There are reports of apparitions of St. Michael the Archangel in various parts of the world. In France, for example, St. Joan of Arc had a vision of the prince of the heavenly militia.
In Mexico, according to tradition, St. Michael appeared three times to a young convert named Diego Lazarus. The first was during a procession on April 25, 1631, in the village of San Barnabas Capula, municipality of Natívitas, in the state of Tlaxcala.
St. Michael ordered the young man to tell the neighbors that, in a valley between two hills in the area, a spring of miraculous water would be found. That water, according to the archangel, would be able to cure illnesses.
The heavenly protector told the young man:
You must know, my son, that I am St. Michael the Archangel. I’ve come to tell you that it is God’s will and mine that you tell the people of this town and the surrounding area that in the ravine between these two hills, the one in front of this place, you will find a source of miraculous water for all illnesses, which will be under a very large rock. Do not doubt what I tell you, nor fail to do what I tell you to do.
Another apparition and a reprimand
The young man didn’t believe in the vision and, afraid of being called crazy, did not pass on the archangel’s request. Months later, Diego Lazarus became very ill with cocoliztli, an epidemic that had killed millions of people in the 16th century. When everyone was expecting his death, St. Michael appeared to him again, surrounded by intense rays of light. The young man’s relatives were surprised, because even they could see a very bright light coming out of the room where the boy was dying. Then they went to see what had happened and found Diego healed.
The young man recounted how, in a mysterious way, the archangel had led him to the fountain of miraculous water where a shrine was to be built. In the vision, St. Michael was leading the way, opening the path for the young man.
The archangel then reprimanded Diego, because he had not heeded his request. The illness, indeed, had been a punishment for his disobedience.
St. Michael again commanded that the faithful be informed about the spring “without fear and without delay.” Otherwise, Diego would be stricken with the disease again.
The third apparition
According to tradition, St. Michael appeared one more time to the young man. After this, Diego collected a sample of water from the fountain and sent it to the local bishop. The bishop then distributed the water among some sick people, and everyone who drank it was cured.
Some years later, the bishop of Puebla ordered the construction of the current church of San Miguel del Milagro (St. Michael of the Miracle), where the miraculous spring is enshrined. The pilgrimage site receives thousands of faithful every year, especially in the month of September, when the Church celebrates the holy archangels.
Click here to see photos of the shrine.
Watch the video below to learn about the three victories of the Archangel Michael.
And today we celebrate...