Mari Cruz González
Garabandal, Spain · 1950–present · Visionary of the Garabandal apparitions
María Cruz González was one of the four visionaries of Garabandal. Although she was the first to leave the village, she always maintained the firm conviction that the apparitions were real.
His childhood in Garabandal
María Cruz González was born in 1950 in the small village of Garabandal, located in the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain. She was a cheerful and simple girl, the daughter of a humble farming family. Along with her friends Conchita González, Jacinta González, and Mari Loli Mazón, she spent her days playing in the village streets and helping their families with farm work.
Garabandal was a village of barely 300 inhabitants, isolated in the mountains, where life unfolded peacefully in rhythm with the seasons. The parish church of San Sebastián was the center of the village's spiritual life, and families gathered there every Sunday for Mass.
The first appearance
On June 18, 1961, Conchita and Mari Loli saw an angel for the first time on the outskirts of the village. The following day, June 19, the four girls—Conchita, Jacinta, Mari Loli, and Mari Cruz—saw the Archangel Michael together. On July 2, 1961, the Virgin Mary appeared to the four girls for the first time.
Mari Cruz was just 11 years old when the apparitions began. In her first statements, she described the Virgin as a young woman of extraordinary beauty, dressed in a white mantle and a crown of stars. The Virgin smiled with a sweetness that filled them with peace.
The apparitions and the messages
During the years of the apparitions (1961-1965), Mari Cruz received multiple visions of the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Michael. The Virgin conveyed messages to her focusing on:
La oración: «Rezad el Rosario todos los días. Es el arma más poderosa contra el mal.»
La conversión: «Convertíos de todo corazón. El tiempo se acaba.»
Los sacrificios: «Haced sacrificios por los pecadores. Muchas almas se pierden porque nadie reza por ellas.»
La Eucaristía: «Sed fieles a la Misa dominical. La Eucaristía es el alimento del alma.»
Miracles
During the apparitions, numerous supernatural phenomena were witnessed in Garabandal:
Los éxtasis: Las cuatro niñas entraban en éxtasis simultáneamente, caminando hacia atrás por las empinadas calles del pueblo sin caerse, con los ojos fijos en el cielo.
La comunión del ángel: En varias ocasiones, el Ángel San Miguel dio la comunión a las niñas ante cientos de testigos. Una hostia consagrada apareció milagrosamente en la boca de Conchita.
El milagro de la hostia: El 19 de julio de 1962, una hostia consagrada apareció en la boca de Conchita ante miles de personas. La hostia fue fotografiada y analizada por médicos.
The decision to leave Garabandal
Mari Cruz was the first of the four visionaries to leave Garabandal. In 1966, after the apparitions ended, she moved to Santander to study and work. This decision was difficult for her, but necessary for building her adult life.
Her departure caused concern among the followers of Garabandal, who feared that Mari Cruz had lost her faith. However, Mari Cruz always maintained the authenticity of the apparitions and never retracted her statements.
His life in Santander
In Santander, Mari Cruz worked as a shop assistant and got married. She had children and lived a discreet life, away from the public eye. She rarely gave interviews and preferred to keep her private life out of the public eye.
Despite her discretion, Mari Cruz always responded to those who asked her about the apparitions. She said, "What we saw was real. The Virgin appeared to us and spoke to us. I have no doubt."
His constant testimony
Over the years, Mari Cruz has maintained a consistent and coherent account of the apparitions. In the few interviews she has given, she has stated:
"The Virgin Mary asked us to pray the Rosary every day. She asked us to convert wholeheartedly. She asked us to make sacrifices for sinners. These messages are as important today as they were then."
"I know what I saw. The Virgin Mary appeared to us and spoke to us. It's not something you can forget. It's something that changes your life forever."
Her relationship with the other seers
Mari Cruz maintained contact with the other clairvoyants over the years, although each one took a different path. Conchita moved to New York, Jacinta stayed in Spain, and Mari Loli emigrated to the United States.
The four visionaries never recanted their statements and always maintained the authenticity of the apparitions. Their testimonies are consistent with each other, despite the years of separation.
The legacy of Mari Cruz
Mari Cruz González's testimony is important because it demonstrates that the Garabandal apparitions were not a passing phenomenon or a childish illusion. Four different girls, at different times and in different places, maintained the same conviction for more than 60 years.
Mari Cruz represents all those who have experienced the supernatural and have chosen to live their faith in silence, without seeking fame or recognition. Her discreet life is a testament to humility and consistency.