Somehow, it has been under the radar: in deepest Brazil, near the dense and forbidding forests of the Amazon, in fact in a state called Amazona, the Blessed Virgin Mary reportedly has been speaking to a duo of visionaries since 1994 in a city called Itapiranga as well as the state capital in apparitions that seem to have approval of the local bishop, who issued a nihil obstat and quominus imprimatur on the Solemnity of the Pentecost in 2009.

"I was asked to express my views about the authenticity of the apparitions of Mary as Our Lady Queen of the Rosary and Peace in Itapiranga during the years 1994-1998," wrote Archbishop Carillo Gritti of Itacoatiara (the apparitions at Itapiranga formally ended in 1998 and are now mainly received elsewhere). "Many believers and some bishops have pointed out the urgent need for clarification in this regard. I am also personally aware that the development of devotion, which spans a period of fifteen years, so requires. As for the supernatural character and content of the messages, I see that this devotion has taken place in the life of faith of thousands of faithful. I have also been given testimonies of conversion and reconciliation, as well as healing and special protection. In full recognition of the responsibility of the Holy See, it is primarily the task of the local bishop to decide, according to their conscience, the authenticity of private revelations that are occurring or have occurred in his diocese. For this reason, with regard to the results of previous investigations and questions and objections arising from them, I once again asked the advice of some theologians and psychologists. I testify that in their opinion there are no fundamental theological and psychological impediments to the recognition of the supernatural authenticity. Considering these opinions, testimonies, and developments, and pondering all this in prayer and theological reflection, everything leads me to finding that there is in the appearances of Itapiranga a supernatural origin."

The bishop added that while such apparitions, visions, and locutions come through the "filter of the senses" (and thus can be and are influenced by human factors), they may also be viewed as an aid to understanding "the signs of the times."

"The signs of our times are dramatic," said Archbishop Gritti, according to an initial translation of his notation. "It is my sincere belief that devotion to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, and Queen of Peace, can help us, in the drama of our time, to find the right path, the path towards a new and unique coming of the Holy Spirit, He Who alone can heal the great plagues of our time."

It is to be sure strong language for an archbishop. We are in the process of official confirmation. The archbishop is seen in videos at the site of apparitions, where he bestowed blessings.

The last apparition to receive such strong official affirmation was Kibeho in Rwanda. It is not clear if the letter was issued after review by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. If it constitutes a full approval (declaration of the supernatural by a bishop normally does), there are now at least five living visionaries whose apparitions have been deemed of supernatural character (at Itapiranga, Kibeho, and San Nicolas, Argentina). In other cases there are partial approvals while in still others, such as Medjugorje in Bosnia-Hercegovina, investigations proceed.

The city chosen for the reputed Brazilian apparitions is actually a town of about 8,600 located 1,770 northwest of Rio de Janeiro and more than two hundred miles from the state capital of Manaus. Fascinating they are, the details of apparitions in a territory of jaguars and anaconda, of monkey and macaws; fascinating too is how similar Itapiranga is to other apparitions that likewise emphasize "peace."

The first apparition was on May 2, 1994 when the Blessed Mother was said to have come as a beautiful girl of seventeen; in subsequent visits she often appeared with Saint Joseph, who held the Infant (and in ongoing appearances, still does). The two chief seers are Edson Glauber and his mother, Maria do Carmo, who have experienced them separately and together. Many messages are aimed at the young and have led to prayer groups as far afield as Italy. Starting in 2001, the appearances were most prevalent on Saturdays, then spread to weekdays. The Saturday apparitions were said to be in preparation of some kind and help to avoid "great evils that were coming in the world" (2001 was the year of September 11).

According to a website dedicated to the apparitions, the Blessed Mother of Itapiranga foresaw the great 2004 Asian tsunami.

Explains a rough translation: "On December 26, 2004, occurred the great earthquake and tsunami in Asia that killed more than 200,000 people: the fact is that it was prophesied many years before and revealed to Edson in Itapiranga in 1996 and then on February 11, 1997 in Arari, when he met with his family at the site of some friends. At that time, before people present, the Virgin showed Edson various scenes and asked him to draw what he was shown. One of these visions was the earthquake and tsunami that would kill thousands of people in Asia. This drawing the Virgin asked Edson to put on the wall of his home in Itapiranga so people could see it, meditate, and pray that it not happen in the world, but many did not take seriously this request for intercessory prayer for the conversion of world and saw these drawings and prophecies as nonsense and lies. Many over time came to say: time has passed and nothing has happened. But people do not know God's timing. The Madonna began to reappear for longer times in 2004 to Edson again wanting to gather children in prayer, calling them to intercede for the world, but unfortunately once again this was not heard and catastrophe arrived, killing many. In 2005 the Virgin often prayed with Edson for the carrying out of [heavenly] plans and asked him to sacrifice more for this work. On another occasion, in an appearance, Jesus asked him if he wanted to help save more souls to Heaven (July 29, 2007). Edson accepted and Jesus placed the crown of thorns on the head of Edson and told him: 'Learn to offer your sacrifices and penances united with the merits of My Passion, so they become very precious in the sight of my Eternal Father.' Soon after this appearance Edson offered this sacrifice to the Eternal Father together with merits of the Passion of Christ for the salvation of all souls and then Bishop Carillo Gritti came to Itapiranga (May 8, 2005) to publicly celebrate Holy Mass for the first time for the pilgrims."

There are also said to be "secrets." We will be investigating further. Can it be true? Did an approved apparition foresee the 2004 "Christmas tsunami"? And did a bishop approve a site while the private revelations continue? As always, there are questions and potential controversies. The Blessed Mother is said on one occasion to have told the Brazilian seer that there was truth behind an apparition claim during the 1940s in Bergamo, Italy, an apparition that, however, was ruled against by the local bishop there. For now, there is no denying the unusual nature of the bishop's actions in Brazil and the power behind images and messages that have emanated from the site, where many gather.

"Before starting the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, I was prepared for the Lord in dreams, for this work they would ask of me and my mother," Edson has explained. "Several times, the Lord gave me revelations in dreams that really were a preparation for the apparitions of the Mother of God. On Saturday at home, April 30, 1994, while praying the Rosary with my family and my friends, I heard the voice of a very beautiful young man who told me: 'Pray with your heart!' I looked around to see who it was and saw no one. I saw only my family and friends who prayed with head bowed and eyes closed. I thought to myself, 'Where did this voice come from and who is it?' I kept praying the Rosary and the third mystery hear again the voice that told me: 'Pray the rosary every day!'

"Again quickly I opened my eyes and looked around, but saw no one, only my family and my brothers who were praying with me. I wondered what they had just heard and it seemed like my heart was going to explode and vibrated with peace and joy. When we knelt down and prayed the Hail Holy Queen and looked at the picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary that were on the wall of the living room, we saw that they were different, as if they had made alive or to wiggle to come off the wall. At this moment I heard again the voice of that beautiful young man, who came from the direction of the pattern of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who told me: 'I'm coming. Wait!' At the end of the third, when my friends were gone, I called my mother and told her what had happened. I felt in my heart that I had to speak to her alone. The same thing happened when my mother saw the Virgin for the second time. She immediately went to my room to wake me and tell me what she had seen. I understood later that Our Lady was choosing another one also for the mission to evangelize the Amazon with their holy messages."

During that first apparition, the Blessed Mother brought a brother who had died accidentally in 1989, according to the website (which is only roughly translated).

Some of the phenomena are odd by the classic standards of apparitions and must be discerned separately and cautiously. "I was in my brother's room and had begun to pray the Rosary," the seer added. "There was a small statue of Our Lady Rosa Mystica. It was morning, about 10:00 a.m. My mother joined me praying the Rosary and when we were on the third mystery, the image of Our Lady was lit and began to grow to the size of a person. We could not see anything else. Only Our Lady was there in front of us, her smile alive, with hands clasped in prayer and looking at me, opening her hands. She was lowering her arms as if to pour graces upon us and the world. Shortly thereafter she disappeared. It lasted about six seconds. It was very fast. Starting then, Our Lady began to come daily. Often she even appeared as represented in its various appearances around the world or in holy images. Sometimes she carries on her head a very beautiful golden crown, with precious stones and sometimes small gold stars, in number twelve, which form a beautiful circle. When questioned on May 21, 1994, while praying at home with my family and friends, the Blessed Mother said in introduction, 'I am the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus!'"

On Christmas Day, 2012, Edson says he saw the Holy Family -- Saint Joseph as well as Jesus, Who that day was also reported, as the Infant, at the reputed site of Medjugorje, speaking for the first time there (and emphasizing peace).

During the apparition in Brazil the Child was said to have given His blessing to the world and soon after the Virgin did the same, as did St. Joseph; during the blessings lights in the shape of stars fell on us and the world like a halo. 

"The Virgin is sealing us for God with her motherly blessing, preparing the small remnant of the Lord," said the visionary. "This is achieved through the action of the Holy Spirit, when we lead with their blessing and their thanks at the table of the Eucharist, to receive the body and Precious Blood of His Son Jesus, for it is through Him that we are sealed, as Scripture says (Ephesians 1.13): 'In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and having believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.'"

"Peace my dear children!" she allegedly said. "I come from Heaven with my Son Jesus and St. Joseph to bless the families. My children, today, on this special night, where you celebrate the birth of my Son Jesus, I tell them that it is peace in their lives that is the light that illuminates your path in this world. Be of Jesus now, delivering all your hearts, and my Divine Son will relieve them and comfort them when they feel slaughtered and without faith. Pray, pray with love, pray to always feel the Presence of my Divine Son so that it will be present in a special way. I love them and tell them that if they want to have the peace and love of my Son in their families they should open their hearts to Him, give Him everything with faith and trust and never doubt. Thank you for your presence here tonight. Take the blessing of my Divine Son to their families. Take our love: the love of our most holy hearts to their brothers. Do not worry and do not despair. God is on your side dropping all barriers and opening the way before you, so that your work will spread and shine strongly, destroying the darkness of Satan. Satan will be destroyed by the obedience and humility of those who wish to live my appeals to the heart and love. I bless you all: in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!"

[Video]

[resources: The Last Secret and Michael Brown retreat: Signs of the times: Michael Brown retreats: Lakeland, Fl, January 27, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Houston: prophecy, afterlife, spiritual warfare, healing] 

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[Footnote from the Miracle Hunter website: APPROVAL

Sun CARILLO GRITTI BISPO PRELADO RUA 
MGR. JOAQUIM PEREIRA, 
144 - c.p. 143 

Itacoatiara (AM) BRAZIL Itacoatiara, 

May 31, 2009 

Solemnity of Pentecost 

Nihil Obstat QUOMINUS IMPRIMATUR 

In response to questions about the apparitions of Our Lady Queen of the Rosary and peace in Itapiranga as Bishop Itacoatiara / Amazonas (Brazil) I was asked to express my views about the authenticity of the apparitions of Mary as Our Lady Queen of S. Rosario and Peace to Itapiranga during the years 1994-1998. Many believers and some bishops have pointed out the urgent need for clarification in this regard. I am also personally aware that the development of devotion, which spans a period of 15 years, so requires. As for the supernatural character and content of the messages, I see that this devotion has taken place in the life of faith of thousands of faithful. I have also been given testimonies of conversion and reconciliation, as well as healing and special protection. In full recognition of the responsibility of the Holy See, it is primarily the task of the local bishop to decide, according to their conscience, the authenticity of private revelations that are occurring or have occurred in his diocese. For this reason, with regard to the results of previous investigations and questions and objections arising from them, I once again asked the advice of some theologians and psychologists. I testify that in their opinion that there are no fundamental theological and psychological impediments to the recognition of the authenticity supernatural. CONSIDERING THESE OPINIONS, TESTIMONIES AND DEVELOPMENTS AND pondering all this IN PRAYER AND THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION, EVERYTHING LEADS ME TO FINDING THAT THERE IN APPEARANCES Itapiranga a supernatural origin. Of course, there is still the influence of the human factor. Even authentic image and visions pass as said Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, through the filter of our senses, which carry out a process of translation ... "and" ... are influenced by the possibilities and limitations of the perceiving subject "(Cardinal Ratzinger, Theological Commentary in preparation for the publication of the Third Secret of Fatima. L'Osservatore Romano, June 28, 2000). Instead of Sacred Scripture, the private revelation is never binding on the conscience of the faithful. It is to be seen as an aid to understand the signs of the times and to live more fully the Gospel in its actuality (cf. Luke 12:56; Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 67). And the signs of our times are dramatic. You my sincere belief that devotion to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, and Queen of Peace can help us, the drama of our time, to find the right path, the path towards a new and unique coming of the Holy Spirit, He who alone can heal the great plagues of our time. A member of the "Legion of Sacrorum Cordium" dedicated to the work of the three joined the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and Joseph, my blessing and encouragement in the first edition in Portuguese and Italian messages of Our Lady. Hopefully this has taken action to provide sufficient information and clarity. 

(Seal) Preemption de Itacoatiara 
(Signature) 
+ Archbishop Carillo Gritti Itacoatiara - Am Bishop of Itacoatiara.

Source: latheotokos.it]