By Marco Corvaglia
As it is known, the Great Sign (or Great Miracle, linked to the so-called Third Secret), vainly expected in Medjugorje for nearly 33 years, is undeniably inspired by the Great Miracle of Garabandal, where it was expected by 1964. In conjunction of it, according to the promise of the alleged Madonna of Garabandal, Joey Lomangino would have get back his eyes, that had been surgically removed.
On 18 June 2014, at the age of 83, Joey Lomangino has died. As it is obvious, he did not regain his sight and, moreover, in Garabandal no Great Miracle happened. Among the devotees of Medjugorje, those who love the truth can derive the consequences.
As it is known, the facts of Medjugorje began in 1981. In the previous two decades, the more internationally known “apparitions”, both in Spain, were those of Garabandal (not recognized by the Church) and of Palmar de Troya (condemned by the Church).
In June 1961, in the Iberian village of Garabandal, four girls claimed to have apparitions of angels and of the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of Mount Caramel). The phenomenon lasted until 1965 and was heavily advertised, particularly through the Seventies, in a number of books translated into several languages (in particular the Diary of Conchita,who is the main visionary, and the Garabandal histories written by F. Sánchez Ventura and R. Pérez).
These apparitions were well known even in the Catholic side of what was formerly Yugoslavia.
Six years before the start of Medjugorje, a Croatian priest, Josip Sukner, in his book Veliki znak (The Great Sign), wrote:
When these events occurred at Garabandal, the name of this Spanish mountain village has spread throughout the Catholic world.
[Josip Sukner, Veliki znak. Ukazanja i poruke Presvete Djevice, Zagreb, 1975, p. 65]
As we shall see, it seems clear that the Medjugorje youngsters were inspired by the events of Garabandal.