. The demon responded, through the statue: "this happened because a virgin conceived a son without ceasing to be a virgin; and this boy has just been born." This idol also spoke of the source of oil. In the place where the fountain appeared, a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, was built. The pagan priests were dismayed and were making inquiries."
Seventy years before these events, a good and pious woman lived in Rome. I don't remember now if she was Jewish. She was called something like Serena or Cyrena and had some wealthy assets. At that time, the idol of Jupiter had been overlaid with gold and precious stones and solemn sacrifices were offered to him.
The woman had visions, and as a result of them she made several prophecies, publicly telling the pagans that they should not pay honor to the idol of Jupiter nor make sacrifices to it, as a day would come when they would see it fall to pieces. The priests made her appear and asked her when these things should happen. As she could not determine the time, she was locked in prison and mistreated, until God made her know that this would happen when a most pure virgin gave birth to a child. When she gave this answer, they mocked her and released her, calling her crazy. Only when the temple collapsed, shattering the idol, did they recognize that she had told the truth, marveling at the appointed time and at not knowing that the Blessed Virgin had been the mother and ignoring the birth of the Savior. I saw that the magistrates of Rome were informed of these facts, as if from the source from which they had sprung. One of them was a certain Lentulus, grandfather of Moses, priest and martyr, and of that other Lentulus, who was a friend of Saint Peter in Rome.
Related to Emperor Augustus I saw something that I don't remember well now. I saw the emperor with others on a hill in Rome, on one side of which was the temple, the roof of which had collapsed. By some stairs you reached the top of the hill where there was a golden door. It was a place where topics of interest were publicized. When the emperor came down from the hill, he saw to the right, above him, an apparition in the sky. It was a virgin over a rainbow, with a child in the air, who seemed to come out of her. I think, the emperor was the only one who saw this apparition. To know its meaning, he consulted an oracle that had become silent, which, on that occasion, spoke of a newborn boy, to whom they should all worship and pay homage. The emperor ordered the erection of an altar on the spot on the hill where he had seen the apparition, and after offering sacrifices, he dedicated it to the Firstborn of God. I forgot other details about this fact.
I saw an event in Egypt that announced the birth of Jesus Christ. Far beyond Mataréia, Heliopolis and Memphis there was a great idol that habitually uttered all kinds of oracles, and which suddenly fell silent. Pharaoh ordered sacrifices to be made throughout the country, in order to find out why he had remained silent. The idol was forced by God to respond that it was silent and should disappear, because the Son of the Virgin had been born and that a temple would be built in honor of the Virgin in that same place. The Pharaoh ordered the construction of a temple there close to what was there before in honor of the idol. I don't remember everything that happened; I only know that the idol was removed and that a temple was erected to the announced Virgin and her child, being honored in their own way.
At the time of the birth of Jesus Christ I saw a wonderful apparition that presented himself to the Magi in his country. These Magi were observers of the stars and had a pyramid-shaped tower on a mountain, where one of them was always with the priests observing the course of the stars. They wrote down their observations and communicated them to each other. That night, I believe I saw two of the Magi on the pyramidal tower. The third, who lived east of the Caspian Sea, was not there. They observed a certain constellation in which they occasionally saw variants, with different appearances. That night I saw the image that was presented to them. They did not see it in a star, but in a figure made up of several of them, between which there seemed to be movement. They saw a beautiful rainbow over the moon and the Virgin sitting on the rainbow. She had her left knee slightly raised and her right leg more elongated, resting her foot on the moon. To the left of the Virgin, above the rainbow, a strain of vine appeared, and to the right, a bundle of ears of wheat. Before the Virgin I saw it rising like a chalice similar to that of the Last Supper. From the chalice I saw the boy emerge, and above him, a luminous disk resembling an empty monstrance, from which rays similar to spikes emanated. That's why I thought about the Blessed Sacrament.
From the child's right side came a branch, at the end of which appeared, like a flower, an octagonal Church with a large golden door and two small sides. The Virgin brought the chalice, the child and the host into the church, the interior of which I could see, and which at that moment seemed very large to me. In the background there was a manifestation of the Holy Trinity.
The church was then transformed into a shining city, which seemed to me like the heavenly Jerusalem. In this painting I saw many things that followed one another and seemed to grow out of each other, as I looked inside the Church. I no longer remember how they happened. I also don't remember how the Magi learned that Jesus had been born in Judea. The third of the Kings, who lived far away, saw the apparition at the same time as the others. The kings felt great joy, gathered their gifts and presents and prepared for the journey. They met after several days on the way. In the days before the birth of Jesus, I saw them above their observatory where they had several visions.
XLVII Background of the Magi
Five hundred years before the birth of the Messiah, the ancestors of the Three Wise Men were powerful and they had more wealth than their descendants, as their possessions were extensive and their inheritance less divided. They then lived in tents, with the exception of the king's ancestor who lived east of the Caspian Sea, whose city I see at this moment.
This city had underground stone buildings, on top of which pavilions were erected, as it was close to the sea, which frequently overflowed. There I saw very high mountains and two seas, one to my right and one to my left. Those leaders of the race were, according to their traditions, observers and worshipers of the stars, and there existed in the country an abominable cult that consisted of sacrificing old people, deformed men and sometimes also children. The most horrible thing was that these children were dressed in white and then thrown into boilers where they boiled to death. All this abomination has been abolished. To these blind pagans God announced the birth of the Savior with great anticipation.
These princes had three daughters versed in the knowledge of the stars. The three received the spirit of prophecy and knew, through a vision, that a star would come out of Jacob and that a virgin would give birth to the Savior of the world. Dressed in long cloaks, they roamed the country preaching the reform of customs and announcing that the Savior's envoys would one day come to the country bringing the worship of the true God. They predicted many things more related to our time and even more distant times. Following these predictions, the parents of these young women erected a temple to the future mother of God at Noon of the Sea, in the same place on the borders of their countries and offered sacrifices there. The prediction of the three virgins referred especially to a constellation and several changes that were to occur. Since then, they began to observe that constellation from the top of a hill close to the temple of the future mother of God, and according to these observations, some things changed in the temples, in the religious cult and in the ornaments. So I saw that the Pavilion of the temple was sometimes blue, sometimes red, sometimes yellow, and other colors. I was impressed that they moved the feast day to Saturday, whereas before they celebrated Friday. I still remember the name they gave to this day: Tanna or Tanneda.
XLVIII Date of birth of the Redeemer
Jesus Christ was born before the year 3997 of the world. Later, the four years, minus a little, that elapsed from his birth to the end of 4000 were forgotten. Then our era began four years later. One of the consuls of Rome, called Lentulus, was the ancestor of the priest and martyr Moses, of whom I have a relic. He lived in the times of Saint Cyprian. From him descends that other Lentulo who was a friend of Saint Peter in Rome. Herod reigned forty years. For seven years he was not independent; but from that time he oppressed the country and committed acts of cruelty. He died, I believe, in the sixth year of Jesus' life; His death was kept secret for some time. Herod was always bloodthirsty and even in his last days he did a lot of harm. I saw him crawling in the middle of a spacious padded room, with a spear beside him, wanting to harm the people who approached him. Jesus was born about the thirty-fourth year of his reign.
About two years before Mary entered the temple, Herod had some construction built there. He did not do the temple again, but some renovations and improvements. The flight into Egypt occurred when Jesus was nine months old, and the slaughter of the innocents occurred during the second year of Jesus' age. Jesus' birth occurred in a thirteen-month Jewish year, which was a similar arrangement to our leap years. I also believe that the Jews had twenty-day months twice a year and one of twenty-two days. I could hear something of this in connection with feast days; but now all I have left is a confused memory. I saw that changes to the calendar were made several times. This happened when he was released from captivity, while work was being done on rebuilding the Temple. I saw the man who changed the calendar and I also knew his name.
XLIX The shepherds come with their gifts
At dusk the three chief shepherds went to the manger cave with the gifts, which consisted of deer-like animals. If they were goats, they were very different from those in our country, as they had long necks, beautiful, very bright eyes, they were very graceful and light when running, the shepherds carried them tied with thin strings. They carried birds they had killed on their shoulders, and larger live ones under their arms. When they arrived, they timidly knocked on the cave door and Saint Joseph came out to meet them. They repeated what the angels had announced to them and said that they wished to pay homage to the Child of Promise and offer him their poor gifts. Joseph accepted his gifts with humble gratitude and took them to the Virgin, who was sitting near the manger, with the Baby Jesus on her knees. The three shepherds bowed with complete humility, remaining silent for a long time, as if absorbed in indescribable joy. They then sang the song they had heard to the angels and a psalm that I don't remember. When they were about to leave, Mary gave them the boy, who they took in their arms, one after the other, and weeping with emotion they gave him back to Mary, and they withdrew.
At night, other shepherds came from the shepherds' tower, four leagues from the manger, with their wives and children. They brought birds, eggs, honey, skeins of thread of different colors, small knots that looked like raw silk and branches of a plant similar to reeds. This plant had ears full of thick seeds. After delivering these gifts to Saint Joseph, they humbly approached the manger, next to which Mary was sitting. They greeted the mother and the boy; then, on their knees, they sang beautiful psalms, the Gloria In excelsis dos Anjos and some other very brief ones.
I sang with them. They sang in different voices and I did the high voice once.
I remember more or less the following: "O boy, red as a rose, you look like a messenger of peace!" When they said goodbye, they bowed before the manger as if kissing the child.
On this day I saw the three shepherds again, helping Saint Joseph, one after the other, to arrange everything more comfortably in the nativity cave and in the side caves. I also saw several pious women next to the Virgin who helped her in various services. They were Essenes who lived not far from the cave in an angostura located to the east. These women lived in some kind of open houses in the rock at a considerable height on the hill.
They had gardens near their homes and were busy instructing the children of the Essenes. Saint Joseph had made them come because he had known about this association since childhood. When he fled from his brothers, he had taken refuge several times with these pious women in the manger cave. These approached Mary one after another, bringing provisions, and attended to the affairs of the Holy Family.
Today I saw a very touching scene: Joseph and Mary were next to the manger, contemplating the Baby Jesus with deep tenderness. Suddenly, the donkey also lay down on its knees and lowered its head to the ground in an act of worship. Mary and Joseph cried emotionally. In the evening a message came from Saint Anne. An old man came from Nazareth with a widowed relative of Anne, whom he served. They brought various objects for Maria. Upon seeing the boy, they were extraordinarily moved: the old man shed tears of joy.
He returned to the road carrying news of what had been seen to Ana, while the widow remained to serve Maria.
Today I saw that the Virgin and Baby Jesus, accompanied by Ana's maid, left the manger cave for a few hours. Mary took refuge in the side cave, where the fountain had flowed after the birth of Jesus Christ. She spent about four hours in that cave, which she was supposed to be in later, two whole days. José had been tidying her up since the morning so she could be there more comfortably. They took refuge in that cave, out of inner inspiration, as people had come from Bethlehem to see the cave of the manger, and it seems to me that they were emissaries of Herod. After the shepherds' conversations, the news spread that something miraculous had happened there at the birth of the child. I saw those men talking a little with Joseph, whom they found with the shepherds in front of the manger cave, and then they left, laughing and mocking, when they saw the poverty of the place and the simplicity of the people. Mary, after having been hidden in the side cave for four hours, returned to the nativity scene with the Baby Jesus.
In the grotto of the manger there was a lovely tranquility, as no one went to that place and only the shepherds were in communication with it. In the city of Belém, no one cared about what happened in the cave, as there were a lot of people, hustle and bustle and movement because of outsiders. Many animals were sold and killed because some outsiders paid their taxes with cattle.
I saw that there were also pagans as servants and servants.
In the morning, the owner of the last inn where Joseph and Mary spent the night sent a servant to the manger cave with several gifts. He himself arrived later to pay homage to the Baby Jesus.
The news of the angel's appearance to the shepherds of the valley at the time of Jesus' birth caused all the shepherds and people of the valley to hear about the wonderful Son of Promise. They all came to honor him.
On this day, several shepherds and other good people came to the Manger cave and honored the Child with great devotion. They wore festive clothes because they were going to Bethlehem for the Sabbath celebration. Among these visitors I saw that woman who on November 20th made up for her husband's rudeness towards the Holy Family by offering him hospitality. She could have more easily gone to Jerusalem, because it is closer, for the Sabbath feast, but she wanted to make a longer detour to go to Bethlehem and see the holy Child and his parents. Afterwards she was very happy to have offered them this proof of her affection. In the afternoon I saw a relative of Joseph, near whose house the Holy Family had spent the night of November 22nd: now he came to the manger to see and greet the Child. This man was the father of Jonadab, who, at the time of the crucifixion, brought Jesus a cloth to cover himself. He learned that Joseph had passed by his house and had heard about the wonderful events that occurred at the birth of the Child, and having to go to Bethlehem on Saturday, he came to the cave bringing some gifts. He greeted Mary and paid homage to the Child. José received him friendly, but he didn't want to accept anything from him, he just asked him to borrow some money, giving him the donkey as collateral on the condition that he would get it back by returning the money. Joseph needed this money to use for the gifts he would give at the circumcision ceremony and the food he would offer.
L The Holy Family celebrates the feast of Saturday
As I found myself meditating on the story of the little donkey now working to cover the expenses of the circumcision, and thinking that next Sunday, the day on which the ceremony would take place, the Gospel of Palm Sunday would be read, which reports the entry of Jesus mounted on a donkey, I saw a painting of which I cannot explain the meaning well nor do I know where it was taking place. Under a palm tree were two posters held by angels. On one of them were represented several instruments of martyrdom; in the center there was a column and on it a mortar with two wings. On the other poster there were some letters: I believe they were figures indicating years and periods in the history of the Church. Above the Palm Tree was kneeling a virgin who seemed to come out of the stem and whose garment was floating in the air.
In his hands, under his chest, he had a cup in the same shape as the chalice of the Last Supper, from which emerged the figure of a luminous boy. I saw the Eternal Father, in the way I always see him, approach the palm tree above some clouds, remove a thick branch that had the shape of a cross and place it on the child. Then I saw the boy tied to this palm cross and the Holy Virgin presenting the branch with the crucified boy to God the Father, while she carried in her other hand the empty chalice, which also looked like her own heart. When I was preparing to read the letters on the poster, under the palm tree, the arrival of a visitor took me away from that vision. I couldn't say whether I saw this painting in the nativity cave or elsewhere.
When the people had gone to the synagogue of Bethlehem, Joseph prepared the Sabbath lamp with the seven wicks in the cave; he lit it and placed under it a small table with the scrolls containing the prayers. Under this lamp he celebrated the Sabbath with the Blessed Virgin and Anne's maid.
There were two shepherds a little way back in the cave and some Essene women. On this day, before the Saturday party, these women and the maid prepared the food. I saw that they roasted birds on a spit placed over the fire. They wrapped them in a kind of flour made from seeds from the ears of plants similar to reeds, which were found in the wild in marshy places in the region. I saw them cultivated in different places; in Bethlehem and in Hebron growing without being cultivated. I didn't see them near Nazareth. The shepherds in the tower brought some to Joseph.
I saw that women with these seeds made a kind of white cream that was quite thick and kneaded cakes with flour. The Holy Family kept for their use a very small quantity of the abundant provisions which the shepherds had brought on their visits; the rest was given to the poor.
Today I saw several people who came to the grotto of the manger, and in the evening, after the conclusion of the Saturday feasts, I saw that the Essene women and Anne's maid were preparing food in a hut built of green branches, which Joseph, with the help of the shepherds, had stood up at the entrance to the cave. He had vacated the room at the entrance to the cave, placed quilts on the floor and arranged everything as if for a party, as his poverty permitted. Thus he arranged all things before the beginning of the Sabbath, for the next day was the eighth after the birth of Jesus, when he was to be circumcised according to the divine precept. At dusk, Joseph went to Bethlehem and brought with him three priests, an elder, a woman and a caretaker for this ceremony. It had a seat, from which it was served on similar occasions, and a flat and very thick octagonal stone, which contained the necessary objects. All of this was placed on mats where the circumcision was to take place, that is, at the entrance to the cave, between the corner occupied by Joseph and the home. The seat was a kind of chest with drawers, which, placed after the others, formed like a resting bed with a support on one side; one was lying there more than sitting. The octagonal stone was more than two feet in diameter. In the center there was an octagonal cavity also covered by a metal plate, where there were three boxes and a stone knife in separate compartments. This stone was placed next to the seat, on a small three-legged footstool that until that moment had been under a covering, in the place where the Savior was born.
Once these arrangements were finished, the priests greeted Mary and the Baby Jesus, and talked amicably with the Holy Virgin, took the boy in their arms, and were moved. Afterwards, the meal took place at the viewpoint. Many poor people who had followed the priests, as they usually did on such occasions, surrounded the table and during the meal received gifts from Joseph and the priests, so that everything was soon distributed. At sunset, it seemed to me that his disc was bigger than in our country. I saw it descend on the horizon; rays of it penetrated through the open door into the cave.
LI The Circumcision of Jesus
Several lamps were lit in the cave. During the night they prayed long and sang songs. The circumcision ceremony took place at dawn. Maria was worried and restless. She herself had prepared the cloths intended to receive the blood and heal the wound, and had them in front of her, in a fold of her cloak. The octagonal stone was covered by the priests with two cloths, red and white, this one on top, with prayers and different ceremonies. Then one of the priests leaned on the seat and the Virgin, who had remained curled up at the bottom of the cave with the Baby Jesus in her arms, handed him to the maid with the prepared cloths. Joseph received it from the woman and gave it to the woman who had come with the priests. This woman placed the Child, covered with a veil, on the covering of the octagonal stone. They recited new prayers. The woman took off the clothes from the Child and placed him on the knees of the priest who was sitting. Joseph leaned over the priest's shoulders and held the Child by the upper part of the body. Two priests knelt on the right and left, each holding one of the little feet, while the one who performed the operation knelt before the Child. They discovered the octagonal stone and lifted the metal plate to have the three boxes of ointment at hand; There was water there for the wounds. Both the handle and the blade of the knife were made of stone. The handle was brown and polished; there was a gap where the blade passed, yellowish in color, which didn't seem very sharp to me. The incision was made with the curved tip of the knife. The priest also made use of his sharp finger nail. He squeezed the blood from the wound and placed the ointment and other ingredients he took from the boxes on top. The caregiver picked up the child and, after bandaging him, wrapped him in her cloths again. This time, her previously free arms were wrapped around her and the veil that previously covered her was placed around her head.
After this, the Child was placed again on the octagonal stone and other prayers were recited.
The angel had told Joseph that the Child should be called Jesus; but the priest at first did not accept this name and so he began to pray. Then I saw an angel appear to him and show him the name of Jesus in a sign similar to the one that was later on the cross of Calvary. I'm not sure if the angel was seen by him or by another priest: the truth is that I saw him very excitedly writing that name on parchment, as if moved by inspiration from above. Baby Jesus cried a lot after the circumcision ceremony. I saw that Joseph picked him up and placed him in the arms of Mary, who had remained at the bottom of the cave with two other women. Mary took the Baby, crying, retreated to the back where the manger was, sat covered with the veil and calmed the Baby while breastfeeding. José gave him the blood-stained diapers. The prayers were again recited and the psalms sung. The lamp was burning, even though it was fully dawn. Shortly afterwards, the Virgin approached with the Child and placed him on the octagonal stone. The priests bowed before her with their hands crossed over the Baby's head, and then Mary with the Baby Jesus withdrew. Before leaving, the priests ate something in the company of Joseph and two shepherds under the arbor. Later, I learned that everyone who attended the ceremony were good people and that the priests were converted and embraced the doctrine of the Savior. Meanwhile, throughout the morning gifts were distributed to the poor who arrived at the door of the cave. While the ceremony lasted, the donkey remained tied in a separate location.
Today some dirty and ragged beggars passed through the door, carrying packages, coming from the Valley of the Shepherds: it seemed that they were going to Jerusalem for some celebration. They begged for alms with great insolence, uttering curses and insults near the manger, saying that Joseph did not give them enough.
I didn't know who they were, but I was very unhappy with their behavior. The following night I saw the Boy often awake because of the pain and crying a lot. Mary and Joseph took him in their arms, one after the other, and carried him through the cave trying to calm him down.
LII Elizabeth goes to the Belém cave
This evening I saw Elizabeth riding a donkey, led by an old servant on her way from Juta to the cave of Bethlehem. Joseph received her affectionately and Mary embraced her with a feeling of indescribable joy. Isabel hugged the boy to her chest, shedding tears of joy. They prepared a bed for him near the place where Jesus was born. In front of him there was a high bench like a sawyer's, on which there was a small chest where they used to place the Baby Jesus. It must have been a custom they used with children, as I had already seen Maria in Ana's house in her early childhood resting on a similar bench.
Last night and throughout the day I saw Mary and Elizabeth sitting together in affectionate conversation. I was so close to them that I listened to their words with a feeling of lively joy. The Virgin told her cousin everything that had happened so far and when she spoke of what she had suffered. Looking for a hostel in Bethlehem, Isabel cried, very moved. He said many things about the birth of Jesus. She explained to him that, at the moment of the Annunciation, her spirit had been carried away for ten minutes, with the feeling that her heart was doubling and that an indescribable well-being entered her, filling her completely. At the moment of birth, she also felt overwhelmed by the sensation that the angels were carrying her kneeling through the air and it seemed to her that her heart was divided into two parts and that one half was separating from the other. For ten minutes, she lost the use of her senses. Soon she felt an inner emptiness and an immense desire for the infinite happiness that until that moment had lived within her and was no longer there. She had seen before her a dazzling light, in the midst of which her boy seemed to grow before her eyes.
At that moment, she saw him move and heard him crying. Coming to her senses, she lifted him from the quilt and pressed him to her breast, for at first she had believed she was dreaming and had not dared to touch the child surrounded by so much light. She said she didn't realize the moment the boy had separated from her. Isabel replied: "in your birth you enjoyed favors that other women did not have. My João's birth was also full of sweetness, but everything happened in a very different way". That's what I remember from their conversations.
At dusk Mary hid again with the boy, accompanied by Elizabeth, in the side cave, next to the manger cave; It seemed to me that they remained there all night. Mary did this because many people of distinction went from Bethlehem to the manger out of pure curiosity, and she did not want to show herself to them. Today I saw Mary leaving the manger cave with the boy, going to another one on the right. The entrance was narrow and about fourteen inclined steps led first to a small cave and then to an underground room larger than the nativity scene's grotto. José separated it into two parts using a quilt that he suspended from the roof.
The part adjacent to the entrance was semicircular and the other square. The light did not come from above, but from side openings that cut through a very wide rock. A few days before he had seen a man take bundles of firewood and straw and bundles of reeds like the ones Joseph used to make fire from that cave. It was a pastor who did this service. This cave was wider and clearer than the one in the nativity scene. The donkey wasn't in it. I saw the Baby Jesus lying in an open trough on the rock. In the previous days I saw Mary many times next to some visitors showing them the boy covered with a veil and with only a cloth around his body. Other times, she saw him completely naked. I saw that the caregiver who had attended the circumcision often came to visit the boy. Maria gave her almost everything that the visitors brought so that she could distribute it among the poor in the place and in Bethlehem.
LIII The countries of the Magi
I saw the birth of Jesus Christ announced to the Magi. I saw Mensor and Sair: they were in the former's country and were observing the stars, after having made preparations for the journey. They observed the star of Jacob from the top of a pyramidal tower. This star had a tail that expanded before their eyes, and they saw a shining virgin, before whom, in mid-air, a boy was seen shining. On the right side of the Child a branch sprouted, at the end of which appeared, like a flower, a small tower with several entrances that ended up becoming a City. Immediately after this appearance the two kings set out on the march.
Teokeno, the third of the Kings, who lived further east, two days' journey away, had the same apparition, at the same time, and then left hurriedly to meet up with his two friends, whom he met on the way.
I fell asleep with a great desire to find myself in the grotto of the manger, close to the mother of God, with the desire that she would give me the Baby Jesus to hold in my arms for a while and hold him against my heart. I approached the manger cave. It was night. José slept supported on his right arm, in his room, near the entrance. Mary was awake, sitting in her usual place, near the manger, with little Jesus on her chest, covered with a veil. I knelt there and worshiped him, feeling a great desire to see the little boy. Ah, Maria knew it well! She knows everything and accepts everything asked of her with very touching kindness, whenever she prays with sincere faith! But now she was silent, in withdrawal; she respectfully adored him to whom she was mother. He didn't give me the child because I think he was breastfeeding. Instead, I would have done the same. My desire grew more and became confused with that of all the souls who sighed for the baby Jesus. But this desire of mine was not as pure, as innocent nor as sincere as that of the hearts of the good Magi of the East, who had waited for it for centuries in the persons of their ancestors, believing, hoping and loving. That's how my desire turned to them. When I finished praying, I respectfully slipped out of the cave and was taken a long way to the procession of the Magi.
Along the way I saw many countries, homes and people with their costumes, their customs and their worship; but almost everything is gone from my memory.
I was taken to the East, to a region I had never been to, almost entirely barren and sandy. Near some hills, small groups of men lived in huts, under fences. They were isolated families of five to eight people. The branch roof rested on the hill where the rooms had been dug. This region produced almost nothing; only bushes and a few trees with white cotton buds sprouted. In other larger trees they placed their idols. These men still lived in the wild.
It seemed to me that they ate raw meat, especially birds, and were involved in robbery. They were copper in color and had red hair like fox hair. They were short, massive, more fat than thin; they were very dexterous, active and agile. There were no domestic animals or livestock in their rooms. They made a kind of cotton quilts that they collected from their small trees. They spun long finger-thick ropes which they then braided to make wide strips of cloth.
When they had prepared a certain amount, they placed large pieces tied in quilts on their heads and took them to the city to sell. I also saw their idols in various places, under leafy trees: they had the head of a bull with horns and a large mouth; There were holes in the body with a wide opening where they lit fire to burn the offerings placed in other smaller openings. Around each tree, under which there were idols, were other animal figures on small stone columns. There were birds, dragons and a figure that had three dog heads and a serpent's tail curled around itself.
At the beginning of the trip, I had the idea that there was a lot of water to my right and that I was moving further and further away from it. After this region, the path always went up. I crossed the top of a mountain of white sand where there were a large number of broken black stones similar to fragments of vases and scuttles. On the other side, I descended into a region covered in trees that seemed lined up in perfect order. Some of these trees had trunks covered in scales; the leaves were extraordinarily large. Others were pyramidal in shape, with large, beautiful flowers. The latter had yellowish green leaves and branches with flower buds. I've seen other trees with very smooth, heart-shaped leaves.
I then arrived at a country of prairies that extended as far as the eye could see amid heights. There were countless herds there. Vineyards grew around the hills. There were rows of terraced stocks with little branch fences to protect them. The owners of the flocks lived in tents, the entrance to which was closed by means of light acacia.
Those Tents were made of white woolen cloth made by the wildest people I had ever seen before. In the center was a large tent surrounded by many small ones. The herds, separated into classes, roamed extensive meadows divided by hedges of bushes. There were different types of livestock: sheep whose wool hung in long braids, with large woolly tails; other very agile animals, with horns, like goats, as large as calves; others were the size of the horses that ran free on our prairies. There were also herds of camels and animals of the same species, but with two humps. In a closed area I saw white elephants and some spotted ones: they were domesticated and used for ordinary work. This vision was interrupted three times by different circumstances, but I always returned to it. These flocks and pastures belonged, I believe, to one of the Magi who was then on a journey; it seemed to me that they were King Mensor's and related to him. They had been placed under the care of other subordinate shepherds who wore long, knee-length coats, roughly the shape of our peasants', but narrower. I think that because the chief had gone on a long journey all the flocks were checked by inspectors, and the subordinate shepherds had to say the exact number, as I could see certain people, covered in big coats, coming from time to time to take note of all. They installed themselves in the large main and central tent and all the herds paraded between this tent and the smaller ones. This was how everything was examined and counted. Those who were born were written down on their hands on a kind of tablet, I don't know what material, on which they wrote. Seeing this, he said to me: "I wish our bishops could examine with the same care the flocks entrusted to subordinate shepherds!" When, after the last interruption of this vision, I returned to these prairies, it was already night.
Most of the shepherds rested under small tents. Only a few watched, walking back and forth around the cattle, enclosed, according to their species, in large separate enclosures. I looked with affection at these flocks that slept in peace, thinking that they belonged to men, who had abandoned the contemplation of the blue meadows of the sky, strewn with stars, and left following the call of their Almighty Creator, like faithful flocks, to follow him with more obedience than the lambs of this earth follow their earthly shepherds. I saw shepherds who looked more often at the stars in the sky than at their flocks on earth. I thought: "they are right to raise their astonished and grateful eyes to the sky, looking to where their ancestors, centuries ago, persevering in waiting and praying, never stopped raising their gazes".
The good shepherd who searches for the lost sheep does not rest until he has found it and brought it back. The Father who is in the heavens, the true shepherd of the countless flocks of stars spread across the immensity, had just done the same. When man sinned, to whom God had subjected the whole earth, God cursed him in punishment for his crime; he went to look for the fallen man on Earth, his residence, like a lost sheep; He sent his only son from heaven to become man, guide that misguided sheep, take upon himself all their sins as the Lamb of God, and, dying, give satisfaction to divine justice. And this advent of the Redeemer had taken place. The kings of that country, guided by a star, had set out the night before to pay homage to the newborn Savior. Because of this, those who watched over the flocks looked with emotion at the heavenly meadows and prayed; for the Shepherd of shepherds had just come down from heaven, and went to the shepherds, before anyone else, to whom he had announced his coming.
LIV The Teokeno entourage
While contemplating the immense plain, the silence of the night was interrupted by the noise made by a group of men who arrived hurriedly on camels. The procession, passing the resting herds, quickly headed towards the central tent. A few camels woke up here and there and bent their long necks towards the passing procession. The bleating of lambs could be heard, interrupted during sleep. Some of the newcomers dismounted and woke the sleeping shepherds. The nearest watchmen joined the procession. Soon everyone was on their feet and moving around the travelers. People talked, looked at the sky and pointed at the stars. They referred to a star or a celestial appearance that could no longer be perceived, as I myself could no longer see it. It was the procession of Teokeno, the third of the Three Kings who lived furthest away. He had seen in his homeland the same apparition in the sky that his companions had seen, and he immediately left. Now he asked how far Mensor and Sair were ahead of him on the road, and whether the star he had taken as his guide could still be seen.
After receiving the necessary information, he continued his journey without stopping for long. This was the place where the three Magi, who lived very far from each other, met to observe the stars and nearby was the pyramidal tower at the top of which they made observations. Teokeno lived the furthest away among the three. He lived outside the country where Abraham first resided and settled in that region.
In the intervals between the visions I saw three times during this day, concerning what was happening in the great plain of the flocks, several things were shown to me about the countries where Abraham lived: I have forgotten most of them. I once saw, at a great distance, the place where Abraham would sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham's first home was located at a high altitude, and the countries of the three wise men were lower and were around that place of Abraham. Once again I saw, very clearly, even though it happened very far away, the incident of Hagar and Ishmael in the desert. I report what I could see of it. On one side of Mount Abraham, at the bottom of the valley, I saw Hagar and his son wandering among the bushes. She seemed out of it. The child was still very small and wore a long robe. She was wrapped in a long cloak that covered her head and underneath she wore a short robe with a tight bodice. She placed the boy under a tree near a hill and made marks on his forehead, right arm, chest and left arm. I didn't see the mark on the forehead; but the others, made on the dress, remained visible and seemed drawn in red. They were shaped like a cross, not common, but similar to a Maltese one that had a circle in the center, from which the four triangles that formed the cross began. On each of the triangles Hagar wrote some signs or hooked letters, the meaning of which I could not understand. In the central circle she drew two or three letters. She did the whole drawing very quickly with a red color that seemed to be on her hand and that could be blood. She left there, raising her eyes to the sky, without looking at the place where she left her son, and went to sit in the shade of a tree close to a rifle shot. While there he heard a voice from above; He moved further away from the first place and, upon hearing the voice for the second time, he found a source of water hidden among the foliage. She filled the skin with water and, returning to her son's side, gave him a drink; Then she took him with her to the fountain and, over the garment that had the marks on it, she put another piece of clothing on him. I think I saw Hagar again in the wilderness before Ishmael was born.
At dawn, Teokeno's accompaniment managed to join up with Mensor and Sair near a ruined city. There were long rows of columns, isolated from each other, and doors crowned by small square towers, all half demolished. There were still some large and beautiful statues, not as rigid as those in Egypt, but in graceful attitudes, as if they were alive. In general the country was sandy and full of stones. I saw that people who looked more like bandits and vagabonds had settled in the ruins of the city; The only clothing they wore were animal skins thrown over their bodies and they had weapons such as arrows and spears. Although they were short and stout, they were extremely agile; They had tanned skin.
I thought I recognized this place because I had been there before, during my trips to the mountain of the prophets and the country of the Ganges. When the three Magi gathered together, they left the place very early in the morning, intending to continue their journey hastily. I observed that many poor inhabitants followed the Kings, due to the liberality with which they treated them. After another half day of travel, they stopped. After the death of Jesus Christ, the apostle Saint John sent two of his disciples, Saturninus and Jonadab (half-brother of Saint Peter) to announce the Gospel to the inhabitants of the ruined city.
LV Names of the Magi
When the Three Wise Men were together, I saw that the last one, Teokeno, had yellowish skin: I recognized him because he was the same one who, about thirty-two years later, was in his sick tent when Jesus visited these kings in their residence. , close to the promised land.
Each of the Magi took with them four close relatives or more intimate friends, so that in the procession there were about fifteen high-ranking people, not counting the crowd of camel drivers and other servants. Eleazar, who later became a martyr, was recognized among the young men who accompanied the kings. They were naked to the waist and could run and jump with greater agility. I have a relic of this saint.
Mensor, the one with black hair, was later baptized by Saint Thomas and given the name Leandro. Teokeno, the one with yellow skin, who was sick when Jesus passed through Arabia, was also baptized by Saint Thomas with the name Leo. The darkest of the three, who had already died when Jesus visited his lands, was called Sair or Seir . He died with the baptism of desire. These names are related to those of Gaspar, Melchor and Baltasar, and are related to their personal character, as these words mean: the first, goes with love; the second wanders around, caressing, approaching sweetly; the third, receives quickly with the will, quickly unites his will with the will of God.
It seems to me that I first found the procession of the Three Kings assembled at a distance of about half a day's journey, passing through the ruined city, where I had seen so many stone columns and statues. The meeting point was a fertile region. Shepherds' houses were scattered around, built with white and black stones. They came to a plain, in the middle of which there was a well and large sheds: three in the center and several around it. It looked like a place prepared for hikers to rest. Each follow-up consisted of three groups of men. Each comprised five characters of distinction, including the king, or chief, who ordered, organized and distributed everything like a family man. The men in each group had different color complexions. The men of the tribe of Mensor were of a pleasant swarthy color; those from Sair were much darker, and those from Teokeno were lighter in complexion and yellowish. With the exception of a few slaves, there were none there with completely black skin. The people of distinction were seated on their horses, in coverings covered with carpets, and in their hands they carried walking sticks. These were followed by other animals the size of our horses, ridden by servants and slaves who carried the luggage. When they arrived, they dismounted, unloaded the animals, and gave them water to drink from the well, surrounded by a small embankment, on which there was a wall with three open entrances. In this enclosure was the water well in the lowest place. The water came out through three conduits that were closed with bolts, and the reservoir, in turn, was closed with a lid that was opened by one of the men from that ruined city, added to the procession. They carried leather skins divided into four compartments, so that when full they could drink four camels at the same time. They were so careful with the water that they didn't let a single drop go to waste. After drinking, the animals were placed in roofless enclosures, close to the well, where each one had its own compartment.
They placed the animals in front of the stone feeders where they were given the forage they had brought. They gave them some seeds the size of acorns to eat, perhaps broad beans. As luggage, they brought cages hanging on both sides of the animals, in which they had birds such as doves or chickens, which they fed on during the journey. In some iron containers they brought bread like boards pressed against each other of the same size.
They carried valuable yellow metal cups, with ornaments and precious stones.
They were shaped like our sacred vessels, chalices and patens. In them they presented food or drank. The edges of these vessels were adorned with red colored stones. The clothes of these men were not the same. The men of Teokeno and those of Mensor wore a kind of high cap on their heads, with a white ribbon wrapped around it; their tunics fell to the calves and were simple with light decorations on the chest. They had light coats, very long and baggy, which they dragged when they walked. Sair and his companions wore hoods with round tops embroidered in different colors and a small white circlet. Their coats were shorter and their tunics, full of bows, with buttons and shiny ornaments, came down to the knees. On one side of their chest, they wore a shiny, starry plate as an ornament. They all wore soles secured by laces around their ankles. The main people had short sabers or large knives at their waists; They also carried bags and boxes. There were among them men of fifty, forty, twenty; Some wore their beards long, others short. The servants and cameleers were dressed so sparingly that many of them only wore a piece of clothing or an old cloak.
When there was, they gave the animals water and trapped them, the men drank and built a big fire in the center of the shed where they had taken refuge. They used for the fire pieces of wood about two and a half feet long which the poor of the country had brought in bundles prepared in advance for the travelers. They built a triangular-shaped fire, leaving an opening for air. They did all this very skillfully. I don't know how they managed to make a fire; but I saw that they put a piece of wood inside another perforated one and rotated it for a while, then removed it while it was still lit. So they made fire. They roasted some birds they had killed. The kings and the elders did, each one in his tribe what a family man does: they divided the rations and gave each one his own; They placed the roasted birds, cut into pieces, on small plates and circulated them. They filled the cups and gave each one a drink. The junior servants, including some black men, were sitting on mats on the floor. They patiently waited their turn and received their portion. They looked like slaves to me. How admirable were the kindness and innocent simplicity of these excellent Kings!... The people who were with them received everything they had and even made them drink from their golden cups, holding them to their lips as if they were children.
Today I know many things about the Magi, especially the names of their countries and cities; but I forgot almost everything. I still remember the following: Mensor, the dark one, was from Chaldea and his city had a name like Achaiaia22: it was built on a hill surrounded by a river. Mensor generally dwelt in the plain near his flocks. Sair, the darkest one, the one with the pale complexion, was already prepared to leave on the night of his birth. I remember your homeland having a name like Parthermo. In the north of the country there was a lake. Sair and his tribe were darker in color and had red lips. The others were whiter. There was only one city about the size of Munich. Teokeno, the white one, came from the middle, a region located in a high place, between two seas. He lived in a city made of tents, erected on stone foundations: I have forgotten the name. It seems to me that Teokeno, who was the most powerful of the three and the richest, could have gone to Belém by a more direct route and that just by meeting up with the others he had made a long detour. It seemed to me that he had to cross Babylon to reach them. Sair lived three days' journey from the place of Mensor, calculating the day as twelve leagues' journey. Teokeno was five days away.
Mensor and Sair were already gathered at the former's house when they saw the star of Jesus' birth and they left the next day. Teokeno saw the same apparition from his residence and quickly set out to reunite the two kings, finding himself in the ruined population. The star that guided them was like a round globe and the light came out as if from a mouth. It appeared as if the balloon was suspended by a beam of light directed by a hand. During the day I saw before them a luminous body whose brightness surpassed that of the sun. I was surprised by the speed with which they made the journey, considering the great distance that separated them from Belém.
The animals had such a quick and uniform gait that their gait seemed so orderly, quick and just like the flight of a flock of passing birds.
The regions where the Three Wise Men lived together formed a triangle. The caravan remained until nightfall in the place where it had seen them stop. The people who were added to them helped carry the animals again and took the things that the travelers left there. When they set out, it was already night, and the star could be seen, with a somewhat reddish light like the moon when there is a lot of wind. For a time, they marched alongside their animals, bareheaded, reciting their prayers. The path was very bad and it was impossible to go quickly; Only later, when the path became level, did they get on their horses. Sometimes they walked slower and sang very expressive and moving songs in the middle of the solitude of the night.
On the night of the 29th to the 30th I found myself again very close to the procession of the Kings. These always advanced in the middle of the night in search of the star, which sometimes seemed to touch the earth with its long luminous tail. The kings looked at the star with calm joy. Sometimes they got off their rides to talk to each other. Other times, with a slow, simple and expressive melody, they alternately sang short phrases, short sentences, with very high or very low notes. There was something extraordinarily moving about these songs, which interrupted the silence of the night, and I felt their meaning deeply. They observed a very beautiful order as they advanced on their path. Ahead marched a large camel carrying trunks on each side, on which there were broad carpets and on top sat a chief with his venablo in his hand and a sack at his side. He was followed by some smaller animals, such as horses or donkeys, and above the baggage, the men who depended on this chief. Then another leader came on another camel and so on. The animals walked quickly, with great strides, although they placed their paws on the ground cautiously; their bodies seemed still while their paws were in motion. The men were very calm, as if they had no worries. Everything proceeded so calmly and sweetly that it seemed like a dream. These good people did not yet know the Lord and went to him with so much order, with so much peace and good will, while we, whom he saved and full of benefits from his kindnesses, are very disorderly and little reverent in our holy processions. They stopped again on a plain near a well. A man who came out of a neighboring hut opened the well and gave the animals a drink, stopping only for a while without unloading them.
We are already on the 30th. I saw the procession climbing to a high level again. To the right we could see mountains, and it seemed to me that they were approaching a region with populations, fountains and trees. It seemed to me like the country I had seen last year, and even recently, cotton spinning and weaving, where they worshiped idols in the form of bulls. They again generously gave food to the numerous travelers who followed the entourage; but they did not use the plates and trays; which caused me some surprise. It was a Saturday, the first day of the month.
LVI Arrive in the country of the king of Causur
I saw the kings again in the vicinity of a city, whose name sounded like Causur. This population was made up of tents erected on stone bases. They stopped at the house of the chief or king of the country, whose room was located some distance away. From the time they gathered in the ruined village to here, they had walked fifty-three or sixty-three hours. They told the king of the place everything they had observed in the stars and this king was very amazed by the story. He looked at the star that served as their guide and saw, in fact, a Child on it with a cross. He asked the kings to tell him again what they came, because he also wanted to build altars to the boy and offer sacrifices to him. She was curious to see if he would keep his word. It was Sunday, the 2nd.
I heard them talking to the king about their astral observations, and from that conversation I remember the following: the ancestors of the Kings were from the lineage of Job, who formerly lived near the Caucasus, although they had possessions in very distant regions. More or less 1500 years before Christ that race was made up of nothing more than a tribe. “The prophet Balaam was from his country and one of his disciples had made his prophecy known there: "a star will rise from Jacob;" giving instructions about it. His doctrine had spread widely among them. They erected a high tower on a mountain and several astrologers took turns on it alternately. I saw that tower, similar to a mountain, very wide at its base and ending at Ponta. Everything they observed was written down and then passed from mouth to mouth.
These observations have suffered repeated interruptions due to various causes. Execrable practices such as child sacrifice were introduced later, although they maintained the belief that the promised child would soon arrive. Around five centuries before Christ these observations ceased and those men divided into three different branches, formed by three brothers who lived separately with their families. They had three daughters to whom God had granted the gift of prophecy, who traveled the country dressed in long cloaks, making known the predictions regarding the star and the boy who was to emerge from Jacob.
Since then, they have once again dedicated themselves to observing the stars and the expectation became very intense among the three tribes. These three kings descended from those three brothers through fifteen generations that followed each other in a straight line for five hundred years. With the mixing of some races with others, the complexion of these three kings also varied, and in terms of color they differed from each other. Since those five centuries, the kings had not stopped meeting from time to time to observe the stars. All the remarkable facts connected with the birth of Jesus and the advent of the Messiah had been indicated to them by the wonderful signs of the stars. I have seen some of these signs, although I cannot describe them clearly. Since the conception of the Most Holy Mary, that is, since fifteen years ago, these signs indicated more clearly that the boy's arrival was near. The kings had observed things that had to do with the passion of the Lord. They were able to calculate exactly the time when the star of Jacob, announced by Balaam, would rise, because they had seen Jacob's ladder, and, according to the number of steps and the succession of the pictures that were there, it was possible to calculate the advent of the Messiah , as on a calendar, because the end of the scale reached the star or the star itself was the last image to appear. At the time of Mary's conception, they had seen the Virgin with a scepter and scales, on whose plates were ears of wheat and grapes. A little later they saw the Virgin with the boy. Bethlehem appeared to them as a beautiful Palace, a house full of abundant blessings. They also saw the heavenly Jerusalem within, and between the two abodes stretched a path full of shadows, thorns, battle and blood. They believed that this must be taken literally: they thought that the expected king must have been born amidst great pomp and that all the people would pay homage to him, and therefore they would go with great accompaniment to honor him and offer him their gifts. your gifts. The vision of the heavenly Jerusalem was taken by their kingdom on earth and they thought of going to that city. As for the path full of shadows and thorns, they thought it meant the journey they were making was full of difficulties or some war that threatened the new king. They were unaware that this was the symbol of the Via Dolorosa of his passion. Further down, on the scale of Jacob, they saw, and I also saw it, an artistically constructed tower, very similar to the towers I see on the Mount of the Prophets, and where the Virgin once took refuge during a storm. I no longer remember what that meant; but it could be the escape to Egypt. Above Jacob's ladder there were a series of pictures, figurative symbols of the Virgin, some of which are found in the litanies, and in addition, "the sealed fountain", the enclosed garden, as well as some figures of kings among whom one had a scepter and the other branches of trees. These pictures saw them in the stars continually during the last three nights. It was then that the boss sent messages to the others; and seeing some kings offering offerings to the newborn Child, they set out on the march so as not to be the last to pay homage. All the tribes of star worshipers had seen the star; but only these Magi decided to follow her. The star that guided them was not a comet, but a bright meteor, led by an angel.
These visions made them set out with the hope of finding great things, only to be very surprised when they found nothing of what they thought. They were amazed at Herod's reception and that everyone ignored the event. Arriving at Bethlehem and seeing a poor cave in the place of the palace which they had contemplated in the star, they were tempted by many doubts; however, they maintained their faith, and already in front of the Baby Jesus, they recognized that what they had seen in the star was coming true.
While observing the stars, they performed fasting, prayers, ceremonies and all types of abstinences and purifications. The cult of the stars exerted all kinds of pernicious influences on evil people due to their relationship with evil spirits. At the moments of their visions, they were subject to violent convulsions, and as a consequence of these agitations, bloody sacrifices of children occurred. Other good people, like the Magi, saw all these things with calm clarity and pleasant emotion, and became better and more believers.
When the kings left Causur, I saw that they were joined by a caravan of illustrious travelers following the same path. On the 3rd and 4th of the month, I saw that they were crossing an extensive plain, and on the 5th, they stopped near a well of water. There they gave their animals water, without unloading them, and prepared some food. I sang with these kings. They did so pleasantly, with words like these: "We want to cross the mountains and kneel before the new king." They improvised and sang verses alternately. One of them would start and the others would repeat; then another said a new verse, and so they continued, as they rode, singing their sweet and touching melodies.
In the center of the star or, better yet, inside the luminous globe, which showed them the way, I saw a boy appear with the cross. When the kings saw the appearance of the Virgin in the stars, the luminous globe placed itself over this image, promptly moving into motion.
VI The Holy Virgin anticipates the arrival of the Kings
Mary had had a vision of the coming of the Kings, when they stopped with the king of Causur, and she also saw that this king wanted to build an altar to honor the Child. She communicated this to Joseph and Elizabeth, telling them that it would be necessary to empty the Nativity cave as much as possible and prepare for the reception of the Kings. Maria had left the cave the day before because of some curious visitors, who came many more in recent days. Today Isabel returned to Juta in the company of a servant.
In these last two days there was more tranquility in the Cave of the Presépio and in the Sagrada Família, which was alone most of the time. One of Maria's maids, a woman of about thirty, serious and humble, was the only person who accompanied them. This woman, a widow, without children, was a relative of Ana, who had given her refuge in her home. She had suffered a lot with her husband, a hard man, because being pious and good, she often went to see the Essenes in the hope of the Savior of Israel. The man was irritated by this, as do wicked men of our day, who think their wives go to church too much. After abandoning his wife, he died shortly afterwards. The vagabonds who, begging, had uttered insults and curses near the cave of Bethlehem, and were going to Jerusalem for the feast of the Dedication of the Temple, instituted by the Maccabees, did not return by different routes. Joseph celebrated the Sabbath under the lamp in the manger with Mary and the maid. That night the celebration of the dedication of the Temple began and great tranquility reigned. The visitors, quite numerous, were people going to the party. Ana often sent messengers to bring gifts and get news. As Jewish mothers did not breastfeed their children for a long time, but gave them other foods, so the Baby Jesus also drank, after the first few days, a porridge made from the marrow of a type of cane. It was sweet, light and nutritious food. Joseph lit his lamp at night and in the morning to celebrate the feast of Dedication. Since the party began in Jerusalem, Ali was very calm.
Today a servant sent by Santa Ana arrived, bringing, in addition to various objects, everything necessary to work in a basket weaver and a basket full of beautiful fruits covered in roses. The flowers placed on the fruits retained all their freshness. The basket was tall and thin, and the roses were not the same color as ours, but a pale, flesh-colored tone, among others yellow and white and some buds. It seemed to me that Maria liked this basket and placed it next to her.
However, I saw the kings several times on their journey. They were going along a mountainous path, crossing those mountains where there were stones similar to fragments of pottery. I wish I had some of them, as they were beautiful and polished.
There were some mountains with transparent rocks, similar to bird eggs, and lots of white sand. Later I saw the kings in the region where they later settled and where Jesus visited them in the third year of his preaching. It seemed to me that Joseph, wishing to remain in Bethlehem, intended to live there after Mary's purification and that he had already received information about it.
Three days ago some rich people from Bethlehem came to the cave. Now they would very willingly accept the Holy Family into their homes; But Mary hid in the side cave and Joseph modestly refused her offers. Saint Anne was about to visit Mary. I saw her very worried these last few days reviewing her flocks and separating the poor and the Temple. In the same way, the Holy Family distributed everything they received in gifts. The dedication festival continued in the morning and evening and they must have added another festival on the 13th, as I could see that changes were being made to the ceremonies in Jerusalem. I also saw a priest next to Joseph, with a scroll, praying next to a small table covered with a red and white paste. It seemed to me that the priest was coming to see if Joseph was celebrating the feast or to announce another feast.
In recent days, the cave has been very calm because there were no visitors.
The dedication festival ended on Saturday, and José stopped lighting the lamps. On Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th, many from the surrounding area went to the Manger Grotto, and those shameless beggars showed themselves at the entrance. Everyone was returning from the Dedication festivities. On the 17th, two messengers arrived from Ana, with food and various objects, and Maria, who was more generous than me, soon distributed everything she had. I saw Joseph making various arrangements in the manger cave, in the side caves and in the tomb of Maraha. According to the vision that Mary had seen, Anne and the Magi were soon expected.
LVIII The journey of the Three Wise Men
I saw the Kings' caravan arrive tonight, at a small town with scattered houses, some surrounded by large fences.
It seemed to me that this was the first place to enter Judea. Although this was the direction of Bethlehem, the Kings turned to the right, perhaps because they could not find another more direct path. When they got there their singing was more expressive and lively; They were happier because the star had an extraordinary brightness: it was like the brightness of a full moon, and the shadows were seen very clearly. Despite everything, the inhabitants seemed not to notice her. On the other hand, they were nice and helpful. Some travelers had dismounted and the inhabitants were helping to water the animals. I thought of the times of Abraham, when all men were helpful and benevolent. Many people followed the procession of the Three Kings carrying palm trees and tree branches as they passed through the city. The star did not always have the same brightness: sometimes it dimmed a little; It seemed to give more clarity as the places they crossed were better. When the Kings saw the star shine brighter, they were very happy, thinking that it was there where they would find the Messiah.
This morning they passed through a gloomy city shrouded in darkness, without stopping there, and shortly afterwards they crossed a stream that flowed into the Dead Sea. Some of the people who accompanied them remained in those places. I learned that one of these cities served as a refuge for someone in battle, before Solomon ascended the throne.
Crossing the torrent, they found a good path.
This evening I saw again the Kings' accompaniment, which increased to around two hundred people because their generosity led many to join the procession. Now they approached from the East to a city which Jesus passed by, without entering, on the 31st of July of the second year of his preaching. The name of that city seemed to me to be Manatea, Metanea, Medana or Midian23. There were Jews and pagans there; They were generally bad. Despite the long route that crossed it, the Kings did not want to enter and went ahead on the eastern side to reach a walled place where there were sheds and stables. In this place they pitched their tents, fed and watered their animals and also ate their own food. The Kings stopped there on Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st and were very sad to see that no one there knew anything about the newborn king. I heard them tell the inhabitants the reasons why they had come, the length of the journey, and the various circumstances along the way. I remember some things they said.
The newborn King had already been announced to them long before. It seemed to me that it was shortly after Job, before Abraham went to Egypt, since about three hundred men from Media, from Job's country (with others from different places) had traveled to Egypt, arriving in the region of Heliopolis. I don't remember why they went so far; but it was a military expedition and it seemed to me that they came to the aid of others. Their expedition was worthy of reproach, because I understood that they had gone against something sacred, I don't remember if it was against good men or against some religious mystery related to the fulfillment of the Divine Promise. On the outskirts of Heliópolis, several leaders had a revelation with the appearance of an angel that did not allow them to continue. This angel announced to them that a Savior would be born from a Virgin, who should be honored by his descendants. I no longer know how it all happened; but they returned to their country and began to watch the stars. I saw them in Egypt organizing joyful festivals, erecting triumphal arches and altars there, which they decorated with flowers, and then returning to their lands. They were people from Media, who worshiped the stars. They were tall, almost giants, with beautiful yellowish brown skin. They followed like nomads with their herds and dominated everywhere due to their superior strength. I don't remember the name of any important prophet who was among them. They were aware of many predictions and observed certain signals transmitted by animals. If they crossed their path and allowed themselves to be killed, without running away, it was a sign for them to stay away from those paths. The Medes, upon returning from the land of Egypt, according to the Kings, were the first to speak of the prophecy and from then on began to observe the stars. These observations fell into disuse for some time; but they were renewed by a disciple of Balaam and a thousand years later the three prophetesses, daughters of the ancestors of the three Kings, put them into practice again. Fifty years later, that is, at the time they arrived, the star appeared that they now followed to worship the new newborn King. The Kings related these things to their listeners with great simplicity and sincerity, being very saddened to see that they did not seem to want to believe faith in what for two thousand years had been the object of the hope and desires of their ancestors.
In the evening the star was a little darkened by some vapors, but at night it appeared very bright among the moving clouds, and seemed nearer to the earth. They then got up quickly, woke up the inhabitants of the country and showed them the splendid star. Those people looked at the sky with strangeness, amazement and some shock; but many were even angry with the holy Kings, and the majority just tried to take advantage of the generosity with which they treated everyone. I also heard them say things about their journey there. They counted the journey in days on foot, calculating each day at twelve leagues. Riding their dromedaries, faster than horses, they traveled thirty-six leagues a day, including nights and rest periods. In this way, the King who lived further away was able to travel, in two days, five times the twelve leagues that separated them from the place where they met, and those who lived closest were able to travel twelve leagues three times in one day and one night. . From the place where they gathered to there they completed 672 leagues of travel, and for that, counting from the birth of Jesus Christ, they spent more or less twenty-five days and nights, also counting the two days of rest.
On the night of Friday, the 21st, the Sabbath having begun for the Jews who lived there, the Kings prepared their departure. The local inhabitants had gone to the synagogue of a neighboring place by crossing a bridge to the west. I saw that these Jews looked with great amazement at the star that guided the Magi; but that didn't make them more respectful. Those shameless men were very importunate, clustering like swarms of wasps around the Kings, revealing themselves to be vile and beggars, while the Kings, full of patience, incessantly gave them small, yellow, triangular, very fine pieces and grains of dark metal. . I think that was why these Kings must have been very rich. Accompanied by local inhabitants, they went around the city walls, where I saw some temples with idols; Later, they crossed the torrent on a bridge and went around the Jewish village. From here they made a journey of twenty-four leagues to reach Jerusalem.
LIX Arrival from Saint Anne to Belém
I saw Saint Anne with Mary of Heli, a maid, a servant and two donkeys spending the night a short distance from Bethany, on the way to Bethlehem. Joseph had completed the arrangements both in the cave of the Presépio and in the side caves, to receive the The Magi, whose arrival had been announced by Mary, while they were in Causur, and also to host those coming from Nazareth. Joseph and Mary had retreated to another cave with the boy, so that the one in the Nativity Scene was free, with no more than the donkey remaining in it. If I remember correctly, José had already paid the second tax some time ago, and new people coming from Belém to see the boy were happy to take him in their arms. On the other hand, when others wanted to grab him, he cried and turned his head away. I saw the Virgin calm in her new discreetly arranged room: the bed was against the wall and the Baby Jesus was next to her, in a long basket, made of crusts, accommodated on a fork. A septum made of acacia separated Mary's bed and the Child's cradle from the rest of the cave.
During the day, so as not to be alone, she sat in front of the sept with the child by her side. José rested in another place removed from the cave. I saw him bring food to Maria, served in a fountain, as well as offering her a redfish and water.
On this night a day of fasting began: all food must be prepared for the following day; the fire was covered and the openings veiled24, however Santa Ana had arrived with Maria's older sister and a servant. These people were supposed to spend the night in the cave of Belém: that's why the Holy Family retired to the side cave. Today I saw Mary placing the child in Saint Anne's arms. She was deeply moved. She had brought with her quilts, diapers and various foods, and slept in the same place where Isabel had rested. Maria told him everything that had happened. Ana cried in Maria's company. The story was brightened by the caresses of the Baby Jesus.
Today I saw the Virgin return to the manger cave and little Jesus lying there again. When Joseph and Mary find themselves alone near the Child, I often see them placing themselves in adoration before Him. Today I saw Hannah near the manger with Mary in a reverent attitude, contemplating the Baby Jesus with a feeling of great fervor. I don't know if the people who came with Ana had spent the night in the side cave or had gone somewhere else; I think they were somewhere else. Ana brought several objects for the child and the mother. Maria has already received many things since she was there; but everything continued to look very poor because Maria distributed what was not absolutely necessary. He told Anne that the Kings would arrive very soon and that their arrival would make a great impression. It seemed to me that during the Kings' stay, Anne retreated three leagues away, to her sister's house, to return later. That same night, after Saturday was over, I saw that Anne and her companions left Mary's company, going three leagues away, to the house of her married sister. I no longer remember the name of the village, of the tribe of Benjamin, which was made up of a few houses, on a plain and was located half a league from the last place where the Holy Family lodged on their journey to Bethlehem.
LX Arrival of the Magi in Jerusalem
The entourage of the Kings set out at night from Metanéia and took a very walkable route, and although the travelers did not enter or pass through any other cities, they passed through the villages where Jesus later taught, healed the sick and blessed children at the end of the month of June of the third year of his preaching. Betabara was one of those places where they arrived early one morning to cross the Jordan. As it was Saturday, they found few people on the way. This morning I saw the caravan of the Kings crossing the Jordan at seven. The river was commonly crossed using a device made from beams; but for large passages, with heavy loads, it was done via a type of bridge. The boatmen who lived near the bridge did this work for a fee; but as it was Saturday and they could not work, the same travelers had to take care of themselves, with some pagan men helping the Jewish boatmen cooperating. The width of the Jordan was not great in this place and it was also full of sandbars.
On the beams, where people normally crossed, some signs were placed, allowing the camels to pass over them. It took a long time before everyone had crossed over to the opposite bank of the river. Leaving Jericho to the right, they headed towards Bethlehem; but they turned to the right to go to Jerusalem. There were about a hundred men with them. I saw a familiar city from afar: it was small and located near a stream that ran from west to east from Jerusalem, and it seemed to me that they had to pass through this city. For some time the stream ran to their left and as they went up or down the path. Sometimes you could see Jerusalem, other times you couldn't see it. In the end, they turned away towards Jerusalem and did not pass through the small city.
On Saturday the 22nd, after the end of the festival, the caravan of the Kings arrived at the gates of Jerusalem. I saw the city with its tall towers rising to the sky. The star that had guided them almost disappeared and only gave a faint light behind the city. As they entered Judea and approached Jerusalem, the Kings lost confidence, because the star was no longer as bright as before and they still saw it less frequently in this region. They had thought to find everywhere celebrations and rejoicing at the birth of the Savior, for the sake of whom they had come so far and no, they saw everywhere more than indifference and disdain.
This saddened and disturbed them, and they thought they had been mistaken in their idea of finding the Savior.
The caravan now seemed to be made up of two hundred people and covered more or less a quarter of a league. Already from Causur, a certain number of illustrious people had been added to it and others joined it later. The three Kings were sitting on three dromedaries and three other animals were carrying the luggage. Each king had four men from his tribe; Most of the companions rode very fast horses, with elegant heads. I couldn't tell if they were donkeys or horses of another breed, but they looked a lot like our horses. The animals that the most illustrious people used had beautiful harnesses and reins, adorned with gold chains and stars. Some of the Kings' entourage separated from the procession and entered the city, returning with soldiers and guardians. The arrival of such a large caravan at a time when no festival was celebrated, and not for commercial reasons, and arriving the way they did, was something very extraordinary. Every question they were asked, they responded by talking about the star that had guided them and the Newborn Boy. Nobody understood any of this language, and the kings were very disturbed, thinking that perhaps they had made a mistake, as they could not find anyone who knew anything related to the boy Savior of the world, born there, in their lands. Everyone looked at the kings with surprise, without understanding why they came or what they were looking for. When those guards at the gate saw the generosity with which the kings treated the beggars who approached, and when they heard that they wanted accommodation, that they would pay well, and that in the meantime they wanted to speak to King Herod, some entered the city and a series of of messengers coming and going and explaining, while the kings were entertained by all sorts of people who had approached them. Some of these men had heard of a boy born in Bethlehem; but they could not even think that he could have anything to do with the coming of the Kings, knowing that they were poor and unimportant parents. Others mocked the gullibility of the Kings. According to the messages brought by the men of the city, they understood that Herod knew nothing about the Child.
As they did not expect to meet King Herod either, they were much more distressed and extremely worried, not knowing what attitude to take in the king's presence, nor what they were going to say to him. However, despite their sadness, they did not lose heart and began to pray. His troubled spirit returned and they said to each other: "he who brought us here so quickly, through the light of the star, will be able to guide us back to our homes".
Finally the messengers returned, and the caravan was led along the city walls, entering through a gate situated not far from Calvary. They took them to a large round courtyard surrounded by stables, with accommodation not far from the fish square, at the entrance of which they found some guardians. The animals were taken to the stables and the men withdrew under sheds, next to a fountain in the middle of the large courtyard. This courtyard, on one side, reached a height; for the others it was open, with trees in front. Then some officials arrived, perhaps customs officials, who, two by two, inspected the travelers' luggage with their flashlights. Herod's Palace was higher up, not far from this building, and I could see the path leading to it lit up with lanterns and headlamps placed on hangers. Herod sent a messenger in charge of secretly taking King Theokenos to his palace. It was ten at night. Theokeno was received in a room downstairs by a courtier of Herod, who questioned him about the purpose of his trip. Theokeno said simply everything that was asked of him and begged the man to ask King Herod where the Child, king of the Jews, was born and where he was, as they had seen his star and had come after him.
The courtier took his report to Herod, who was very disturbed at first; but disguising his bad account, he replied that he wished to have more information about this event and that, in the meantime, he urged the kings to rest, adding that the following day he would speak to them and let them know everything he knew about the subject. Teokeno returned and was unable to give his companions consoling news; on the other hand, nothing had been prepared for them so that they could rest and they had many bundles that had been opened remade. During that night they could not rest and some of them walked from side to side as if looking for the star that had guided them. Within the city of Jerusalem there was great stillness and silence; But there was agitation around the Kings, and all kinds of reports were being heard and given in the courtyard. The kings thought that Herod knew everything perfectly, but that he tried to hide the truth from them. A great feast was celebrated that night in Herod's Palace, at the time of Theokeno's visit, because he saw the rooms illuminated. All kinds of men and women dressed without any decency came and went. Theokenos' questions about the newborn king disturbed Herod's spirits, and he immediately called the princes, priests and scribes of the Law to his palace. I saw them arriving at the palace before midnight with written parchments. They wore their priestly robes, wore decorations on their chests and belts with embroidered letters. There were about twenty of these characters around Herod, who was asking where the birthplace of the Messiah should be. I saw them opening their scrolls and pointing out with their fingers passages of Scripture: "He must be born in Bethlehem of Judah, for so it is written in the prophet Micah. And you, Bethlehem, are not the least among the princes of Judah, for You will be born the leader who will rule my people in Israel." Then I saw Herod with some of them walking around the terrace of the palace, looking in vain for the star of which Theokenos had spoken. He was very restless. The priests and scribes gave him long arguments saying that he should not ignore or give importance to the words of the Magi, adding that these people are friends of the marvelous and always imagine great fantasies with their stellar observations. They said that if anything had happened, it would have been known in the Temple and in the holy city, and that they could not have ignored it.
LXI The Magi taken to Herod's Palace
This morning, very early, Herod ordered the Kings to be taken to the palace in secret. They were welcomed under an archway and then taken to a room, where I saw green branches with flowers in glasses and soft drinks to drink. After some time Herod appeared. The Magi bowed down before him and began to question him about the newborn King of the Jews.
Herod hid his great disturbance and seemed happy with the news. I saw that some of the scribes were with him. Herod asked some details about what they had seen, and King Mensor described the last appearance they had seen before leaving. It was, he said, a Virgin and before her a boy, from whose right side a luminous branch sprouted; Soon, a tower with several doors had appeared above it. The tower became a city, over which the boy appeared with a crown, a sword and a scepter, as if he were King. After this they saw themselves, as well as all the kings of the world, prostrate before that boy in act of worship; for he possessed an Empire before which all other empires had to submit; and so, in this way, they described what they had seen.
Herod spoke of a prophecy that spoke of something similar about Bethlehem of Ephrath; he told them to go there secretly, and when they had found the boy, to return and tell him the result, so that he too could go and worship him. The kings did not touch the food that had been prepared for them and returned to their accommodation. It was very early, almost dawn, as I saw the lanterns still lit in front of Herod's Palace. Herod conferred with them in secret so that the event would not become public. After clarifying everything, they prepared to leave. The people who accompanied them to Jerusalem had already been dispersed throughout the city since the day before.
Herod's spirit was in those days full of discontent and irritation. At the time of Jesus Christ's birth, he was in his castle, near Jericho, and had ordered a cowardly murder. He had placed people in high positions in the Temple who told him everything that was said there, so that they could denounce those who opposed his plans. A just and honorable man, high employed in the Temple, he was the chief of those who considered him as his adversary. Herod, pretending, invited him to come and see him in Jericho and made him attack and murder him on the way, attributing this crime to some robbers. A few days after that, he went to Jerusalem to participate in the feast of the dedication of the Temple, which took place on the 25th of the month of Casleu and there he found himself involved in a very unpleasant matter. Wanting to please the Jews, he had a statue or figure of a lamb made, or rather a goat, because it had horns, so that it could be placed at the door that led from the women's courtyard to the immolation courtyard. He did this on his own initiative, thinking that the Jews would thank him; but the priests strenuously opposed this, even though he threatened to make them pay a fine for their resistance. They replied that they would pay, but that they would not tolerate this image contrary to the prescriptions of the Law. Herod was very angry and tried to hide it; but, upon taking it, a very zealous Israelite took the image and threw it on the ground, breaking it into two pieces. There was a great commotion and Herod had the man arrested. All this had irritated him greatly and he was sorry he had gone to the party; his courtiers tried to distract and amuse him.
In this state of mind the news of the birth of Christ found him. In Judea, pious men lived for a long time in the hope that the Messiah would soon arrive and the events that occurred at the birth of the child had been publicized through the shepherds. However, many important people heard these things as fables and empty words and Herod himself had heard about it and secretly sent some men to take reports of what was said.
These emissaries were, in fact, three days after Jesus was born and after talking to Joseph, they declared, like proud men, that everything was unimportant: that in the cave there was nothing more than a poor family whose worth was not worth. It's a shame no one cared. The pride that dominated them had prevented them from seriously interrogating José from the beginning, especially since they were ordered to proceed in the greatest secret, without attracting attention. When the Magi suddenly arrived with their numerous entourage, Herod was filled with new concerns, since these men had come from far away and all of this was more than just unimportant rumors. As the kings spoke with so much conviction about the newborn King, Herod pretended to want to go and offer him his respects, which made the Kings very happy, finding him in a good mood. The blindness of the scribes' pride did not just reassure him and the interest in keeping this matter secret was the cause of the conduct he observed. He did not object to what the Kings said, he did not immediately persecute the boy so as not to expose himself to criticism from a people difficult to govern, and he decided to gather more accurate news through them to later take action on the case.
As the kings, warned by God, did not give news again, he explained that the escape of the Kings was a consequence of the false illusion they had suffered and that they had not dared to appear again, because they were ashamed of the deception into which they had fallen and to which they wanted to drag the others. He ordered to say: "What reasons could they have for leaving clandestinely after having been received here in such a friendly way?..." In this way Herod tried to keep this matter to a minimum, ensuring that in Bethlehem no one came into contact with that family, which he loved so much. had spoken, nor collect rumors and inventions that were intended to lead the spirits astray. Fifteen days later, the Holy Family returned to Nazareth, and soon stopped talking about things of which the crowd had no more than vague knowledge, and the pious people, on the other hand, full of hope, maintained a discreet silence.
When it seemed that everything was forgotten, Herod thought about getting rid of the child and learned that the family had left Nazareth, taking the child. He made him search for a long time; but, having lost all hope of finding her, his restlessness grew and he determined to carry out the extreme measure of killing the children. On this occasion he took all his measures and sent troops beforehand to the places where a revolt could be feared. I think the massacre was carried out in seven different places.
LXII Journey of the Kings from Jerusalem to Bethlehem
I saw the caravan of Kings next to a gate located at Noon.
A group of men accompanied them to a stream in front of the city, and then returned. As soon as they had passed the stream, they stopped looking for the star in the sky. Having seen her, they burst into exclamations of joy and continued their march singing her melodies. The star did not lead them in a straight line, but deviated a little to the West. They passed in front of a small town, which I recognized very well; They stopped behind her, and prayed looking at midday, in a pleasant place near a village. In this place, before them, a spring of water appeared, which filled them with joy. Coming down from their horses, they dug a pestle for this source, surrounding it with stones, sand and grass.
For several hours they stood there watering and feeding their animals. They also took their food, for in Jerusalem they could not rest or eat because of the worries of their arrival. I saw later that Jesus Christ stopped several times beside this fountain in the company of his disciples. The star, which shone at night like a fiery balloon, now looked more like the moon when seen by day; it was not perfectly round, but appeared cut and was often hidden among the clouds. On the way from Bethlehem to Jerusalem there was a lot of movement of walkers with luggage and pack animals. They were people perhaps returning from Bethlehem after paying their taxes, or going to Jerusalem for the market or to visit the Temple. This happened on the main path; but the path of the Kings was lonely, and God guided them there, no doubt, so that they could arrive at Bethlehem at night and not attract too much attention. They set out when the sun was very low; They marched in the order in which they had come.
Mensor, the youngest, led the way; then Sair, the cetrino, and finally, Teokeno, the white one, because he was older.
Today, at twilight, I saw the caravan of the Kings arriving at Bethlehem, near that building where Joseph and Mary had registered and which had been the mansion of David's family. Only a few remains remained of the walls of the building that had belonged to José's parents. It was a large house surrounded by smaller ones, with an enclosed courtyard, in front of which was a square with trees and a fountain. I saw Roman soldiers in this square, because the house had become a tax office. When the caravan arrived, a number of curious people crowded around the travelers. The star had disappeared again and this worried the Kings. Some men approached, asking them questions. They got off their horses and from the house I saw that employees were coming to meet them, carrying palms in their hands and offering them refreshments: it was the custom of receiving illustrious foreigners. I thought to myself: "they are much kinder than they were to poor José; just because they distributed gold coins". They were told that the Valley of the Shepherds was suitable for pitching tents, and they remained undecided for some time. I didn't hear them ask anything about the king and the Newborn Child. Even though they knew that Bethlehem was the place designated by the prophecies, they, remembering what Herod had ordered them, were afraid to attract attention with their questions. Shortly afterwards they saw a meteor shine in the sky, over Bethlehem: it was similar to the Moon when it appeared. They mounted their horses, and skirting a ditch and ruined walls, they went around Bethlehem at noon, and went to the East, towards the cave of the manger, which they went around on the side of the plain, where the angels had appeared to the people. shepherds.
LXIII The adoration of the Magi
They dismounted when they arrived close to the cave of Maranha's tomb, in the Valley, behind the cave of the Presépio. The servants brought down many packages, erected a large tent and made other arrangements with the help of some shepherds who showed them the most appropriate places. The camp was already partially organized when the kings saw the star appear bright and very clear over the Mount of the Manger, directing its rays in a straight line towards the cave. The star was very large and shed a lot of light; That's why they looked at her with great astonishment.
No house could be seen in the dense darkness, and the hill appeared in the form of a wall. Suddenly, they saw within the light the form of a shining child and felt extraordinary joy. Everyone tried to express their respect and veneration. The Three Kings went to the hill, to the door of the cave. Mensor opened it, and saw its interior full of celestial light, and the Virgin, at the bottom, sitting, with the boy just as he and his companions had contemplated in their visions. Then he returned to tell his companions what he had seen.
At this, Joseph left the cave accompanied by an elderly shepherd and went to meet him. The Three Kings told him simply that they had come to worship the newborn King of the Jews, whose star they had observed, and they wanted to offer their gifts. José received them with great affection. The elderly pastor accompanied them to where the others were and helped them with the preparations, together with other pastors present there. The Kings prepared for a solemn ceremony. I saw them dressed in very wide, white cloaks, with a train that touched the ground. They shone with reflections, as if they were natural silk; they were very beautiful and floated around their people. They were the clothes for religious ceremonies. On their waists they carried purses and gold boxes hanging from chains, and they covered everything with their large cloaks. Each of the Kings was followed by four people from their family, as well as some of Mensor's servants who carried a small table, a fringed briefcase and other objects.
The Kings followed Joseph, and, arriving under the eaves, in front of the cave, they covered the table with the paste, and each of them placed on it the gold boxes and the containers that they had taken from their waists. So they offered common gifts to the three. Mensor and the others took off their sandals and Joseph opened the cave door. Two young men from Mensor's entourage, who preceded him, spread a carpet on the floor of the cave, then retreated behind, two others following them with the small table on which the gifts were placed. When he stood before the Blessed Virgin, King Mensor placed these gifts at her feet, with all due respect, kneeling on the ground. Behind Mensor were the four of his family, who bowed with all humility and respect. Meanwhile, Sair and Teokeno waited behind, near the cave entrance. They came forward, in turn, full of joy and emotion, enveloped in the great light that filled the cave, despite there being no other light there than that which is the Light of the world. Mary was lying on the carpet, supported on one arm, to the left of the Baby Jesus, who was lying inside the trough, covered with a screen and placed on a platform in the place where she was born.
When the Kings entered, the Virgin put on the veil, took the child in her arms, covering him with a wide veil. King Mensor knelt down and offering the gifts he spoke tender words, crossed his hands over his chest, and with his head uncovered and bowed, he paid homage to the boy. Meanwhile, Maria had uncovered the boy's upper half a little, and he looked at her with a kind expression from the center of the veil that covered him. Maria held his little head with one arm and surrounded him with the other. The boy had his little hands clasped on his chest and was extending them gracefully around him. Oh, how happy were those men who came from the East to worship the Baby King!
Seeing this I said to myself: "their hearts are pure and spotless; they are full of tenderness and innocence like the hearts of innocent and pious children. Nothing violent was seen in them, despite being filled with the fire of love." I thought: "I'm dead; I'm just a spirit; otherwise I wouldn't be able to see these things that no longer exist, and yet they exist at this moment. But this doesn't exist in time, because in God there is no time: in God, everything is present. I must be dead; I must be nothing more than a spirit." While I was thinking these things, I heard a voice that said to me: "What is important in all this that you think?... Contemplate and praise God, who is Eternal, and in whom everything is eternal".
I saw that King Mensor took from a bag, hanging at his waist, a handful of compact bars the size of a finger, heavy, sharp at the ends, which shone like gold. It was his gift. He placed him humbly on Mary's knees, next to the Baby Jesus. Maria took the gift with a thank you full of simplicity and grace, and covered it with the corner of her cloak. Mensor offered the small bars of virgin gold, because he was sincere and charitable, seeking the truth with constant and unwavering ardor. Then he withdrew, retreating, with his four companions; while Sair, the cetrine king, advanced with his, and knelt with deep humility, offering his gift with very moving expressions. It was a container of incense, full of small green resinous grains, which he placed on the table, in front of the Baby Jesus. Sair offered incense because he was a man who respectfully conformed to God's will, wholeheartedly and followed that will with love. He knelt for a long time, with great fervor. He withdrew and advanced Teokeno, the oldest of the three, already very old. His somewhat hardened limbs did not allow him to kneel: he remained standing, deeply bowed, and placed on the table a golden cup with a beautiful green plant on it. It was a beautiful bush, with a straight stem, with small curly branches crowned with beautiful white flowers: the myrrh plant. He offered myrrh because it was the symbol of mortification and victory over passions, as this excellent man had maintained a constant struggle against idolatry, polygamy and the spoiled customs of his compatriots.
Full of emotion, he spent a long time with his four companions in front of the Baby Jesus. I felt sorry for the others who were outside the cave waiting their turn to see the boy. The sentences spoken by the Kings and their companions were full of simplicity and fervor. When they bowed and offered their gifts, they said more or less the following: "we saw his star; we know that he is the King of Kings; we came to worship him, to offer him our homage and our gifts". They were as if they were beside themselves, and in their simple and innocent prayers they entrusted to the Baby Jesus their own persons, their families, their country, their possessions and everything that had any value for them on earth. They offered him their hearts, their souls, their thoughts and all his actions. They asked for clear intelligence, virtue, happiness, peace and love. They were full of love and shed tears of joy, which fell on their cheeks and beards. They felt completely happy. They had reached that star, to which for thousands of years their ancestors had directed their gazes and their longings with constant desire. There was in them all the joy of the promise fulfilled after so long centuries of waiting.
Mary accepted the gifts with an attitude of humble thanksgiving. At first she said nothing: she only expressed her recognition with a simple nod of her head, under her veil. The Child's little body shone beneath the folds of Mary's cloak. Then the Virgin spoke humble and grace-filled words to each of the Kings, and threw the veil back a little.
Here I received a very useful lesson I thought: "With what sweet and gentle gratitude Mary received each gift! She, who had no need of anything, who had Jesus, received the gifts with humility. I too will receive with gratitude all the gifts given to me." do in the future." How much goodness there is in Mary and Joseph! They kept almost nothing for themselves, they distributed everything among the poor.
LXIV The worship of the servants of the Kings
After worshiping the boy, the Kings returned to their tents with their companions. The servants and servants were ready to enter the cave. They had unloaded the animals, erected the tents, got everything in order; They now waited patiently at the door with great humility. There were more than thirty; There were some children who only wore cloths around their waists and a cloak. The servants entered five by five in the company of a main character, whom they served; They knelt before the boy and adored him in silence, at the end all the children entered, who adored the Baby Jesus with their innocent joy. The servants did not stay long in the cave, because the kings returned to make another more solemn entry. They had dressed themselves in long, flowing cloaks, carrying censers in their hands. With great respect they incensed the boy, his mother, Joseph and the entire manger cave. After bowing deeply, they withdrew. This was the way of worship that the people of that country had.
All this time Mary and Joseph were filled with sweet joy.
I had never seen them like this: they shed tears of joy, as it consoled them immensely to see the honors that the kings gave to the Baby Jesus, whom they had so poorly accommodated, and whose supreme dignity they knew in their hearts. They rejoiced that Divine Providence, despite the blindness of men, had arranged and prepared for the Child of Promise what they could not give him, sending from distant lands those who gave him the adoration due to his dignity, fulfilled by the powerful of the earth with such holy munificence. They adored the Baby Jesus together with the holy Kings and rejoiced in the tributes offered to the Baby God.
The visitors' tents were erected in the valley, situated behind the manger cave to the Maraha cave. The animals were tied to stakes in a row, separated by ropes. Near the largest tent, on the side of Manger Hill, there was a space covered with mats. They had left some of their luggage there, because most of it was kept in the cave of the Maranha tomb. The stars were shining when everyone finished going to the cave of worship. The kings gathered in a circle by the terebinth that stood over the tangle tomb, and there, in the presence of the stars, they sang some of their solemn songs.
It is impossible to say what impression these beautiful songs made in the silence of the Valley that night! For so many centuries the ancestors of these Kings had looked at the stars, prayed, sung, and now the longings of so many hearts had been fulfilled. They sang full of exaltation and holy joy.
Meanwhile, Joseph, with the help of two elderly shepherds, prepared a frugal meal in the Kings' tent. They took bread, fruit, honeycomb, some herbs, and cups of balm; they placed everything on a low table covered with a tablecloth. Joseph had sought all these things since the morning, to welcome the kings, whose coming he already expected, because the Holy Virgin had announced it in advance. When the kings returned to their tent, I saw that Joseph received them very cordially and begged them, since they were guests, to deign to accept the simple food he offered them. She was placed beside them and they began their meal. José was not shy at all; but he was so happy that he shed tears of pure joy. When I saw this I thought of my late father, who was a poor peasant, who, on the occasion of my taking on the habit, found himself at the table with many illustrious people. In his simplicity and humility he had at first felt much fear; Soon he was so happy that he cried with joy: without intending to, he took first place at the party.
After that small meal, José left. Some more important people went to an inn in Bethlehem, and the others lay down on their beds, arranged in a circle under the large tent, and there they rested from their fatigue. Joseph, returning to the cave, placed all those present to the right of the manger, in a corner, where he had raised a sept that hid what was behind. Ana's maid, who had remained after her owner's departure, remained hidden in the side cave throughout the ceremony, and did not appear again until everyone had left. She was an intelligent woman, with a very relaxed spirit. I saw neither the Holy Family nor this woman look with worldly satisfaction upon the gifts of the Kings: all were accepted with humble gratitude, and almost immediately distributed charitably among the needy.
This night there was quite a stir when the caravan arrived at the house where the tax was paid. Later there were many comings and goings to the city, as the shepherds, who had followed the procession, returned to their places. I also saw that while the Kings, full of joy, adored the Child and offered their gifts in the grotto of the manger, some Jews were prowling the surroundings, spying from a certain distance, murmuring and conferring in low voices. Later, I saw them again going back and forth to Belém and giving reports. I cried for these bastards. I suffer seeing the wickedness of these people who then, as now, observe and murmur when God approaches men, and then spread lies, the fruit of malice and perversity. Oh, how worthy of compassion these men seemed to me! They had salvation among them and rejected it, while these Kings, guided by their sincere faith in the promise, had come so far to seek salvation.
In Jerusalem today I saw Herod in the company of some scribes reading parchments and talking about what the kings had told. Afterwards, everything calmed down again as if there was an interest in remaining silent on this subject.
LXV New visit of the Magi
Today, tomorrow, I saw the Magi and other people from their entourage who successively visited the Sagrada Família. I also saw them during the day next to their camps and beasts of burden, busy in different distributions. As they were full of joy and felt happy, they distributed many gifts. I understood that it was customary then to do them on the occasion of happy events. The pastors who helped. kings received valuable gifts, as did many poor people. I saw that they placed shawls and cloths on the shoulders of some old women who had arrived at the place. Some people in the Kings' entourage wanted to stay in the Valley of the Shepherds to live with them.
They made their desire known to the Kings, who not only gave them permission, but showered them with gifts, giving them quilts, garments, gold grain, and leaving them the donkeys on which they came riding. When I saw that the kings distributed so many pieces of bread, I wondered where they could have gotten it from, and I remembered that I had seen them, in the places where they camped, prepare, with the supply of flour they brought, flat breads like biscuits, in molds and piled them inside very light leather boxes, which they carried on their animals. Many people arrived from Bethlehem who, under various pretexts, surrounded the Kings to obtain gifts.
In the evening, the kings returned to say goodbye. Mensor appeared first. Mary placed the boy in her arms, and the king welcomed him crying with joy. Then the other two kings approached, shedding tears. They brought many gifts to the Holy Family: pieces of different fabrics, some of which looked like undyed silk, and others were red or had various flowers. They left very beautiful quilts. They left their large, wide, pale yellow cloaks, so light that they were fluttered by the slightest wind: they seemed to be made of extremely fine wool. They carried several glasses, one inside the other; boxes full of grains, and in a basket, shards where there were beautiful bouquets of a green plant, with beautiful white flowers - they were myrrh plants. The shards were placed one on top of the other inside the basket. They left Joseph cages full of birds, which they had brought in numbers on their dromedaries, for food during the journey. The moment they said goodbye to Mary and the Child, they shed abundant tears. Maria was standing next to them as they said goodbye. She carried the boy wrapped in her veil in her arms, and she took a few steps to accompany the Kings to the door of the cave. She stopped in silence, and to leave a memory to those good men she took off the large veil that she had over her head, which was made of yellow fabric and with which she covered Jesus, and placed it in Mensor's hands. The kings received the gift by bowing deeply. A joy full of respect filled them when they saw Mary without a veil, holding the boy in her arms. How sweet tears they shed as they left the cave! The veil was for them ever since the most precious relic they possessed.
The Blessed Virgin received the gifts, but did not seem to attach any importance to them, even though in her charming humility she demonstrated a deep gratitude to the person who made the gift. In all these tributes I did not see in Mary any act or feeling of complacency towards herself. Only out of love for the Baby Jesus and compassion for Saint Joseph did he allow himself to be led by the natural hope that from now on the Baby Jesus and Joseph would find more sympathy in Bethlehem than before and they would no longer be treated with as much contempt as they were upon their arrival. José's sadness and restlessness distressed her extremely. When the kings returned to say goodbye, the lamp was already lit in the cave. It was dark outside. The kings immediately went with their companions and gathered under the terebinth, on the tomb of tangle, to celebrate there, as on the previous day, some ceremonies of their worship. Under the tree they had lit a lamp, and when it appeared the stars began to say their prayers and sing melodious songs, producing a very pleasant effect in which children's voices echoed. Then they went to the tent where Joseph had prepared a modest meal. After this, some returned to the inn in Belém and others rested under their tents.
LXVI The angel warns the kings of Herod's plans
At midnight I had a vision. I saw the kings resting under their tent on quilts spread out on the ground, and next to them I saw a shining young man: an angel woke them up telling them that they must leave immediately, without passing through Jerusalem, but through the desert, along the shores of the Dead Sea. . The kings rose from their beds and the entire entourage was on its feet in a short time. One of them went to the manger to wake Joseph, and ran to Bethlehem to warn those staying there; but he met them on the way, they had the same appearance. They folded the tent, loaded the animals with the luggage, and everything was baled and prepared with astonishing speed. While the kings were saying goodbye to Saint Joseph, in front of the Nativity Grotto, part of the retinue was already leaving in separate groups to take the lead in the direction of Noon, to cover the Dead Sea through the Engaddi Desert. The kings urged the Holy Family to leave with them, saying that a great danger threatened them, and they begged Mary to at least hide with little Jesus so that they would not suffer persecution because of themselves. They cried like children: hugging José, they said very moving words. Mounting their lightly loaded horses, they rode away across the desert, I saw the angel beside them leading the way, and they soon disappeared from sight. They followed separated from each other, as much as a quarter of a league; then towards the East, for the space of a league, and finally they headed towards Noon. I saw that they passed through a region that Jesus later passed through on his return from Egypt in the third year of his preaching.
The angel's warning to the Kings had arrived in time, as the authorities of Bethlehem received the order to arrest them that same day, under the pretext that they were disturbing public order, to lock them up in the deep dungeons that existed beneath the synagogue and then accuse them before King Herod. I don't know if they acted like this under Herod's secret order or if they did it out of excess of their own zeal. When the escape of the Kings was discovered that morning from the peaceful and solitary valley where they had camped, the travelers were already close to the Engaddi desert. All that remained in the valley were the tracks of animal footprints and some stakes that had been used to erect the tents. The appearance of the Kings made a great impression in Bethlehem and many regretted not having hosted Joseph. Others spoke of the Kings as adventurers who let themselves be carried away by strange imaginations.
There were those who believed, instead, to find in them some relationship with the shepherds' reports about the appearance of the Angels. All of these things determined the authorities in Bethlehem, perhaps at the instigation of Herod, to act. I saw all the inhabitants of the city gathered by a convocation in the center of a city square, where there was a well surrounded by trees in front of a large house, which was ascended by steps. Precisely from these steps a kind of proclamation was read, decrying against superstitious things and prohibiting going to the homes of people who spread similar rumors. When the crowd left, I saw Joseph go to that house where he had been called, and I saw that he was questioned by some Jewish elders. I saw him return to the manger and return to the Court of Elders. The second time, he carried some of the gold that the kings had given him, and gave it to these men, who left him alone. That's why it seemed to me that all this interrogation had no other objective than to extract a handful of gold from him.
The authorities placed a tree trunk across it to obstruct the path that led to the outskirts of the manger. This path did not leave the city, but began in the square where the Virgin had stopped under the great tree, saving a wall. They left a sentry in a hut next to the tree and placed some wires across the path, which made a bell ring in that hut, which allowed them to detect anyone trying to pass by. In the afternoon, I saw a group of sixteen of Herod's soldiers talking to Joseph. They had been sent there because of the Three Kings as if they were disturbing public tranquility. They found nothing but silence and peace everywhere, and in the cave they saw nothing but a poor family. As they were ordered not to do anything that would attract attention, they returned as they had come, reporting what they had seen. José had already taken the Kings' gifts and other things that they had left before his departure, storing them in the Maranha cave and in other caves hidden on the Nativity Hill. The caves had existed since the times of the patriarch Jacob. At a time when there were only a few huts in what is now Bethlehem Square, Jacob had erected his tent on Manger Hill.
LXVII Visit of Zechariah
The Holy Family is transferred to Mahara's tomb
That night I saw Zechariah of Hebron who was going for the first time: the visit to the Holy Family.
Mary was in the cave, and Zechariah, crying tears of joy, took the boy in his arms, and repeated, changing a few phrases, the song of praise that he had said at the time of the circumcision of John the Baptist.
Later Zechariah returned home, and Ana stayed next to the Holy Family with her eldest daughter. Maria de Heli who was taller than her mother and looked older than her.
There was great joy among the relatives of the Holy Family, and Ana felt very happy. Maria often placed the Child in her arms and left him in her care. With no other person have I seen her do this. One thing really moved me: Baby Jesus' hair, blond and forming loops, had beautiful rays of light at its ends. I think they curled his hair, because I saw that they rubbed his head when washing it, putting a small coat over his body. I saw in the Holy Family a pious and tender veneration in dealing with the Child; but they did everything simply and naturally, as happens among the saints and elect of God. The boy showed such affection and tenderness towards his mother as I have never seen in other young children.
Maria told her mother Ana everything that happened with the visit of the Kings, Anne was very happy to see how these men had been called from so far away to meet the Child of Promise. She observed the gifts of the kings, hidden in an open excavation in the wall, and helped to distribute a large part of them and to put the others in order. Everything was peaceful on the outskirts of Bethlehem, because the paths that led to the cave and that did not pass through the city gate were blocked by the authorities, and Joseph no longer went to Bethlehem to do his shopping because the shepherds brought him everything he needed. The relative to whose house Ana went and who was in the tribe of Benjamin, was called Mará, daughter of Rhod, sister of Saint Elizabeth. He was poor and had several children, who later became disciples of Jesus. One of them was Nathanael", the groom at the wedding at Cana. This Mará was present in Ephesus at the time of Mary's death.
Ana was at that moment alone with Maria in the side cave working together weaving a common quilt. The manger cave was completely empty. Joseph's donkey was hidden behind bushes. Today some of Herod's agents returned and asked Bethlehem for news about a newborn boy. They especially peppered a Jewish woman with questions who had recently given birth to a boy. They didn't go to the cave because before they had found nothing there other than a poor family: they were far from thinking that it could be the child of that family. Two old men, one of the shepherds who had adored the Baby Jesus, told Joseph the story of these investigations. The Holy Family and Ana took refuge in the cave of Maraha's tomb. There was nothing left in the Nativity Cave that could suggest that it had been inhabited: it looked like an abandoned place. I saw them at night walking through the valley with a veiled light: Ana was carrying the boy and Maria and José walked beside her. The shepherds led them carrying the quilts and everything the women and children needed.
I had a vision, which I don't know if the Sagrada Familia also had. I saw a glory formed by seven angels' faces placed one above the other around the Baby Jesus. Other faces and other luminous shapes appeared, next to Ana and José, who seemed to be taking them by the arm. Entering the vestibule, they closed the door and, arriving at the tomb cave, they made preparations for rest.
I saw two shepherds who warned Maria of the arrival of people sent by the authorities to take reports about her son. Maria felt great uneasiness. Suddenly, I saw Joseph come in, take the boy in his arms and wrap him in a cloak to carry him. I no longer remember where he went with him, so I saw Maria, alone, for a whole half day, in the cave, full of maternal restlessness, without the child in her presence. When the time came when she was called upon to nurse the child, she did what caring mothers who have suffered some violent tumult do, or had a shock of terror.
Before breastfeeding the child, she squeezed the milk that could have been altered from her breast, into a small cavity in the white stone of the cave. Maria spoke of this concern to one of the shepherds, a pious and serious man who had come to pick her up to take her with the boy. This man, deeply convinced of the sanctity of the Redeemer's mother, carefully took that milk from the cavity of the stone, and full of sincere and simple faith, took it to his wife, who had a nursing child that he could neither calm nor silence. That good woman took this food with confidence and respect, and her faith was rewarded, as from then on she found herself with good and abundant milk for her son. After that, the white stone of the cave received a similar virtue: I saw that even today infidels and Mohammedans use it as a medicine in this and other cases
analogues". Since then that earth mixed with water and compressed 17%
in small molds it is distributed throughout Christendom as an object of devotion and this type of relic is called "milk of the Holy Virgin".
LXVIII Preparation for departure from the Holy Family
In recent days and today I saw José making preparations for the next departure of the Sagrada Família. Every day the furniture and utensils were reduced. To the shepherds he gave the movable partitions, bushes and other objects with which he had made the cave more habitable. In the afternoon, many people who were going to Bethlehem for the Sabbath festival passed by the manger grotto, but found it abandoned and continued on their way. Ana was supposed to return to Nazaré after Saturday. I saw that they were arranging, wrapping packages and carrying on two donkeys the objects received from the Kings, especially the carpets, quilts and various similar items. This night they celebrated Saturday's festival in the Maraha cave, continuing it during the 29th, while great calm reigned in the surrounding area. Once Saturday's party is over, they prepare for Ana's departure.
This night I saw for the second time that Mary left the cave of Maraha and took the boy to the cave of the nativity scene in the middle of the darkness of the night. She placed him on a rug in the place where he was born and prayed on her knees beside the Child. The entire cave was filled with heavenly light, as on the day of birth. I think Maria must have seen all this light. On Sunday the 30th, in the morning, Ana tenderly said goodbye to the Holy Family and the three shepherds, and headed with her people to Nazareth. They carried on their pack animals everything that was left of the Kings' gifts and I was very surprised that they were carrying a little bundle that belonged to me. I had the impression that it was inside her luggage and I couldn't understand how Ana could take something that was mine. Anne took many gifts from the Three Kings, especially certain fabrics. Some of them served in the early Church and some of these things have come down to us. Among my relics is a small piece of quilt that covered the little table where the Kings' gifts were placed, and another was from one of their cloaks. I myself must have a piece of genre that comes from the Magi. They had several cloaks: a thick one made of thick fabric for bad weather; another yellow, and a third, red, with a beautiful, very fine wool. In large ceremonies they wore undyed silk cloaks: the edges were embroidered in gold and the long train was carried by the men of the entourage. I believe that there was a piece of those cloaks close to me, and for this reason I was able to see with the Kings, before and again this evening, some scenes relating to the production and fabric of silk. In a region of the East, between the Countries of Teokeno and Sair, there were trees covered with silkworms.
Around each tree they had dug a small pit, so that these worms could not get out, and I saw that they often placed some leaves under those trees. Small boxes were suspended from the branches, from which rounded objects longer than a finger were taken. I thought they were bird eggs of some rare species; but I soon understood that they were cocoons spun by these worms when I saw how people unraveled them and pulled very thin threads. They held a large quantity of them against their chests and twirled them around with a beautiful thread which they wound around something they had in their hand. They wove among the trees and their loom was very simple. The piece was the same width as the sheet I have on the bed.
LXIX Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
On the day that the Virgin was to present her firstborn in the Temple and redeem him as prescribed by law, preparations were made so that the Holy Family could go to the Temple and from there return to Nazareth. On Sunday, the 30th, the shepherds had taken what Ana had left. The Nativity scene, the side cave and the Maraha cave were completely empty and clean. José had left them in the condition in which he found them. I saw Mary and Joseph with the boy visiting the cave for the last time and saying goodbye to the place. They spread the portfolio of the Kings in the place where Jesus was born, placed the boy there and prayed. From there, they went to the circumcision site and also stopped there praying. At dawn I saw the Virgin sit on the donkey that the shepherds left saddled in front of the cave. Joseph held the boy while Mary got comfortable, and then gave him to her. The Virgin was sitting so that her feet, slightly raised, rested on a board. She carried the boy against her chest, wrapped in her large cloak, as she gazed at him full of happiness. On the donkey there were only two quilts and two small bundles, among which was Mary. The shepherds said goodbye with great emotion, accompanying them for a section. They did not take the same route as they had come, but they crossed between the cave of the Nativity scene and that of the tomb of Bethlehem in the East, so that no one noticed them. Today I saw them follow the path slowly, covering the very short distance from Bethlehem to Jerusalem . They spent a lot of time because they stopped frequently. At noon, I saw them stand on some seats around a covered well, while two women approached Mary and brought two small jars of water mixed with balm and bread rolls. The offering that Mary would offer in the temple was in a basket hanging on one side of the donkey. This basket had three compartments: two of them, covered, contained fruit; the third was an open cage with two pigeons. At dawn, I saw them entering the small house of two elderly couples, who received them with great affection: they were a quarter of a league from Jerusalem. They were Essenes, relatives of Juana Chusa. The husband was busy working in the garden, pruning fences, and was in charge of part of the path. They spent the whole day at the old people's house. Maria spent almost the entire day alone with the boy in a room; she had it next to her on a rug. Mary was always in prayer and seemed to be preparing herself for the ceremony that would take place very soon. At that time, I had an inner warning about how to prepare for communion. I saw several angels who adored Baby Jesus appear in the room. I couldn't say whether Maria saw them, although I think she did, because she was very excited; Furthermore, the owners of the house paid all kinds of attention to Mary, sensing something extraordinary in the Baby Jesus. At seven in the afternoon I saw Elder Simeon. He was a thin man, very old and with a short beard. This priest had a wife and three children, the youngest of whom was twenty years old. He lived next to the temple, and I saw him heading down a narrow, dark corridor to a vaulted cell, open to the thick walls. I saw nothing more than an opening through which he looked inside. The old man was kneeling in his prayer as if in ecstasy. An angel appeared to him and told him to pay attention to the first boy he presented the next morning in the temple, as this boy was the longed-for Messiah that he had so longed to behold. He warned him that he would die after seeing the Messiah. The event was admirable. The cell was flooded with light and old Simeon was full of contentment. When he returned home, he told his wife what had happened to him, and when she went to rest, I saw the old man again in prayer. When I saw the pious Israelites of that time praying and the priests, I never saw them do the ridiculous contortions that the Jews do today; Instead, I saw them sometimes give in to discipline. I saw that the prophetess Anna also had a vision while she was praying in her cell in the temple, regarding the presentation of the Baby Jesus. This morning, before dawn, I saw the Holy Family in the company of the owners of the house, who were leaving the hostel to head to the temple in Jerusalem with the basket containing the offerings that were to be presented. They first entered a courtyard near the temple, surrounded by walls, and while Joseph and the owner of the house placed the donkey under a shed, the Virgin was received very fraternally by an old woman who took her further into a covered corridor. They used a flashlight as it wasn't light yet. From the entrance, in that passage, the elder Simeon went out to meet Mary. He said a few words of joy, took the boy in his arms, pressed him to his heart and hurriedly headed towards the temple. He had such a strong desire to see the boy, from what the angel had said, that he wanted to wait for the women to arrive so he could see more quickly what he had longed for so long. Simeon wore long robes, as priests used to when they were not on duty. I saw him frequently in the temple and always as a priest, but without occupying a very high position in the hierarchy. He stood out for his piety, simplicity and wisdom.
LXX Presentation of Mary in the Temple
The Virgin was taken by the woman who served as her guide to the vestibule of the temple, where purification took place. She was received there by Hannah and Naomi, her former teacher, who lived in that part of the temple. Simeon went to meet Mary again and led her to the place where the firstborn children were rescued. Hannah, to whom Joseph gave the basket with the offerings, followed her with Naomi. Joseph went to another door, where the men were to enter. The basket contained fruit at the top and pigeons at the bottom. It was already known in the temple that several women had to present themselves with their '; firstborn and everything was prepared for the ceremony, which was held in a place as spacious as Dilmen Cathedral. There were a series of lamps lit; against the walls, which formed like a pyramid of lights. The flame came out of the end of a curved reed ending in a golden pickaxe, which shone as bright as the flame and which carried a small shock absorber attached to it by a spring. When it was lifted from behind, the flame went out without emitting smoke or smell, and to light it, it was enough to lower it. In front of a kind of altar, at one end of which there was something resembling horns, several priests had carried a quadrangular chest, somewhat elongated, which formed the support of a very large table on which there was a large plaque. On this table they placed a red and a white, transparent quilt, which hung down to the floor around the table. At the four ends of the table were multi-armed lamps and in the center two oval fountains and two baskets surrounding a long cradle. All these objects were removed from the trunk compartments. Then they also took off priestly clothes, placing them on the fixed altar. The table for receiving offerings was surrounded by a fence. On both sides of this temple room there were rows of seats, some higher than others, where several priests were praying. Simeon approached Mary, who had the boy wrapped in a sky blue cloth; and he led her through the railing to the offering table, where Mary placed the Child in the cradle. From that moment on I saw the temple filled with light of indescribable brilliance. I saw that God was there, and above the Baby Jesus, I saw the heavens open up to the throne of the Holy Trinity.
Simeon took Mary again to the place where the women were behind the fence. Mary had a sky blue dress and white veil, and was wrapped in a wide yellowish cloak. Simeon then approached the fixed altar, where the priestly vestments were located, and dressed himself with three other priests for the ceremony. On their arms, they wore something like a small roundel and on their heads a kind of miter. One of these priests stood behind the offering table, the other in front and the rest stood on the sides reciting prayers in front of the child. The prophetess Anna then approached Mary, presented her with the basket of offerings and took her to the railing, in front of the sacrificial table. She stood there, and Simeon, who was at the table, opened the grate, brought Mary to the table and placed her offerings there. They placed fruit in one of the oval fountains and coins in the other, while the pigeons remained in the basket. While Simeon was with Mary before the altar of offerings, the priest, behind the altar, took the Baby Jesus, lifted him into the air, presented him to different sides of the temple and prayed for a long time. Then he handed the boy over to the elder Simeon, who placed him in Mary's arms, reading certain prayers from a scroll placed beside him on a pulpit. Simeon led Mary again to the balustrade, from where she was taken by Anne, who was waiting for her, at the place where women were commonly found. There were about twenty of them there, who had competed to present their firstborns. José and the other men were further away, in the designated place. The priests who were before the altar began a service with censers and prayers, and those who were seated took part, making gestures, although not exaggerated, as Jews do today.
After this ceremony, Simeon approached Mary, received the boy in his arms and, full of enthusiasm, spoke about him for a long time in extremely expressive terms. He thanked God for fulfilling His promise and, among other things, said: "Now, Lord, you can let your servant die in peace, according to your promise, because my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the face of of all peoples as a light that will shine on the nations and the glory of your people Israel." Joseph had approached after the presentation, and listened, like Mary, with great respect, to the inspired words of Simeon, who, blessing them both, said to Mary: "Behold, this man is set for fall and for the revolt of many in Israel, and as a sign of contradiction. A sword will pierce your soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." At the end of her Simeon speech, the prophetess Anna felt inspired and spoke for a long time about the Baby Jesus, giving his mother the name Ben- I saw that everyone present listened to this with devotion, without any disturbance resulting. It seemed to me that the priests also heard these things, it seemed that this way of praying out loud was not an unusual thing; things and that it was natural for them to happen in the temple. Everyone present showed great respect to the child and to his mother Mary shone like a rose from Paradise.
Apparently, the Holy Family had presented the poorest of the offerings, but Joseph secretly gave the elder Simeon and the prophetess Anna many small yellow triangular coins, with the intention of especially favoring the poor virgins who were educated in the temple and who had no money. means to pay for maintenance. I immediately saw that the virgin was taken with her child by Hannah and Naomi to the court from where they had brought her, and there they said goodbye. José was already there with the owners of the house where they were staying. As they had brought the donkey, Mary mounted it, with the boy in her arms, and leaving the temple they headed towards Nazareth, crossing Jerusalem. I couldn't see the other children's presentation ceremony on this day; but I had the impression that they all received graces and that many were those innocent boys who were beheaded by order of Herod. The entire presentation ceremony must have ended around nine in the morning, because at that time I saw the Holy Family departing from Jerusalem.
That day they arrived at Beth Horom and spent the night in the house that had been Mary's last refuge when she was taken to the temple thirteen years earlier. It seemed to me that the house was lived in by a school teacher.
Some people, sent by Ana, were waiting to accompany them. Returning to Nazareth, they followed a more direct route than they had taken to go to Bethlehem, because at that time they avoided the villages and only entered isolated houses that they found. The donkey, who had shown them the way when they went to Bethlehem, had stayed in the house of one of José's relatives, because he was thinking of returning to Bethlehem and building a house there in the Valley of the Shepherds. He had discussed this with them and told them that he was returning to Nazareth just so that Mary could spend some time at her mother's house to recover from the discomfort she suffered in the bad accommodation in Bethlehem. She had therefore left many things in the hands of the shepherds, for the intention I had of returning. José carried some very rare coins that he had received from the Magi: in a kind of inner pocket of his clothes, he had certain quantities of yellow metal sheets, very thin, shiny and folded one over the other, in a square shape, with rounded ends that they had something engraved on them. Instead, I saw that the coins Judas received in payment for his betrayal were in the form of tongues.
During these days I was again able to see the kings gathered beyond a river where they stopped for the entire day dedicated to the celebration of one of their festivals. There was a large house there, surrounded by smaller houses. At first they traveled very quickly, but since they stopped at that place their progress was slower. I saw a shining young man who was at the front of the procession and who sometimes spoke to them.
LXXI Death of Simeon
Old Simeon had three sons, the oldest about forty years old and the youngest about twenty years old, and all three were employed in the temple.
Later they became faithful, albeit secret, friends of Jesus and his disciples and later they were friends too, I don't remember whether before Christ's death or after his ascension to heaven. It was one of them who at the Last Supper prepared the Paschal Lamb for Jesus and the apostles. In the early days of persecution, after the Ascension, they did great services for Jesus' friends. I don't remember now whether all these men were Simeon's sons or grandsons. Simeon was related to Seraphia (later Veronica) and also to Zechariah, through Veronica's father. This elderly man, after having prophesied at the presentation of Jesus in the temple, upon returning to his home he fell ill almost immediately, and despite his illness, he expressed joy in conversations with his wife and children. This night I saw that it was today that I should die, and I only remember the following. From his deathbed, Simeon spoke moving words to his wife and children, telling them of the salvation that had come to Israel, of what the angel had announced, all in enthusiastic, eloquent and joyful terms. After that, I watched him die peacefully. The family wept in silence, and around him I saw many priests and Jews praying. His body was taken to another room. There they placed him on a board with holes in it and washed him under a quilt with sponges, so that they could not see him naked. Water ran through the holes in the board to a copper fountain below. Then they placed large green leaves on the body, around it beautiful bouquets of herbs and shrouded it in a large canvas, then wrapped it with a fabric in the form of a long strip, as a child would do. His body was so rigid and inflexible that it seemed tied to the board. That same night, He was buried. It was carried by six men, carrying lights. The body was placed on a board shaped like the body and with a slightly raised edge on all four sides. Thus wrapped and uncovered, they placed the body on the board. I saw that those carrying him and those accompanying him were going faster than is usually the case these days. They buried him in a tomb on a hill not far from the temple. The vault had the shape of a hill on the outside, where an oblique door had been placed on the outside, with masonry work on the inside, done in a particular way that reminded me of the type of work that St. Benedict when he built his first monastery. The walls were adorned with flowers and stars with stones of different colors, just like the Virgin's cell in the temple. The small vault where they placed Simeon had just enough space to circulate around the corpse. They had other customs at burials, such as leaving coins, pebbles and I believe also food, although I no longer remember these things well.
LXXII Vision of Mary's purification
The feast of Candlemas or purification was shown to me in a large picture that is now difficult for me to explain. I saw this celebration in a diaphanous church suspended above the earth, which represented the Catholic Church in general, and which I saw when I should contemplate not a particular church, but the Church as such. It was full of angels, who surrounded the Holy Trinity. Just as I should have seen the Second Person of the Trinity in the Baby Jesus presented and rescued in the temple, despite being present in the Holy Trinity, so it seemed to me that the Baby Jesus was next to me and comforted me in my pains while I saw the august Trinity.
The Incarnate Word was then close to me, and it seemed that the Baby Jesus was united to the Holy Trinity through a luminous path. He didn't stop being there, even though he was by my side, and he didn't stop being by my side, even though he was in Trindade. The moment I strongly felt the presence of the Baby Jesus at my side, I saw the figure of the Holy Trinity in a different way than when it was presented to me only as an image of divinity.
Then an altar appeared in the middle of the church: it was not a specific altar from one of our churches, but a general and symbolic altar. On it there was a small tree with large leaves hanging, as I had seen it was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Paradise, then I saw the Holy Virgin with the Baby Jesus in her arms as if emerging from the earth, before the altar, while the tree that was on it, bowed down before it and immediately dried up. Then I saw that an angel in priestly robes, with a luminous headband on his head, approached Mary. She gave him the Child and the angel placed him on the altar, and at the same moment I saw the child in the picture of the Holy Trinity, which I contemplated this time in its common form. I saw that the angel gave Mary a small globe, on which there was a figure like a swaddled child and Mary, after having received it, remained suspended in the air over the altar. Arms carrying torches came out from all sides and headed towards her, and Maria presented them to the boy, on the globe, which they immediately entered. The torches formed, above the boy and Mary, a radiance of light that illuminated the entire picture. Mary spread a wide mantle over the entire earth. Then everything changed and turned into another scene, which looked like a party.
I believe that the death of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil at the moment of Mary's appearance and the absorption of the child offered on the altar within the framework of the Holy Trinity, should be images of the reconciliation of men with God. That's why I saw that the scattered lights presented to the mother of God and sent by her to the Baby Jesus became one light Jesus, who is the Light of the world that illuminates every man and the entire world, represented by that globe as by a imperial globe. The lights displayed indicated the Blessing of the Candelas, which is celebrated on the feast of Candlemas.
LXXIII The Holy Family arrives at the house of Saint Anne
This evening I saw that the Holy Family had arrived at Hannah's house, half a league from Nazareth, towards the Valley of Zebulun. A family party took place there, like the one celebrated when Mary left for the temple. Maria de Heli, Ana's eldest daughter, was present. They took off the donkey's load because they planned to stay for a while. Everyone received the Baby Jesus with joy, with a calm, inner joy: there was nothing passionate about all these people. Some elderly priests were present and there was a small party with a meal. Women ate separately from men.
On another occasion, I see the Holy Family again at Ana's house. Some women were present, including Maria Heli, Ana's eldest daughter, with her daughter Maria de Cléofas; I saw, moreover, another woman from the country of Santa Isabel, and that servant who had been with Mary in Bethlehem. This servant, after losing her husband, who had treated her badly, did not want to remarry and went to Juta, Isabel's house, where Maria met her when she went to visit her cousin. From there, the widow went to Ana's house.
Today I saw José busy, carrying many packages at Ana's house, and then going with Ana's maid to Nazareth, followed by two or three loaded donkeys.
In desperate cases I invoke Saint Anne, mother of Mary, and today, being in vision at her house, I saw in the garden many pears, plums and other fruits hanging from the trees, despite it not being fruit season, and the trees were without leaves. I picked some before leaving home and took the pears to sick people, who were cured immediately. I also gave fruits to other people known and unknown, who felt great relief from their sadness and illnesses. I believe that these fruits indicated favors obtained through the intercession of Saint Anne, and that they meant new sufferings of expiation for me. From experience, I know that this happened when I took fruit from the gardens of the saints: I repaid the favor I received with new pains in favor of souls.
In Palestine I now frequently saw mists and rain; sometimes a little snow that melts immediately. I also saw trees without leaves, but with some fruit. I saw several harvests in the year and one that corresponded to our spring season.
In winter I saw people completely covered, with cloaks over their heads.
This afternoon, I saw Mary with the boy, accompanied by her mother, who were going to Joseph's house in Nazareth. The road was pleasant. It was half a league away, between hills, gardens and vegetable gardens. Hannah sent food to Joseph and Mary to their home in Nazareth. How moving was everything I saw at the Sagrada Familia! Mary was like a mother and at the same time like the servant of the Baby Jesus and the servant of Joseph and Joseph was to Mary like the most devoted friend and the most humble servant. How moved I was to see Mary move and turn the Baby Jesus like a child who could not take care of himself!
Baby Jesus could have been a year old. I saw him playing around a balsam tree, at a time when his parents stopped during the trip; sometimes they made him walk a little. I saw the Virgin knitting little dresses with a needle or crochet. She had the skein of wool tied to her right hip and in her hands two bone sticks, if I'm not mistaken, with some hooks at the end. One of them could measure half a stick in length, the other was shorter. The Virgin worked standing or sitting, next to the boy, who was lying in a small basket. I saw José work braiding different objects and making dividers and boards for the rooms with long strips of yellow, brown and green bark. He had a supply of similar objects stacked together in a shed adjacent to the house. He inspired me with compassion, thinking that soon he would have to leave everything and flee to Egypt. Santa Ana came frequently, almost every day, from his house, which was only half a league away.
LXXIV Herod's agitation in Jerusalem
I saw what was happening in Jerusalem, and how Herod sent for many people like when they recruited soldiers in our land. The soldiers were given suits and weapons in a large courtyard where they gathered. On their arm they had a crescent (a roundel). They had venablo and short and broad sabers, like blades, and helmets on their heads; many of them tied their legs with ribbons. All of this was related to the killing of innocent children, because Herod was extremely agitated. Today I saw him again in great agitation, as when the Magi came to ask him about the newborn King of the Jews. He was consulting old scribes and doctors, who were carrying long rolls of parchment fixed on two pieces of wood, and were reading something there. I saw that the soldiers dressed and equipped the day before were sent in various directions, to the outskirts of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. I believe it was to occupy those places where later mothers would have to go with their children to Jerusalem, without suspecting that they would be beheaded there. the children. Herod wanted to prevent his cruelty from causing an uprising. Today I saw the soldiers arrive at three different places when they left Jerusalem: they went to Hebron, to Bethlehem and to a third place that is between the two towards the Dead Sea, the name of which I do not remember. The inhabitants of these places, not knowing the reason for the arrival of the soldiers, became restless and frightened. As Herod was cunning, his bad ideas were not transposed and he secretly sought Jesus. The soldiers stationed in these places remained there for some time with the purpose of not letting the newborn boy in Bethlehem escape. Herod killed all creatures under two years of age.
LXXV The Holy Family in Nazareth
Today I saw Ana going with her maid from her house to Nazaré. The maid carried a package hanging next to her, a basket on her head and another in her hand. These baskets were round and one of them was open to the sky, because there were birds inside. They took food to Maria, who didn't have a kitchen set up, because she received everything from Ana's house.
This afternoon I saw Ana again and her eldest daughter, Maria de Heli, who had with her a very robust boy of four or five years old: he was already a grandson, son of her daughter Maria de Cléofas. José was absent, at Ana's house.
I thought to myself: women are always the same way. I saw them sitting together, talking familiarly, playing with the Baby Jesus, kissing and caressing him and placing him in the arms of Maria Cleopas' boy: everything happened as it happens in our days in the same cases. Maria de Heli lived in a village about three leagues from Nazaré, towards the East, and her house was also arranged almost like Ana's, with a courtyard surrounded by walls and a pump well, from which a jet of water came out when If you put your foot on a certain place, the water would fall into a stone fountain.
Her husband was called Cléopas and her daughter, married to Alpheus, lived at the other end of the village. At night, I saw women in prayer. They were in front of a small table against the wall and covered with a red and white rug. Maria was in front of Ana and her sister was next to her. Sometimes they crossed their hands over their chests, brought them together and then extended them. And Maria read from a scroll in front of her. Her prayers reminded me of the psalmody of a conventual choir, due to the tone and rhythm with which they proceeded.
LXXVI The angel appears to Joseph and tells him to flee to Egypt
I saw them leave Nazareth. Yesterday Joseph had returned early from Nazareth and Hannah and her daughter were still in Nazareth with Mary, they had already gone to rest when the angel appeared to Joseph. Mary and the boy were resting to the right of the home; Ana on the left; Maria de Heli between her mother's room and José's. These several rooms were separated by partitions made of braided tree branches and covered at the top with acacia of the same class. Maria's bed was separated from the others by a partition. Baby Jesus slept at Mary's feet on rugs on the floor. When she got up, she could easily carry him in her arms.
I saw Joseph resting in his room, lying on his side, with his head on his arm, when a bright young man approached his bed and spoke to him. Joseph got up; but, as he was overwhelmed with sleep, he fell again. The angel took him by the hand and lifted him until Joseph came to his senses and stood up. The angel disappeared. Joseph lit his own lamp from another that hung before the fireplace in the middle of the house; so he knocked on the entrance where Maria was and asked if she would receive him.
I saw him enter and speak to Maria, who did not open the curtain in front of him. Then José entered a block where the donkey was kept and went to a room where there were various objects and arranged everything for his immediate departure.
When Joseph left Mary, she got up and dressed for the journey. She went to see her holy mother and informed her of the Angel's order to leave. Ana stood up, as did Maria de Heli with her grandson. The Baby Jesus was left still resting. For those holy people, God's will was first. They were very worried and distressed, but they did not let themselves be carried away by sadness and prepared what they needed for the trip. Mary took almost nothing of what they had brought from Bethlehem. They made a regular-sized package with the things Joseph had laid out and added some quilts. All of this was done calmly and very quickly, like when someone wakes up to escape secretly. Maria picked up the boy and she was in such a hurry that I didn't see her change diapers.
The time to leave had arrived and it was not possible to say how much Ana and her eldest daughter's distress was: they pressed the Baby Jesus to their chest, crying, and the boy kissed Jesus too. Ana kissed Maria several times, crying, as if she no longer saw her, while Maria de Heli lay on the floor shedding abundant tears. It wasn't yet midnight when they left the house, and Ana and Maria Heli accompanied the travelers for a section of the road. José walked behind with the donkey and, although they were heading towards Ana's house, they left her aside to the right. Mary carried the Baby Jesus tied with a sash that rested on her shoulders. She had a long cloak that surrounded her and the boy and a large square veil that only covered the back of her head and fell on both sides of her face.
They had advanced a little on the walk when José caught up with them with the donkey, loaded with a skin full of water and a basket full of objects, such as bread rolls, live birds and a song. The travelers' poor luggage, along with some quilts, was packed around the seat, placed across it with a splint to rest the feet. Again they kissed again, crying, and Anne blessed Mary, who mounted the donkey that was leading Joseph, and they continued on their way.
Early in the morning I saw Maria de Heli, who was going with her little boy to Ana's house; Then she sent her father-in-law with a servant to Nazareth, and returned to her own house. Hannah was packing and arranging everything that had been left in Joseph's house. In the morning, two men came from Hannah's house: one of them was wearing nothing more than a sheepskin, with rough sandals tied by straps around his legs; the other wore long clothes.
They helped put order in José's house, packing the things that had to be taken home to Ana.
Meanwhile, I saw the Holy Family, on the night of their departure, resting in various places and in the morning in a shed. In the afternoon, unable to go any further, they entered a place called Nazara, in a house separate from the others, because they were treated with a certain amount of contempt by the owners of these.
They were not Jews: there was something pagan in their religion, because they went to worship Mount Gerizim, near Samaria, along a steep and mountainous path. They were forced into heavy tasks and worked as slaves in the temple and other public works. These people received the Holy Family with great kindness. They stayed there the next day. Upon returning from Egypt, the Holy Family visited these good people, and also later, when Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the temple, and when they returned to Nazareth this whole family was baptized by Saint John and joined Jesus' disciples .
The village of Nazara was not far from another city placed on a height, the name of which I do not remember, for I have heard the name of several cities in the vicinity, such as Legio, Massoloth, and among them was Nazara, if I remember correctly.
LXXVII Rest under Abraham's terebinth
Yesterday, Saturday, after the party, The Holy Family left Nazara overnight. I saw her all Sunday and the following night, hiding near that big tree under which they had been when they went to Bethlehem and where Mary had suffered so much from the cold. This tree was Abraham's terebinth, near the grove of Moreh, not far from Shechem, Yhenath, Silch and Anima. Herod's intentions were known in that country and therefore they did not feel safe. Near this tree was where Jacob buried the idols stolen from Laban, and next to this terebinth Joshua gathered the people and the tabernacle where the Ark of the Covenant was located was erected and he demanded the people renounce the idols. There he was hailed as king by the Shechemites, Abimelech son of Gideon. This morning I saw the Holy Family resting, very early, next to a fountain, under balsam bushes, in a fertile region. The Baby Jesus had his bare feet on Mary's knees. The bushes were covered with red berries: on some branches there were incisions, from which liquid came out and was collected in small containers. I was amazed that they weren't stolen. Joseph filled his little corner with the liquor that flowed and they ate what they had brought, bread and berries gathered from the neighboring bushes, while the donkey grazed and drank next to them. To the left, we could see, in the distance, the height where Jerusalem was located. It was a moving picture to see her from this place.
LXXVIII Saint Elizabeth flees to the desert with the boy John
Zacharias and Elizabeth knew the danger that threatened the children, because I believe that the Holy Family sent them a message of trust. I saw Elizabeth taking the child John to a place far away in the desert, about two leagues from Hebron. Zechariah accompanied them to a place where they crossed a stream, passing over an extended beam. There he separated from them and went to Nazareth along the route that Mary had taken when she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth. I think she was going to ask Santa Ana for more information. There, in Nazareth, several friends of the Holy Family were very sad about her departure. I saw that John, in the desert, had nothing but a lamb's skin on his body, and at eighteen months he could already run and jump. He had in his hand a small white stick, with which he played as children played. The desert was not an immense sandy and barren expanse, but a solitude with many rocks, ravines and caves, where various bushes with berries and wild fruits grew. Elizabeth took the boy John to a cave where Mary Magdalene later lived after the Savior's death. I don't know how long Elizabeth was hiding there with the boy: she probably stayed the whole time until she could no longer fear Herod's persecution. She returned with her son to Juta, but fled again when Herod summoned mothers who had children under two years of age, which occurred a year later. I cannot count the days, but I will recount the scenes of the escape as I remember seeing them.
LXXIX The Holy Family stops in a cave and sees the boy John
When the Holy Family passed some part of the Mount of Olives, I saw them fleeing towards Bethlehem, towards Hebron. About two leagues from the forest of Mambré I saw them take refuge in a large cave, opened in a wild gorge, above which was a place similar to the name of Ephraim. It seemed to me that it was the sixth time they had stopped on the way. They arrived full of fatigue and sadness. Maria was very distressed and cried. They suffered all kinds of hardships, as they had to take remote paths and avoid villages and public inns. They rested all day. Some miraculous events occurred there to alleviate their misery. A fountain sprang up in the cave, through Mary's prayer, and a wild goat approached them and allowed itself to be milked. Finally an angel appeared to them, who consoled and encouraged them. In this cave, a prophet prayed frequently and Samuel stopped a few times. David guarded his father's flocks in the neighborhood, and right there, while praying, he received from an angel the order and the mission to fight against Goliath27.
After leaving the cave, they walked seven leagues towards Noon, leaving the Dead Sea on their left, and about two leagues beyond Hebron they entered the desert where little John was at the time, passing within an arrow shot of the cave. where refugees were. I saw them advancing in the middle of a sandy desert, very languid and tired. The water container and balsam redfish were empty; Mary was thirsty and sad, and the boy was thirsty too. They stopped off the path in a ditch where there were bushes and some dry grass. Mary got off the donkey, sat on the ground and placed the boy in front of her. He was sad and prayed. As Mary, like Hagar in the desert, asked the boy for some water, my eyes saw a moving scene. The cave where Isabel had hidden the boy João was a short distance away, in the middle of some high rocks. I could see the boy John wandering among the weeds and rocks. He seemed to me full of restlessness and as if he was waiting for something; I couldn't see his mother.
The sight of that boy running safely through that deserted place produced a vivid impression. Just as he had trembled in his mother's womb, as if wanting to meet his Lord, this time he found himself in agony at the proximity of his Redeemer, who was thirsty. He had a lambskin on his shoulders, tied around his waist, and in his hand a staff, on the high end of which a bark flag floated. He felt that Jesus was passing by and that he was thirsty. He knelt down and cried out to God with his arms outstretched. Then he stood up quickly and ran, driven by the Spirit, to the side of the Rock, and struck the ground with his stick, immediately gushing forth abundant water. João ran to the place where the water fell, and stopped there, and saw the Holy Family passing by in the distance. Mary lifted the boy in her arms and, pointing to the place, said: "Look at John in the desert." I saw John tremble with joy at the falling water; he made a signal with his flag, and soon fled to his solitude. The stream, after some time, reached the path that the travelers followed. I saw them passing by and stopping beside some bushes in a comfortable place where there was some grass, although dry. Maria got off with the riding boy and sat down on the lawn. Everyone was full of joy. Joseph dug a small pit, which was soon filled with water, and when it was clean everyone drank. Maria bathed the boy and then they washed his hands, face and feet; Joseph brought the donkey and gave it a drink, and finally filled its container with water. They were filled with joy and gratitude. The dry grass turned green with water; the sun was bright, and everyone found themselves revived, although silent. They stopped there for two or three hours.
A short distance from a city on the edge of the desert, two leagues or so from the Dead Sea, was where the Holy Family last stopped in Herod's domain. The name of the city was like Anam, Anem or Anim." They asked to enter an isolated house, which was an inn for people crossing the desert. Against a height there were some huts and sheds, and in the surroundings there were many wild fruits. It seemed to me that the inhabitants were camel drivers, because I saw several camels grazing surrounded by fences. They were people with wild habits, dedicated, it seemed to me, to plunder; however, they welcomed the Holy Family and gave them hospitality. disorderly, who had fled after a war. Among the people at the inn was a young man of about twenty years old, named Ruben.
On a starry night today I saw the Sagrada Familia crossing a sandy terrain, covered with undergrowth. It seemed to me that I was traveling with them through the desert. The place was dangerous due to the number of snakes hidden in the bush and curled up among the leaf litter. They approached, whistling and raising their heads towards the Sagrada Familia, which passed peacefully, surrounded by light.
I saw other vermin, with short legs, and one species, with featherless wings, like great fins, and a long, blackish body. They passed quickly as if they were flying; the head looked like a fish. (Maybe flying lizards). The Holy Family arrived at an excavated path, which was a deep excavation of the land and they wanted to rest there among the mulberry trees. I was afraid of them, because the place was horrible, and I wanted to make them a wall of intertwined briers; but a horrible beast appeared to me, it looked like a bear, and I felt filled with terrible anxiety. Suddenly an old friend of mine appeared, a priest, who had recently died, and now presented himself as a beautiful young man. He grabbed the beast by the back of the neck and pulled it away.
I asked him why he had come, as he would certainly be better off where he was, and he replied: "I wanted to help you; I won't stay long". He also told me that I would see him again.
LXXX In the abode of thieves
The Holy Family advanced about two leagues to the east along the main road; the last place where they arrived, between Judea and the desert, was called Mará. I thought about the place where Ana was born, but it wasn't here. The inhabitants were barbaric and inhospitable, and the Holy Family received no help. They later entered a large sandy desert, where there was no path or anything to indicate the direction they should take, and they did not know what to do. After they had walked a little, they ascended a range of gloomy mountains. They were sad again and began to pray on their knees, crying out to the Lord to help them. Several large wild animals gathered around him. It seemed to me at first that they were dangerous, but those animals were not bad; on the contrary, they looked at the travelers friendly, as I look at my confessor's old dog when he comes towards me. I understood that those animals were sent to show them the way. They looked at the mountain; they ran ahead; then they returned, like a dog does when it wants to guide its owner.
I saw the Holy Family follow them and, crossing these mountains, arrive at a sad and rugged region. Everything was dark and the travelers walked along a forest, where, off the path in front of the forest, there was a bad-looking cabin. At a short distance from it, a lamp was seen hanging from a tree, which could be distinguished from afar, designed to attract walkers. The path was difficult, cut into sections by ditches. There were holes around the hut, and along the way, hidden wires attached to bells placed in the hut. Thieves were thus warned of the presence of travelers, and went out to strip them.
This hut was not always in the same place: as its inhabitants moved it from one place to another, according to their needs. When the Holy Family arrived where the lantern was, they found themselves surrounded by the chief of the thieves and five of his companions. In the beginning they had bad intentions; But I saw that a luminous ray came from the Baby Jesus and, like an arrow, touched the heart of the leader of the band, who ordered his people not to do any harm to the travelers. Maria saw this luminous ray reach the heart of the chief, because around her she told the prophetess Ana. The thief took the Holy Family to the hut, where his wife and two children were. It was already night. The man told the woman the extraordinary impression that the vision of the boy made on him and the woman received the Holy Family with shyness, although with good will. The travelers sat on the floor in a corner of the house and ate some of what they were carrying. The owners of the house were at first shy and reserved, something unusual for them; but little by little they got closer. Other men sheltered Joseph's donkey under a shed. These people gradually became more animated and placed themselves around the Sagrada Familia and were talking. The woman offered Maria bread rolls with honey and fruit and brought water to drink. The fire was burning in an excavation made in a corner of the house.
The woman found a separate place for Maria and, at her request, filled a trough full of water to bathe the child, also washing his diapers which she put to dry by the fire. Mary bathed Baby Jesus under a sheet.
The thief was so moved that he said to his wife: "This Jewish boy is not an ordinary boy: he is a holy boy. Ask the mother to let us bathe our leprous son in the water where she washed her son. Maybe this will cure him of his illness". When the woman approached her, the Virgin told her, before she spoke, that she must bathe her leper boy in that water, and the woman brought a boy of about three years old in her arms. He was much eaten by leprosy, and his face was a scab. The water where Jesus had been bathed appeared clearer than before and when the boy was placed in the water the crusts came off and the boy found himself perfectly healed. The mother was beside herself with joy, and she wanted to kiss Mary and the Baby Jesus; But Maria didn't let herself be touched by her or the boy. Maria told him to dig a small cistern, throw the water into it, and that the healing virtue of the water would pass into the cistern. She talked a little with her, and she promised to leave that place at the first opportunity presented to her. The parents felt great joy at their Son's healing, and when others had gone during the night, they showed them the boy, telling them what happened. The newcomers, among whom were some young people, surrounded the Sagrada Familia, looking at it with great amazement. I found this attitude of the bandits even more strange when they were so respectful towards the Sagrada Familia, because I had seen them that same night rob several travelers attracted by the light and take them to a large cave that was further down, in the forest. This cave, with the entrance hidden by weeds, seemed to serve as a storehouse for them, because I saw there several stolen children aged seven or eight years old and an old woman who took care of everything she had stored. Inside I saw dresses, briefcases, meat, camels, sheep, large animals and prey of all kinds.
During the night I saw Maria resting a little, most of the time sitting on her bed. They left early in the morning, stocked up on food given to them by the bandits. These people accompanied them for a stretch, guided them through several ditches and said goodbye to them with great emotion. The chief told the travelers in a very expressive way: "remember us wherever you go". Upon hearing these words, I suddenly saw the scene of the crucifixion and heard the good thief saying to Jesus: "Lord, remember me when you have come into your kingdom." I recognized in the good thief the boy cured of leprosy. After some time, the bandit's wife left her bad life and went to live in a place where the Holy Family had rested. There a fountain had sprung up and a garden of balsam bushes had grown. Several good families later lived in that place.
LXXXI The first Egyptian city. The miraculous fountain
I saw the Holy Family enter a desolate place: they had gone astray and I saw that reptiles of different classes were approaching, including some lizards with bat wings, which were crawling and many snakes. They didn't do them any harm, rather it seemed like they wanted to show them the way. Some time later, no longer knowing which direction to take, I saw that they were shown the way through a gracious miracle.
On both sides of the path the rose called Jericho sprouted with branches of curly leaves that had little flowers in the center. They advanced with joy among them, seeing that flowers were rising as far as they could see. This prodigy continued throughout the desert. It was revealed to the Virgin that people would later come from the country to collect these flowers, to sell them to foreign travelers and buy bread with the proceeds from the sale. In fact, I saw it happen later. The name of the place was Gaz or Gose.
I saw them arrive at a place called, if I remember correctly, Lep or Lap, where there was water, ditches, canals and dikes. To cross the stream, they did so on wooden rafts, in which there were bathtubs in which they placed the donkeys. Those who passed them on the rafts were two ugly-looking men, pink, with very flat noses and thick lips, who were half naked.
Later they arrived at some houses far from the population, but seeing the inhabitants so arrogant and antisocial, they did not stop or speak to them. They had reached the first pagan Egyptian population, having traveled for ten days in the territory of Judea and another ten in the desert.
I saw the Holy Family in a flat country, in Egyptian territory. Large meadows appeared where the herds grazed. I saw trees to which some idols similar to bandaged children had been attached. The straps that held them were covered in figures and characters. Some thick men, of small stature, dressed in the manner of the spinners I saw in the country of the Three Kings, paid homage to these idols. The Holy Family took refuge in a corral, from which the animals left to make room for them. At that time they had no water or food and no one gave them anything. Mary could barely feed her Son. They endured all human sufferings in those days. When some shepherds finally arrived to water their animals at a closed well, they gave Joseph some water to satisfy his request. Later I saw the Holy Family, devoid of all human help, crossing a forest, at the exit of which there was a very tall date tree with a large number of dates at its upper end hanging from a cluster. Mary approached the tree, took the Baby Jesus in her arms and, lifting him up, said a prayer. The tree inclined its crown as if kneeling before them, and they were able to harvest its abundant fruits. The tree remained in the same position. All sorts of local people immediately followed the Holy Family, while Maria distributed dates to many naked children who ran after her. About a quarter of a league they came close to a large sycamore tree and entered the hole in the tree, which was largely empty, hiding from the view of the people who followed them, in such a way that they passed wide through the place without see them and so they could spend the night hiding.
I saw them the next day following through a sandy area. Without water and tired, they stopped on the side of a hill on the road. Maria prayed fervently and I then saw a spring sprouting, with abundant water that irrigated the dry land on the sand. Joseph opened a channel for him to store the water in a hole he made and they stopped to rest. Mary washed and refreshed the Child, and Joseph filled his skin with water and gave the donkey a drink. I saw that some very ugly animals were approaching to cool off, such as large lizards and also turtles. They did not do any harm to the Holy Family, but, on the contrary, they looked at it with an expression of friendly affection. I saw that the springing water, after traveling a long way, returned to be summed up in the earth a short distance from the first source. The land watered by this water was fruitful, so that it soon became covered with abundant vegetation and the balsam tree grew there in abundance. Upon returning from Egypt, they were able to extract balsam from these same trees. Later this place became known as "the mountain of balsam". Several people settled there, including the mother of the leper boy cured in the thieves' hut. I came back later to see this place. A beautiful fence of balsam trees surrounded the entire hill, where they had planted other fruits. They opened a wide and deep well from which they drew water using a Ferris wheel pulled by oxen and which, mixed with Mary's fountain, was used by them to water gardens and vegetable gardens.
Without this mixture, I understood that the well water would have been bad and harmful. I also noticed that the oxen that pulled the Ferris wheel stopped working from Saturday noon until Monday morning.
LXXXII The idol of Heliopolis
After having rested and eaten, they went to a large city, well built, although at that time somewhat ruinous; was Heliopolis, also called On. This was the place where, in the time of the sons of Jacob, the Egyptian priest Potiphar lived, in whose house lived the young Asenet, the daughter who had Dinah after she was stolen by the Shechemites, and who was she later married Joseph, viceroy of Egypt. I saw that Dionysius the Areopagite lived there when Jesus died on the cross. The city had been devastated by war; and all kinds of people were settling in its ruinous buildings. They passed over a very wide and very long bridge, across a river with several branches. They arrived at a square located in front of the city gate, delimited by a kind of promenade.
There was a large idol with the head of an ox on top of a trussed column, wider at its base than in height, with something like a swaddled child in its arms. Around the idol there were stone tables on which people who came from all parts of the city placed their offerings.
Nearby was a stout tree under which the Holy Family stopped to rest. They had been resting there for a few moments when the earth shook; the idol staggered on its base and fell to the ground. This fact was the cause of great commotion: people began to scream and came to the aid of several men working on the canal. A good man, who had accompanied the Holy Family along the way, was also helped and quickly taken to the city; I believe he was one of the canal workers.
They were outside the square when the people, blaming them for the fall of their idol, became enraged against them and threatened and insulted them. While this was happening, the earth shook again, the tree fell, severing its roots, and the ground where the tree and the idol stood became a quagmire of black, muddy water, where the idol sank up to its protruding horns. Some wicked people from that angry crowd also sank into the swamp. The Holy Family continued their journey calmly, heading to the city. They went to stay in a solid building next to the large temple of an idol where they found unoccupied spaces.
833 The Holy Family in Heliópolis
Once I crossed the sea and went to Egypt, I saw the Holy Family still dwelling in the great ruined city. This city stretched along a large multi-branched river and was seen from afar due to its elevated position. There were some vaulted parts, under which the river flowed.
To pass through the river branches, they used beams placed over the water.
I saw there, with great admiration, the remains of great buildings, ruined towers and temples in good condition. There were columns that looked like towers, which could be climbed from the outside; others are very tall, ending in a point and covered with strange images and figures resembling dogs curled up with human heads. The Holy Family lived in the rooms of a large building, supported on one side by thick, low columns, some with straight corners and others round. Under the columns lived many people. In the upper part, above the building, there was a road that could be walked along, and in front of it was a large temple of idols with two courtyards. Facing a space closed on one side and open on the other, under a row of thick pillars, José built a light wooden construction, divided into several parts by means of partitions, where the Holy Family lived. I noticed, for the first time, that behind those partitions there was a small altar before which they prayed: it was a small table covered with a red cloth and a transparent white cloth. Above it hung a lamp. Later, I saw José, already well settled there and who often went out to work. He made canes with round spheres at the ends, baskets and three-legged stools, and erected lightweight partitions with intertwined branches and fabrics. The people of the country anointed them with a special bath and used them to divide the houses into compartments, against the walls and even inside the walls, which were of great thickness. With thin and long boards they made light turrets with six and eight sides ending in a point with a round ornament at the top. One part was open so that a person could take refuge inside as in a guardhouse: there were steps on the outside to climb to the tip of the tower. In front of the temples of the idols and on the roofs I saw these little towers, which looked like refuges for guardians as a defense against the scorching sun.
I saw the Blessed Virgin busy braiding carpets and doing other work for which she used a stick with a sphere: it seemed to me that she was spinning or doing other similar work. I saw many times people who went to visit her and see the Baby Jesus who was next to her, on the ground, in a ditch. I saw the cradle often placed on a support similar to that used by sawyers. I saw the boy lying down gracefully and once I saw him sitting while Maria was weaving next to her with a small basket of utensils next to her. There were three other women there. The men who had taken refuge in the ruinous city were dressed like those who spun cotton that I saw when I went to meet the Magi; but they wore short garments around their bodies. I saw very few Jews, walking around cautiously, as if they had no authorization to inhabit the city. To the north of Heliópolis, between the city and the River Nile, which divided into several branches, was the country of Gessen. There was a place, between two canals, where many Jews lived who had degenerated into the practice of religion. As many knew the Holy Family, Maria did all kinds of feminine work for them with which she earned her living. These Jews of Gessen had a temple that they compared to Solomon's, but which was very different. I saw the Holy Family living in Heliópolis on other occasions, near the temple of the idols that I have already mentioned. Joseph had built, not far from there, an oratory for the Jews, because before Joseph arrived they had no place to exercise their religious worship.
The oratory ended in a light dome, which could be opened to the open air.
In the center there was a table where written scrolls were placed. The priest or scribe of the law was an elder; men stood on one side and women on the other, when they gathered to pray. I saw the Blessed Virgin the first time she went with the boy to the oratory: she was sitting on the floor, supported by one arm. The Baby Jesus, dressed as a celestial, stood before her, with his little hands clasped on his chest. José stood behind her, something he always did, despite the others sitting down.
I was shown the Baby Jesus when he was already big and received visits from other children. He could now talk and run. He was almost always by José's side and accompanied him when he went out. He had a garment similar to a tunic made of one piece. As they lived near a temple of idols, some of them fell to pieces. There were those who remembered the fall of that great idol that was before the door when they arrived and attributed the fact to the wrath of the gods against them. Because of this, they had to suffer a lot of hassle and persecution.
LXXXIV The slaughter of the innocent
An angel appeared to Mary and made her aware of King Herod's slaughter of innocent children. Mary and Joseph were very distressed and the Baby Jesus, who was then one and a half years old, cried all day. As the Magi did not return to Jerusalem, and Herod was busy with some family matters, his fears calmed down a little; but when the Holy Family returned to Nazareth and heard the things that had happened in the temple and the predictions of Simeon and Anna, in the ceremony of presentation in the temple, their fears and anguish increased. He sent soldiers who, under various pretexts, were to guard the places around Jerusalem, to Gilgal, to Bethlehem as far as Hebron, and ordered a census of the children. The soldiers occupied these places for nine months while Herod was in Rome. After his return, the innocents were beheaded. John was then two years old, and had been hiding in his parents' home before Herod gave the order for mothers to present themselves with their children two years old or younger to the local authorities. Elizabeth, warned by an angel, fled again into the desert with the boy John. Jesus was then one and a half years old.
The massacre took place in seven different locations. Mothers had been deceived, promising them prizes for their fecundity; That's why they presented themselves to the authorities by dressing their children in the best clothes. Men were previously separated from their mothers. The children, separated from their mothers, were cut up in closed courtyards and then piled up and buried in pits.
Today at noon I saw mothers with their children two years old and under go to Jerusalem, from Hebron, Bethlehem and another place where Herod had ordered his soldiers and officials. They headed towards the city in different groups: some took two children riding on donkeys. When they arrived, they were taken to a large building, and the men who had accompanied them were dismissed. Mothers entered happily, believing that they would receive gifts and bonuses as a reward for their fertility. The building was somewhat isolated and quite close to what was later Pilate's palace.
As it was surrounded by walls, it was impossible to know from the outside what was happening inside. It looked like a court, as I saw some pillars in the courtyard and stone blocks with chains suspended from them. I also saw trees that they bowed to and tied and then the soldiers quickly tore the unfortunates tied to them into pieces. The entire building was gloomy, of massive construction. The courtyard was almost as big as the cemetery next to the Dúlmen Parish Church. A door opened between two walls and you reached the courtyard, surrounded by buildings on three sides. The buildings on the right and left were one-story and the one in the center looked like an old abandoned synagogue. Several doors opened onto the inner courtyard. The mothers were taken across the courtyard to side buildings, and locked there. It looked like some kind of hospital or inn. When they found themselves locked in, they were afraid and began to cry and lament. They spent the night inside.
Today, after noon, I saw the horrible scene of the slaughter of children.
The large rear building that enclosed the courtyard was two stories high. The lower one was a large, bare room, similar to a prison, or a guard body, and on the upper floor there were windows that looked out onto the courtyard. There I saw some people gathered in a courtroom; before them were scrolls on a table. I believe that Herod would be present, because I saw a man with a red cloak adorned with white skin, with small black tails. He was surrounded by the others and looked out the living room window that overlooked the courtyard. The mothers were called one by one to be taken from the side buildings to the large lower body room behind. Upon entering, the soldiers took the children away from them, taking them to the courtyard, where about twenty men killed them through their throats and hearts with swords and spears. There were still swaddled children, who were being breastfed by their mothers, and others who were already wearing little dresses. They didn't bother to undress them, but as they came they took them by the arms or legs and threw them into the pile. The spectacle was the most horrible you could imagine. Meanwhile, the mothers were crowded into the large room, and when they saw what they were doing to their children, they uttered heart-rending screams, tearing out their hair, and lying in each other's arms. Finally, they found themselves so cramped that they could barely move. It seemed to me that the killing lasted until night. The children were later thrown into a mass grave, dug in the same courtyard. I was told their number, but I no longer remember. I think there were seven hundred, plus a number where there were seven or ten and seven. When I saw this horrible picture, I didn't know where this was happening, and it seemed to me that it was here, where I was. The next night I saw the mothers tied up with bandages and taken by the soldiers to their homes. The site of the slaughter in Jerusalem was the ancient execution yard, a short distance from Pilate's court; but at this time it underwent several changes. When Jesus died, I saw that the pit where the innocent children were was opened and that their souls came out, appearing in different places.
LXXXV Saint Elizabeth runs away again with the boy John
Saint Elizabeth, warned by an angel before the massacre of the innocents, took refuge again with little John in the desert. I saw that he had been looking for a cave for a long time that seemed safe and hidden: when he found it, she stayed there with the child for about forty days. Later she returned home, and an Essene from Mount Horeb went into the desert to bring the boy food and help her with her needs. This man, whose name I have forgotten, was a relative of the prophetess Anna. At first he went every week and then every two weeks, while John needed help. Soon the time came when the boy liked being in the desert more than among men. He was destined by God to grow up there in all innocence, without contact with men and their evils. John, like Jesus, did not go to school and was taught by the Holy Spirit. I often saw a light next to him or luminous figures like those of angels. The desert was neither barren nor desolate, for abundant herbs and bushes grew among the rocks with fruits and berries of various kinds. I saw wild strawberries there that the child picked to eat. He had an extraordinary familiarity with animals, especially the birds that flew and sat on his shoulders; and as he spoke to them, it seemed that they understood him and served as his messengers. Sometimes he went along the streams: the fish were familiar to him, as they came when he called them and followed him when he walked along the water's edge. I saw that he was moving away from the inhabited places because of the danger that threatened him. The animals loved him so much that they served him in many things. They took him to their shelters or nests, so that when the men approached, he could flee to their hiding places without danger.
It fed on wild fruits and roots; It was not difficult for him to find them, as the animals themselves took him to where they were and showed them. He always carried his sheepskin and his wand and went deeper and deeper into the desert. Sometimes he approached his city and twice I saw his parents who longed for his presence. They must have had revelations, because when Elizabeth or Zechariah wanted to see John, he came to meet them from afar.
LXXXVI The Holy Family heads to Matarea
They stayed ten to eight months in Heliópolis, and when Jesus was already around two years old, they left the city due to lack of work and the persecution to which they were subject. At noon they headed for Memphis.
As they passed through a small town, not far from Heliopolis, they rested in the vestibule of the temple of an idol; It fell to the ground and broke into pieces. The idol had the head of an ox, with three horns; On his body there were several openings where they placed and burned the offerings. The fall of the idol produced a great uproar among the pagan priests, who detained the Holy Family with threats and insults. One of them, however, said that perhaps it would be better to entrust oneself to the God of these people, reminding them of the misfortunes that had suffered their ancestors who persecuted the race to which these foreigners belonged, and reminded them of the death of the firstborn of each family in the night before leaving Egypt. After that, they let the Sacred Family leave without hurting them. They walked to the city of Troy, on the east bank of the Nile, opposite Memphis. There was a lot of mud in that village. They thought about staying; but they were not welcomed anywhere and even refused them water to drink and the few dates they asked for.
The city of Memphis was visible on the other bank. The river was very wide at that point, there were some islands and part of the city extended to the other side.
I saw the place where Moses was discovered, as a child, among reeds and reeds. In Pharaoh's time there was a large palace with gardens and a high tower to which Pharaoh's daughter often climbed. Memphis formed three cities on both sides of the river. The city of Babylon, on the eastern bank of the Nile, a little further on, was almost part of the Memphis building complex. At the time of Pharaoh, that entire region of the Nile, between Heliopolis, Babylon and Memphis, was full of high stone dikes, canals and buildings, one facing the other, so that the whole constituted a single city. At the time of the Holy Family there were great separations and unoccupied places. The Holy Family headed north down the river toward Babylon. This city was depopulated and looked poorly built and full of mud. They coasted along the city, passing between the Nile and the city, and directed their steps in the opposite direction to that in which they were leading. They traveled about two leagues along the Bank of the Nile. Ruined buildings stood on the side of the road. They crossed a canal and a small branch of the river and arrived at a place whose original name I don't remember, which was later called Matarea. It was near Heliopolis, situated on a spit of land, so that water surrounded it on both sides; quite depopulated, with very isolated and poorly designed houses, made of date palm wood with dried river silt, covered in reeds. José found some work there. With intertwined branches he built more solid houses, opening galleries above so he could walk through them.
They settled in a solitary place, under a dark vault, not far from the door through which they had entered. José built a small light house in front of this vault. An idol also fell there, which was in a small temple, and then all the idols collapsed one after the other. A priest calmed the angry people by reminding them of the plagues of Egypt. Later, when a small community of Jews and pagan converts gathered there, the priests left them the small temple, whose idol had fallen when the Holy Family arrived. José transformed it into a synagogue, becoming the father of the small community himself; he taught them to sing the psalms regularly, they had largely forgotten the worship of their ancestors. There were some Jews so poor that they lived in holes in the ground. Instead, in the Jewish village, between On and the Nile, there lived many Israelites who owned a temple; but they had fallen into idolatrous worship, because they had a golden calf, a figure with an ox's head, and around them small animals resembling martens, under canopies. They were animals that defended them against crocodiles.
They had an imitation Ark of the Covenant, inside which they kept abominable things. They practiced detestable cults with all kinds of impurities that they carried out in a dark underground passage, thinking in this way to invoke and attract the coming of the Messiah. They were unrepentant and did not want to correct themselves from their vices. Later, several of them went to where José was, with his small community, two leagues away. They couldn't go directly because of the canals and containments, having to go around Heliópolis. The Jews of the land of Gessen had already met the Holy Family when it was in On, and Mary did all kinds of fabric and embroidery work for them. Mary never wanted to make pure luxury or useless things, but only objects of habitual use and the clothes that were put on during cult ceremonies and when they prayed. I saw that for several women who had come to order clothes and ornaments for vanity and fashion, Maria refused to do these jobs for them, even though she was very much in need of receiving them. Some of these women insulted her.
From the beginning, the Holy Family's stay in Matarea was full of difficulties; There was no drinking water or wood for the fire there. The inhabitants burned dry herbs and reeds. Most of the time, the Holy Family ate nothing but cold food. Later, José found work repairing the country's cabins. People treated him like a poor slave, paying him for his work what suited them; sometimes a salary, other times nothing. Men were very inept at building houses. There were no woods and, although it is true that I saw places with trees, people did not have tools to work with. Most used stone or bone knives and dug the earth to extract peat. José took with him the most indispensable instruments, and was thus able to settle in with regular comfort.
He divided his room into several apartments, with acacia partitions; he made a fireplace, several small tables and stools, since the people in the place ate sitting on the floor. They lived in this place for several years, and I was able to see scenes from the various eras of Jesus' life. I saw the place where he slept. In the wall of the vault where Mary rested, Joseph opened a cavity where the bed of the Baby Jesus was placed. Mary slept next to her and I could see Mary many times during the night, praying on her knees before Jesus' bed. José settled in another place. I also saw an oratory that José had created under the same roof, in an isolated corridor. Joseph and Mary had their designated places and there was a little place for the boy, where he prayed standing, sitting or on his knees. Mary had a small altar, before which she prayed: it consisted of a table covered with red and white cloth that was taken out of an open compartment in the wall and could then be closed. In the hole in the wall there was a kind of Medallion. There I saw the blossoming end of Joseph's rod, by which he was designated husband of Mary in the temple of Jerusalem. I saw sprigs inside goblet-shaped vases. Furthermore, I saw another medallion, without being able to say what it was.
LXXXVII Saint Elizabeth returns to the desert for the third time with the boy John
While the Holy Family was in Egypt, little John had secretly returned to his home in Juta, because I saw that he was taken back to the desert when he was four or five years old. Zacharias was not present when they left the house; I believe he had left so as not to witness the farewell, because he loved his little son very much; but before leaving, he had given her his blessing, as he always blessed Elizabeth and John before they set out on their way. Little João wore a sheepskin as a dress, which, leaving the left shoulder, fell over his chest and sides and came together again on the right side. He wore nothing more than this skin. His hair was brown and darker than Jesus'. He carried the small white stick he had taken when leaving the house. That's how I saw him while his mother took him by the hand. Isabel was an old woman, tall, with agile movements, a small head and a pleasant face. The boy João often ran, ahead of his mother. He had all the innocence of her age, but not the naivety. At first they headed north, with a small stream on their right; then I saw them cross the current on a small wooden raft, because there was no bridge. Isabel was a determined woman and steered the raft with a tree branch. Beyond the stream they followed their path to the East, entering a gorge of rocks, bare and arid in its upper part, the bottom full of wild fruits and strawberries, which the child picked and ate. After walking a distance in that gorge, Saint Elizabeth said goodbye to the boy, blessed him, pressed him to her heart, kissed him on both cheeks and on the forehead, and returned, turning around several times, crying, to look at him. The boy did not feel any restlessness: he walked with sure steps through the gorge.
As during these visions I felt very sick, the Lord consoled me by making me watch everything that happened as if I were a child. He seemed to me to be the same age as João, and that's why I was distressed to see him moving so far away from his mother. I thought I wouldn't be able to find my father's house; but a voice reassured me, saying: "don't worry; the child knows very well what he is doing". It seemed to me that I was entering the desert with the child, as a child's playmate. So I was able to see what happened to him several times. The boy told me several episodes of his life in the desert: how he mortified himself and violated his senses in every way and became increasingly clairvoyant, and how he was instructed in everything he needed to know. Nothing he told me surprised me, because when I was a little girl tending cows, I had lived in the desert with the boy João. When I wanted to see him, I called him from the bushes: "boy Saint John, come and get me with your your cane and the skin on your shoulders." And John came with his staff and his sheepskin; and we played like children; and he taught me all sorts of useful things,
I wasn't surprised that he knew so many things about the animals and plants in the field. I too, when I walked through the fields, through the woods and through the meadows, as a child, I studied, as in a book, each leaf or each flower, when I gathered the ears of corn and plucked the grass, and these plants, like the animals I saw passing by. , were reasons for teaching and reflection for me.
The shapes of the leaves, their colors and the arrangement of the plants suggested deep thoughts to me. The people to whom I communicated them listened to me with astonishment, but laughed at me in most cases. That's why I later kept quiet about these things, because I thought, and still think, that the same thing happens to all men, and that nowhere do you learn better than in this book of nature written by God himself. When in my later contemplations I followed the boy João through the desert, I saw his gestures, his attitudes and his actions; I saw him playing with animals and flowers and having fun with plants. Birds, especially, were familiar with him: they would perch on his head or shoulders when he walked or prayed. Sometimes he would place his stick across the branches of trees and birds of all varieties would respond to his call and land on his stick one after another. He spoke to them and looked at them with familiarity, treating them as if he were teaching them. Other times I saw him follow the animals to their caves and feed them there, watching them with all his attention.
LXXXVIII Death of Zechariah and Elizabeth
Once Zacharias went to the temple to take victims for sacrifice, Elizabeth took advantage of his absence and went to visit her son in the desert.
João would have been around six years old then. Zacharias had never gone to see the boy: so that if Herod asked him about the boy he could, without lying, reply that he did not know him. But to satisfy his parents' great affection and out of a desire to see them, he visited the boy secretly, at night, at his parents' house several times, remaining there for some time. Without a doubt, his Guardian Angel was guiding him to avoid the dangers that threatened him.
I always saw him guided and protected by celestial spirits and I often saw luminous figures surrounding him.
John was predestined to live like this in solitude, separated from men and deprived of common human help to be better guided by the Spirit of God. Divine Providence arranged things in such a way that even due to external circumstances he had to withdraw into the desert. He was also driven by an irresistible instinct, since since childhood he had always been pensive and solitary. When the Baby Jesus was taken to Egypt, John, his precursor, was hidden in the desert as a divine warning, as he too was in danger. Much was said about him from the first days of his life: his wonderful birth was known and many people claimed to have seen him surrounded by brilliance.
For this reason Herod wanted to take possession of him to kill him. Herod had repeatedly asked Zechariah where the boy was hiding, without daring to arrest him. But now, as Zechariah went to the temple, he was robbed and mistreated by the soldiers charged with guarding him, in front of the gate of Jerusalem, called Bethlehem, in a place on the low road where the city could not be seen. They took him to a prison, on the side of Mount Zion, where I could later see Jesus' disciples as they went to the temple. The old man was tortured to reveal the place where his son was hiding and as they didn't get what they wanted, they ended up killing him on Herod's orders. His friends later buried him not far from the temple.
This Zechariah was not the one, dead between the temple and the altar, whom I saw leaving the walls of the temple near the oratory of the elder Simeon, when the deceased appeared after the death of Jesus. The tomb of this Zechariah, which was inside the wall, collapsed along with others hidden in the temple. This Zechariah was killed between the temple and the altar during a fight over the Messiah's lineage and the rights that certain families claimed to have in the temple and the places they occupied in it. I saw, for example, that not all families had the right to have their children educated in the temple. I remember seeing a boy from a royal family entrusted with the education of the prophetess Anna. Only Zacharias, son of Barachias, died in the fight. I saw later that his bones were found, but I no longer remember the details of the incident.
Saint Elizabeth returned from the desert to the city of Juta to await the arrival of her husband, accompanied part of the way by the boy John. Elizabeth kissed him on the forehead and blessed him, and the boy returned to the desert. The mother, upon entering her home, learned the sad news of her husband's death. Her pain was very great and she seemed inconsolable. She returned to the desert, staying there with the boy, until his death, which happened shortly before the Holy Family returned from Egypt. That Essene who took care of the boy John buried Isabel in the desert sands. After this, John went further into the desert: abandoning the rocky gorge, he went to a cleaner place and settled beside a small lake. There was a lot of white sand on the beach. I saw him move far inland, while the fish swam around him without fear. There he lived a long time, because I saw him build a hut or gazebo in the middle of the bushes, to spend the night: it was small and low so that he could barely lie down in it to sleep. There, as elsewhere, he saw luminous forms that treated him without fear and innocent mercy: it seemed as if they were instructing him and making him notice different things. I also saw that he had a stick through his rod, so that it formed a cross. There was a strip of bark tied to the handle of the stick, like a flag that fluttered in the wind as he played with it. Isabel's house in Juta was occupied by a daughter of Isabel's sister. It was a very well-kept house, in perfect order and cleanliness. When he was already grown up, John returned to her again in secret, immediately returning to the desert until the moment of his appearance among men.
LXXXIX Life of the Holy Family in Matarea
In Matarea, the inhabitants had no water other than the murky Nile.
Mary, with her prayers, found a source. When they settled down, they had to suffer a lot, because they couldn't eat more than a few fruits and they drank bad water from the Nile. As they had not had good water for a long time, José thought of going with his tools and his donkey into the desert, to the source of the balsam trees garden; but, while Mary was in prayer, an angel appeared to her, who told her that behind the house she would find a source of water. She went to the other side of the wall, where her room was, and saw a free space, further down, in the middle of the rubble where a very old and very thick tree stood. She carried in her hand a cane with a stick at the end, similar to the one used by people who travel in these places. Full of joy Mary called Joseph, who after digging discovered that there had previously been a fountain covered in masonry, now covered by rubble. José cleaned and restored it. He found near the fountain, on the side where Mary had come, a large stone that looked like an altar and I believe that in reality it had been one at another time; but I don't remember any more details about it. At this fountain Mary made the boy drink, bathed him, washed his clothes; and so it remained for the exclusive use of the Holy Family, being unknown to others, until the Baby Jesus, already grown, was able to fetch water himself and help Mary.
Once I saw him with several children standing next to the fountain to give them something to drink from the hollow of a large leaf. These children told their parents about the water, and in this way they helped others to use the fountain, although it was for almost exclusive use by the local Jewish community. Once when Mary was praying, kneeling in the middle of the path to her house, I saw the Baby Jesus going to the fountain with a container to fetch water. It was the first time he had done this.
Maria was deeply moved when she saw him, and, still on her knees, begged him not to do it again because of the danger of him falling into the water. The boy replied that he would be very careful, because his wish was to draw water whenever she needed it.
Baby Jesus helped his parents in everything he could, being very attentive and careful with all things. When José worked near the house and forgot a tool, I saw the boy take it, paying close attention to what he was doing. The joy he gave his parents made up for the many sacrifices they made in Egypt. More than once I saw the boy go to the Jewish village, a mile from Mataréa, to bring the bread that Mary received in exchange for the work she did. The harmful animals, abundant in that country, did not harm him and seemed familiar to him: I once saw him playing with some snakes. The first time I saw him go to that village alone, he was between five and seven years old and was wearing a little brown outfit with yellow flowers, which Maria had made for him. I saw him kneel on the road to pray, when two angels appeared and announced Herod's death. Jesus didn't say any of this to his parents, I don't know if it was out of humility, or on the advice of the Angels, or because it was not yet time to leave Egypt. Another time I saw him going to the village with other Jewish children and when he returned home he cried at the degradation in which he saw these Israelites from Egypt submerged.
XC Source origin of Matarea. Story of Job
The Matarea fountain did not originate through Mary's prayer: she only made it sprout again. The fountain already existed, covered in masonry, although hidden under the rubble. I saw that Job had been in Egypt before Abraham and that he had lived in this place, where he found the spring and offered sacrifices on the great stone that was still there. On that occasion he learned that Job was the youngest of thirteen brothers and that his father was a great chief of the tribe when the tower of Babel was built. From a brother of this man descended the family of Abraham. Descendants of both brothers married frequently. Job's first wife was of the race of Falegue. When, after several adventures, Job went to live in the third place, he married successively three women of the race of Faleg. From one of them he had a son, this one a daughter, who, marrying within the same family, gave birth to the mother of the patriarch Abraham. Job was Abraham's mother's great-grandfather.
Job's father was called Joktan; he was the son of Heber and lived north of the Caspian Sea, next to a mountain range that on one slope was quite hot, while on the other, covered with snow, was very cold. I have seen many elephants in this country. The region where Job was at the beginning was swampy and would not have been favorable to elephants. This country was located north of a mountain range, between two seas. One of these two seas, the one in the west, had been a high mountain, as I had already seen, where giants and men possessed by evil spirits lived before the flood39.
There was a barren and marshy region there, at that time inhabited, I believe, by a people with small eyes, wide noses and high cheekbones. When Job returned to this place, he had his first tribulation and first trial. After her he emigrated to near Noon, in the Caucasus, establishing himself in this region. From there he made a trip to Egypt, then dominated by some foreign kings who came from pastoral people in his country. One of these kings was from the same region as Job, while the other came from the more distant place where the Magi lived. These shepherd kings only owned part of Egypt, and were later displaced by an Egyptian pharaoh. I saw many of these shepherds gathered in front of a city where they had settled. The shepherd king, Job's countryman, wanted for his son a woman from the neighboring race of the Caucasus, where he came from. Job, with a large retinue, took that royal bride to Egypt, who was also his relative. In the procession she took thirty camels and a large number of servants with many gifts. Job was then a young man, tall, with a very pleasant yellowish brown complexion and very reddish hair. The inhabitants of Egypt were also dark, but of an unpleasant color.
Egypt was not very inhabited at the time: only large gatherings of people were seen from time to time. Nor were those large buildings that began to be built during the time of the Israelites in Egypt visible. The king paid many tributes to Job and, wanting him to settle there with his entire tribe, did not want to let him leave. He gave him as a room the city where the Holy Family now lived, which was then very different. Job lived there for five years. It was the same place where the Holy Family was now and they had been shown the source of water and the stone where he offered his sacrifices.
Although Job was a gentile, he was righteous and knew the true God, worshiping him as his creator, while contemplating the stars, nature and light.
He liked to talk about God and his works of nature, and he did not worship images of monstrous animals as the Gentile people did. He imagined a representation of the true God. It was a small human figure, with lightning around its head, and it looked to me like it had wings.
He had his hands clasped on his chest and was carrying a balloon on which he could see a ship sailing on the waves. Perhaps it reminded him of the flood.
When he offered sacrifices to God, the patriarch Job burned different types of seeds before his image. I saw that later some small figures were introduced into Egypt, seated as if on a pulpit crowned by a canopy.
When Job arrived in Egypt he found a detestable cult: coming from the superstitions that presided over the construction of the tower of Babel. They had an idol with a very wide ox's head that ended in a point and seemed to be raised in the air, the mouth open and the horns inclined downwards. Inside the idol, fire was lit and living children were placed between its burning arms, and I saw that they were taking something from the openings of that body. The people of the county were very cruel and the region was full of terrible animals. I saw black animals that seemed to throw flames of fire and flew in large flocks, poisoning everything, because if they landed on a tree it would immediately dry up. I saw animals that had very long back legs and very short front legs, like moles, that jumped from one roof to another. There were some horrible animals that walked among the stones and in the holes and attached themselves to the men and suffocated them. In the Nile I saw a large animal, with horrible teeth and large black feet: it looked like a pig and was as thick as a horse. I saw other horrible animals; but the people were even more abominable, and Job, whom he had seen rid his homeland of evil beasts through prayer, felt aversion to living among those men and often expressed his complaints to those around him. He would rather live among bad animals than among such men. I saw him many times looking to the East, with eyes full of longing, towards his homeland, At noon from the most distant country where the magic kings inhabited. He had prophetic visions of the arrival of the Israelites in Egypt, and also, in general, of the salvation of the human race and of the great trials through which man must pass. He could not be persuaded to remain in Egypt, and five years later he left the country with his entire entourage.
Job's trials took place at intervals. First he enjoyed tranquility for nine years, then for seven, and then for twelve years. The words in the book of Job: "and the messenger was still speaking", are equivalent to saying: he was still talking among the people about the misfortune that had befallen him, when another calamity came to afflict him. The three tests were carried out in three different countries. The last, which was followed by his final prosperity, overtook him when he lived in a level country, east of Jericho. That country produced frankincense and myrrh, and had a gold mine and metals were worked. On another occasion I had new visions about Job. I remember the following. Job had two confidants, who were like his stewards, administrators and secretaries, and were called Hai and Uis or Ois. These collected from his mouth his entire history with the conversations he had with God, which was transmitted by his descendants, from one to another, until the days of Abraham and his children, and they used it to instruct their children with the narration. Through the children of Israel the story reached Egypt, and Moses made a summary of it, for the comfort of the Israelites oppressed by the Egyptians and later during their stay in the desert. In the beginning it was a much longer story with greater things that the Jews would not have understood. Later Solomon arranged it, making a book of pious reading: so that the book is full of the wisdom of Job, of Moses and of Solomon. It is difficult to find the true story of Job there now, as the names of the people changed, introducing others closer to the land of Canaan. He was considered Idumean because the country where he inhabited at the end of his history was inhabited long before his death by the descendants of Esau or Edom. I believe Job was still alive when Abraham was born.
XCI Abraham and Sarah in Egypt. The abandoned fountain
When Abraham went to Egypt, he set up his camp there, and I saw him instructing the people. He resided there several years with Sarah, his wife, and many sons and daughters, whose mothers had remained in Chaldea. Lot also lived in that country with his family, although he can no longer specify the place of his residence. The patriarch Abraham went to Egypt once, at God's command, because of the famine that was happening in the land of Canaan30, and he returned a second time to recover the family treasure that a niece of Sarah's mother had transferred to Egypt. That woman was from the tribe of shepherds of the race of Job, who reigned over a part of Egypt. Having arrived as a maid, she married an Egyptian. From them came a tribe whose name I have forgotten. One of her daughters was Hagar, mother of Ishmael, who was therefore of the same race as Sarah. That woman had stolen a family treasure, like Rachel, who stole Laban's idols; she had sold it in Egypt for a large sum of money, thus ending up in the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptian priests.
The treasure was a kind of family tree of Noah's children, in particular the descendants of Shem until the time of Abraham, made with triangular pieces of gold attached to each other forming a scale with the arms. The triangular plates were lined up; others indicated the lateral branches. On these plates were the names of the family members and their entire series: starting from the center of a lid, they gathered on the scale pan when the lid was lowered from above. The entire scale could thus be stored in a box. The main plates were yellow and large, while those in the intervals were thinner and white, like silver. I heard how much all this weighed in shekels, representing a respectable sum, although the priests of Egypt had related various calculations to this family tree, they were very far from the truth. Through their astrologers and their Pythonesses, they learned something about Abraham's arrival in Egypt: they learned that he was of noble origin, like his wife, and that a very chosen offspring should come from them. In their divinations they wanted to discover noble lineages to join them through marriage. Satan thus introduced debauchery and cruelty to degrade the noblest lineages that still existed. Abraham feared that the Egyptians would kill him because of Sarah's beauty; That's why he passed her off as his sister, and this wasn't a lie, because in fact, she was his blood sister because she was the daughter of his father Tharé, from another mother. Pharaoh ordered Sara to be taken to his residence to take her as his wife. This distressed them greatly and they prayed to God to help them, and God punished the king. All of his wives and most of the women in the city fell ill. Pharaoh, frightened, investigated the cause and discovered that Sarah was Abraham's wife.
He returned her and begged her to leave Egypt as quickly as possible, acknowledging that the gods protected her. The Egyptians were a very unique people, on the one hand they were very proud and believed they were the greatest and wisest in the world, and on the other, they were incredibly servile and cowardly, giving in immediately when they believed they found a force superior to their own. This came from the fact that they were not sure of their science and that they only knew things through obscure and mistaken guesses, which announced to them all kinds of contradictory and complex events. When the event did not respond to their calculations, they were immediately frightened, as they were very superstitious and inclined to see the wonderful.
Abraham approached Pharaoh very humbly, asking him for wheat, like the Father of the peoples, and won his will, so that he gave him many gifts. When he returned Sarah and begged her to leave the country, Abraham replied that he could not leave without first recovering a treasure that belonged to him, and told him of the family tree stolen and taken to Egypt. The king gathered the priests, and they agreed to return it, provided they were allowed to make a copy, something Abraham granted without difficulty.
Once this was done, the patriarch returned to the Country of Canaan.
I then saw several things relating to the source of Matareia until our time.
In times of the Holy Family, lepers used water because it seemed to have a particular virtue, and this later increased when a small chapel was built above Mary's room, with an entrance next to the main altar to go down to a cave where the Holy Family lived for some time. I then saw the fountain surrounded by rooms, and that the water was used as a medicine against leprosy: they bathed in it to cure skin diseases, this happened when the Mohammedans owned the country: the Turks always had a lamp lit in the Church , above Mary's room, fearing that some misfortune would happen to them if they abandoned the care of the lamp. In modern times I saw the fountain in total abandonment and solitude, far from inhabited places. The city had disappeared from its original location and plants with wild fruits grew nearby.
XCII The angel warns the Holy Family to leave Egypt
I saw that the Holy Family was abandoning its residence in Egypt.
Although Herod had been dead for a long time, they were unable to return sooner because the danger remained. The stay in Egypt had become unbearable for Joseph because its inhabitants practiced the most horrible idolatry. They sacrificed deformed children, and when they sacrificed the best they believed they were doing a more meritorious work. Their cult was full of impurities, and the Jews themselves were infected, as they had a temple that they said was like Solomon's, although it was a ridiculous vanity. They had an imitation of the Ark of the Covenant and kept obscene figures in it, and dedicated themselves to the abominable practices of idolatrous worship. They no longer sang the Psalms, until Joseph established perfect order in this community of Mataréia.
The Egyptian priest who spoke in favor of the Holy Family in the nearby city of Heliopolis, where the idols fell, had settled there with several people, joining the Jewish community. He saw Saint Joseph busy in his carpentry shop, and when it was time to leave work, he was sad, because he was not given his salary and he had nothing to take home, where he suffered great hardships.
Distressed by these concerns, Joseph knelt in the field and exposed his need to God, begging Him to come to his aid. I saw that during the night an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him that those who sought the boy's death no longer existed; for him to get up and prepare himself as necessary to return to his homeland along the most frequented paths. He encouraged him by assuring him of his protection so that he would fear nothing. Joseph made this order known to Mary and the Baby Jesus. They obeyed and made preparations as quickly as they did when they were supposed to leave for Egypt. When they learned of his intention to leave the next day, many people were saddened by his departure, and went to say goodbye with gifts contained in small bark vases. It was clear that his afflictions were sincere. Among them were some Jews, although most were pagan converts. Most of the Jews who lived there had fallen into idolatry to such an extent that it was almost impossible to recognize them as Israelites.
Some were happy with the departure of the Holy Family, because they considered them magicians who had very powerful evil spirits as their protectors. Among the good people I saw some mothers with their children, who had been playmates with the Baby Jesus. There was a distinguished woman who carried a little boy whom she called "Mary's son."
For a long time he had wanted to have children, and through Mary's prayers he had managed to have that child whom he named Deodato. Her name was Mira.
I saw that he was giving coins to Baby Jesus; they were small yellow, white and brown triangular pieces. The Baby Jesus, upon receiving them, looked at his mother.
When Joseph had loaded the donkey with the necessary things, they set off accompanied by those friends. The donkey was the same one that Mary had ridden when she went to Bethlehem. They had also had a donkey on the way to Egypt, but Joseph, in his trouble, had to sell it.
XCIII The return from Egypt
They followed the path that passes through Heliópolis, deviating a little towards Noon towards the fountain that had sprung up through Mary's prayer. That place was now covered with dense vegetation, and the stream ran around a square garden, surrounded by balsam trees. This place had one entrance and was as big as the Duke of Diillmen's riding stable. There were many fruit trees that were only a few years old, date palms, sycamores and others, and the balsam trees were almost as big as the medium-sized vines. José had made small vessels with the bark of the trees, elegant, well polished and greased with fish. He often made containers for various uses. He plucked clover-like leaves from the reddish branches of the balsam trees and hung small bark vessels from them to store the balsam that the bushes distilled. Upon arriving at this place, the companions said a tender goodbye and the Holy Family remained there for several hours. I saw Maria washing and drying clothes.
They rested, filled their containers and continued their journey along the most frequented paths.
I have seen them several times on this road, where they were in no danger. The Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph wore, to protect themselves from the sun, the bark of a very large plant on their heads, tied under their chin with a cloth. Jesus wore brown clothing and bark shoes, made by Joseph, which covered half of his feet. Maria wore sandals. I often saw them get worried because the boy could barely walk for long on the burning sand, and they had to stop to take the sand out of his shoes; other times they made him climb onto the donkey so that he wouldn't get too tired. I saw them passing through several cities or passing near others, the names of which I do not remember, except Ramses. They crossed a stream that they had crossed on their way: this stream ran from the Red Sea to the Nile. Joseph did not want to return to Nazareth, but rather to settle in his homeland in Bethlehem; but he was restless because he heard that in Judea Archelaus reigned, also cruel and evil. I saw that, when they arrived in Gaza, they stayed for about three months. There were many pagans in Gaza.
Finally, an angel ordered Joseph to return to Nazareth, which they did immediately. Saint Anne still lived and knew where the Holy Family lived, as some relatives also knew, her return from Egypt took place in September. Jesus' age was then eight years minus three weeks.
XCIV The Holy Family in Nazareth
In the house in Nazareth there were three rooms. The largest and most arranged was for Mary, where Joseph and Jesus went for common prayer.
When they prayed, they did so standing up with their hands crossed on their chest, and they prayed out loud. I have often seen them praying under the light of a lamp with several wicks. On the wall there was a chandelier with a light shining.
Outside of these cases, each was in its own compartment. José worked in his workshop: I saw him making laths, carving sticks and brushing wood, or carrying suspenders. Jesus helped him in these works. Maria was normally busy sewing and weaving with chopsticks, sitting, with her legs crossed, and having a basket with her working utensils within her reach. Each one slept in a separate place. The bed consisted of blankets, which were rolled up in the morning.
He saw Jesus doing all kinds of work for his parents, at home and on the street, helping everyone in need, with benevolence and grace. When he was not helping Joseph, he gave himself over to prayer and meditation. He was a model for all the children of Nazareth, who loved him well and were very careful not to displease him. Parents used to say when their children misbehaved: "What will Joseph's son say when he finds out about his behavior"... "Do you want to upset him?" them, asking them not to do this or that. Jesus received these complaints with childish simplicity, and full of benevolence told them what they should do. Sometimes he prayed with them, asking God for the strength to correct themselves, he persuaded them. them to improve themselves and ask their parents for forgiveness, recognizing their faults.
About an hour away from Nazareth, towards Sepphoris, there was a village called Ofna, where the parents of John and James the greatest lived in the time of Jesus Christ. These children met Jesus frequently until their parents moved to Bethsaida and they took up the trade of fishermen. In Nazareth there lived a family, related to Joachim, an Essene, with four sons: Cleopas, James, Judas and Japheth, some older and others younger than Jesus. These were also childhood companions of Jesus, and their parents used to join the Holy Family when they marched to the Jerusalem temple festivals. These four brothers were later disciples of John the Baptist, and after the death of the Forerunner they became disciples of Jesus Christ. When Andrew and Saturninus crossed the Jordan, they remained with Jesus all day and later went, as disciples of John, to the wedding at Cana. Cleopas was the same person who, together with Luke, had the appearance of Jesus at Emmaus. He was married and lived in Emmaus. His wife was later added to the holy women of the Christian Community.
When Jesus was eight years old, he went to Jerusalem for the first time with his parents and since then he went to the temple festivities year after year. Jesus had aroused curiosity since his first appearance in the temple, among his friends and among the scribes and Pharisees of the temple. Among relatives and friends in Jerusalem, people talked about the prudent and pious boy, son of Joseph, calling him admirable, just as here, among us, we talk about the annual pilgrimages or meetings of well-known people, this or that pious or modest child from some peasant family. So Jesus had, when at the age of twelve he stayed in the temple, several friends and acquaintances in Jerusalem, and his parents were not surprised that they did not see him when he left Jerusalem, because from the first to this fifth time he went to the temple he always used to gather He was with children from other families who were traveling on their way to Nazareth. This time, Jesus separated from his companions when he arrived at the Garden of Olives and they thought he was doing so to join his parents, who were following behind. Jesus went to the part of the city that looks towards Bethlehem and went to that inn where the Holy Family stopped when they were going to the temple for presentation. His parents believed that he would be with those who went to Nazareth, and they thought that he was moving away from them to join his parents. But when they arrived at Gofnah and realized that Jesus was not with the travelers, Mary and Joseph were very frightened.
They immediately returned to Jerusalem, asking relatives and friends about the boy on the way; but they could not find him anywhere, for he did not stop where he usually did when he went to the temple.
Jesus spent the night at the inn near the Bethlehemitic gate, where he and his parents were known. He joined other young people and went to two schools in the city. The first day was for one school and the second for the other. On the third day, he was in a temple school in the morning and in the afternoon at the temple itself, where his parents finally found him. These schools were of different classes and not only for learning about law and religion: they taught different sciences, and the last of them was located next to the temple, and was the one from which the Levites and priests came. With his questions and answers, the Baby Jesus so surprised the teachers and rabbis of these schools and impressed them so much, that they proposed to, in turn, humiliate the child with the wisest rabbis in different branches of human knowledge. To this end, the priests and the scribes had confabulated, that at first they had been pleased with the wisdom of the Baby Jesus, but later they were mortified and wanted to take revenge. This happened in the public room, located in the vestibule of the temple, in front of the Holy of Holies, in the circular area, from where Jesus later taught the people. I saw the Baby Jesus sitting on a large chair, which he did not fill, and around him there was a crowd of Jews and elders in priestly robes. They listened attentively, and it seemed that they were all furious against him and for a moment I believed that they were going to mistreat him. In the upper part of the chair there were brown heads like dogs and in the upper parts they shone and glittered. Such figures and heads were seen on several long kitchen tables that were on the side of this temple area and which were filled with offerings. The entire space was so big and wide and so crowded that it didn't feel like being in a temple. As Jesus would have adduced in other schools all kinds of examples of nature, arts and sciences in his answers and explanations, masters in all these different disciplines had gathered there. When they began to ask him and dispute privately with Jesus about these matters, he said that this matter was not discussed in the temple; but he also wanted to satisfy them in this because his father's will was such. Since they did not understand that he was speaking about His heavenly Father, they thought that Joseph had told him to boast of all his knowledge before the priests. Jesus began to respond and teach about medicine by describing the human body and saying things that even those most knowledgeable in the field did not know.
He also spoke about astronomy, architecture, agriculture, geometry and mathematics. Then he moved on to jurisprudence. In this way, everything they submitted to him, he applied so beautifully to the Law, the promises, the prophecies, the temple and the mysteries of worship and sacrifice, that some were greatly admired, while others were ashamed and disgusted.
It was like this, until everyone who questioned him became very uncomfortable, especially when hearing things that they had never known or understood or that they interpreted in a very different way.
Jesus had been teaching for a few hours when Joseph and Mary entered the temple and asked the Levites who knew them about their son.
These said that he was in the court with the scribes and priests, and as this place was not accessible to them, they sent a Levite in search of Jesus.
But he made them say that he wanted to finish his work first. The circumstance of not attending greatly distressed Mary: it was the first time that she made them understand that there were other mandates for Him outside of those of His earthly parents. He continued teaching for no less than an hour, and when everyone found themselves refuted, confused and beaten in his leading questions, he left the classroom and arrived at the hall of Israel and the women. José, shy, remained silent, full of admiration. Mary approached him, saying: "Son, why did you do this to us?... Behold, your father and I are looking for you in so much pain." Jesus was still very serious, and said: "Why are you looking for me? Don't you know that I must be in the things of my Father?..." This they did not understand and returned with him immediately. Those who had heard these words were amazed and looked at Him. I was filled with fear: it seemed to me that they were going to beat Him, because they were full of resentment against the Child. I was surprised that they allowed the Holy Family to leave calmly, because they opened a wide path for them in the middle of the crowd gathered in the place. Jesus' doctrine strongly attracted the attention of the scribes: some wrote down his sayings as something remarkable and all kinds of comments and murmurs were made about the subject. But everything that happened in the temple, they kept it to themselves, distorting things and describing the boy as an intruder and impudent, whom they had corrected: that he undoubtedly had a lot of talent, but that these were things that needed to be thought out better.
I saw the Holy Family leaving Jerusalem again and meeting up with two women and some children that I didn't know, but who seemed to be from Nazareth.
They went to different places around Jerusalem, along different paths, along the Mount of Olives, stopping here and there, in the beautiful and green places of recreation, and praying with their hands crossed on their chest. I saw them cross a large bridge over a stream. The walk and prayer of the small group vividly reminded me of a pilgrimage.
XCV Party at Anne's Home
When Jesus returned to Nazareth, I saw a big party at Hannah's house, attended by all the young men and women of relatives and friends. I don't know if it would be a celebration for the discovery of Baby Jesus or another ceremony accustomed to the return of Easter or the celebration of children's twelfth birthdays that used to be celebrated. Jesus was there as the main celebrant. Beautiful baskets were laid out on the tables, and garlands of vine leaves and ears were hung on them, and the children carried grapes and bread rolls. Thirty-three children were present, all future disciples of Jesus, which reflected the years of Jesus' life. Jesus taught and told these children, during the party, a very wonderful and little understood parable of a wedding where the wine would turn into blood and the bread into flesh, and that this would remain with the guests until the end of the world for consolation, strength and bond of union. She also said to a young man called Nathanael, a relative of hers: "I will be present at your wedding". From this twelfth year of his life, Jesus was always like the teacher of his childhood companions. Many times he was sitting with them telling them something and walking in the open air. Later, he began to help José in his trade. He was the Savior with a slender and delicate figure, with a long, oval and bright face, healthy in color, although pale. His hair, very straight and bright blond, fell in part across his high, serene forehead and over his shoulders. He wore a long brownish-gray tunic that reached his feet; the sleeves were a little open near the hands.
XCVI Death of Saint Joseph
When Jesus approached the age of thirty, Joseph became increasingly weak, and he often saw Jesus and Mary with him. Mary often sat on the floor, in front of her bed, or on a low, three-legged round platform, which she sometimes used as a table. I saw them eat a few times: when they brought a meal to Joseph at his bedside, it was three white slices about two fingers long, square, placed on a plate or small fruits in a cup. They gave him to drink in a kind of amphora. When Joseph died, Mary was sitting at the head of the bed and had him in her arms, while Jesus was close to her chest. I saw the room full of radiance and angels. Joseph, folding his hands on his chest, was wrapped in white cloth, placed in a narrow drawer and deposited in the beautiful sepulchral cave that a good man had given him. Outside of Jesus and Mary, few people accompanied the coffin, which I saw, instead, among radiances and angels.
Joseph died before Jesus, as he could not have suffered the Lord's crucifixion: he was too weak and loving. Great hardships had already been suffered for him by the persecutions that the Savior had to endure between the ages of twenty and thirty, due to all sorts of machinations on the part of the Jews, whom they could not suffer: they said that the carpenter's Son wanted to know everything better and they were full of envy, because he often challenged the doctrine of the Pharisees and always had numerous young people around him who followed him. Mary suffered infinitely from these persecutions.
These penalties have always seemed greater to me than actual martyrdom. Indescribable was the love with which Jesus endured the persecutions and tricks of the Jews in his youth. As he went with his followers to the festival in Jerusalem, and used to walk with them, the Pharisees of Nazareth called him a vagabond. Many of these followers of Christ did not persevere and abandoned him.
After the death of Joseph, Jesus and Mary moved to a small town of few houses between Capernaum and Bethsaida, where a man named Levi, from Capernaum, who loved the Holy Family, gave Jesus a small house to live in, located in a secluded place. and surrounded by a lake of water. Some of Levi's servants lived there to take care of household chores; the food was brought from Levi's house. The father of the apostle Peter also retired to this small village when he handed over his fishing business in Bethsaida to him. Jesus then had some followers from Nazareth, but they easily distanced themselves from Him. Jesus was already going with them around the lake and to Jerusalem for the temple festivals. The family of Lázaro, from Bethany, was already known to the Holy Family. Levi had given him that house so that Jesus could take refuge there with his disciples unmolested. There was then a very fertile region around the lake of Capernaum, with beautiful valleys, and I saw that they harvested several harvests there each year: the appearance was beautiful due to the vegetation, flowers and fruits. That's why many noble Jews had their pleasure houses, their castles and their gardens there; Herod also had a residence. The Jews of the Lord's time were not like the Jews of other times; these, because of trade with the heathen, were very perverted. Women were not seen in public or in the fields, except for the very poor who gathered ears of wheat. They were seen, on the contrary, on pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and in other places of prayer. Commerce and agriculture were mainly done through slaves and servants. I saw all the cities of Galilee, and where now I see only two or three small cities, then a hundred were full of moving people. Mary Cleophas, who with her third husband, the father of Simeon of Jerusalem, had lived until now in the house of Anne, near Nazareth, upon leaving Mary and Joseph their home in Nazareth, moved to that house with her son Simeon, while their servants and relatives stayed at Hannah's. When Jesus headed from Capernaum, through Nazareth, to Hebron, he was accompanied by Mary to Nazareth, where he waited for his return. Maria used to accompany her son with great affection on these short trips. There were José Barsabas, son of Maria Cléofas, and her second husband Sabas, and three other children of her first husband Alpheus: