December 8, 1999—Feast of the Immaculate Conception—Two Apparitions the Same Day, 11:45 a.m. and 5:40 p.m.
Close to five thousand people were present during this apparition which took place in the Field. At the moment of the apparition, Marija separated herself from the crowd and knelt in front of Our Lady’s statue. Our Lady appeared to Marija at 10:45 a.m. The following are Marija’s own words in describing the apparition:
“When Our Lady appeared, She came all dressed in gold. I recommended each of you and every intention of your hearts. Our Lady extended Her hands over all of us and prayed over us for a long time. I asked Our Lady to bless each and every one of us and to bless all the religious objects that you brought. Our Lady then smiled at all of us and prayed a moment and then She raised Her arm and blessed us with the Sign of the Cross. I then asked Our Lady if She had something that She wanted to tell us. Our Lady then looked at me and smiled and said:
Do not forget that I am your Mother and that I love you.
“Our Lady then raised Her hand again (a second time) and blessed us and then left.”
During the apparition, Marija had asked Our Lady what time She would appear the following day. Marija told the Community later that Our Lady changed the time of the apparition from the morning to 5:40 p.m. in the evening. This was a sign for them that Our Lady was “running the events there,” that She had come with special plans of Her own and had Her own schedule She wished them to follow. Unknown to the Community, Marija had also asked if Our Lady would appear again that evening for a private apparition for the Community. Our Lady said, “yes, in the home, at a twenty ?til six.” Our Lady appeared to Marija at 5:40 p.m. Our Lady stayed with them for several minutes, a longer apparition than normal. Marija said that Our Lady looked at each of the Community members individually, smiled, blessed them all and then told them the words She had spoken earlier in the day:
Do not forget that I am your Mother and I love you.
