The Community gathered in the Bedroom at 5:00 p.m. The founder, having to be out of town that day, came late for the Rosary, but he stopped the prayer and asked everyone to close their eyes and think about the joys the Community was experiencing these days until their hearts were filled with thanksgiving for all the gifts God had been giving to them. He then told them to open their eyes. Gasps and cries of surprise and joy were heard throughout the room. They were shocked. While their eyes had been closed, the visionary Marija had slipped in at the foot of the Bed. It was almost like having an apparition themselves. Not only Marija, but her husband Paolo and their six year old son, Giovanni had also appeared. Several in the Community said it was shock and awe.
The Community learned that Marija and Paolo had come to attend the wedding, but it was kept a secret in order to add to the joy of the week. As if that surprise wasn’t enough, Our Lady had not appeared to Marija at her normal apparition time, but had waited so that the Community could be present in the apparition. Everyone was stunned with joy. The Community prayed the Rosary novena for the wedding couple and then Our Lady appeared about 5:55 p.m. The following is a description given by one of the Community members of the apparition:
“At the moment of the apparition, Marija recommended to Our Lady the Community and Our Lady immediately smiled. After the apparition, Marija, with joy but struggling for words, said I think Our Lady was surprised too. Our founder, wondering why Marija said that, asked, Did Our Lady look surprised And Marija tried to find better words to describe and relay Our Lady’s expression, because it wasn’t exactly surprise, but that Our Lady was reacting to our surprise in some way. It was an emotional expression we had never heard used to describe Our Lady before. Our founder then asked, Was it like She was amused? And while Marija happily nodded yes, she said it was like joy but different. After discussing Our Lady’s reaction, it was more like an emotion of joy, sharing of the surprise and amusement. Marija said Our Lady then blessed us.”
The founder, knowing tomorrow would be a difficult day to get everyone together because of the wedding preparations, asked Marija to have Our Lady choose the time for tomorrow’s apparition. Our Lady would know what would be best when all the Community could attend Her apparition. Marija asked, and Our Lady astounded them all when She said:
“I will come when you pray.”
