Did the Blessed Virgin Mary Appear in Garabandal?

by Arthur Policarpio

Garabandal is a small village of around 300 people located in a ruggedly beautiful, mountaineous region of Northern Spain. In the evening of June 18, 1961, four girls were playing in the outskirts of the town – 11-year old Maria Cruz Gonzalez, and three 12-year-old girls named Conchita Gonzalez, Maria Dolores Mazon, and Jacinta Gonzalez. Notwithstanding their similar last names, none of them were related. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise, like thunder, and they saw the Archangel Michael. On the following days, the Archangel appeared today in the same place, announcing to them that on July 2, they would see Our Lady.