OUR LADY OF PEACE - BARRAL, PORTUGAL

Though not St. Joseph related, I am posting this little known apparition  of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from 1917, because I feel the simplicity of this apparition is important for us to reflect on in these complicated times we find ourselves.

WHAT HAPPENED IN BARRAL, PORTUGAL ON THE 10TH & 11TH OF MAY, 1917

This case involved a poor little shepherd named Severino Alves, ten years old, the son of a poor and virtuous widow, and brother of six others, all of them very God-fearing. 

On May 10, 1917, at eight o'clock in the morning, this boy was on his way to the mountain, praying the rosary, as he usually did while making his way, he saw a flash of lightning that surprised him as it was a clear day, stopping him in his tracks.

He then took a few more steps and suddenly beheld a Lady, seated, with her hands clasped. Her face was beautiful like no other, and she radiated light, covering her head with a blue mantle and the rest of her body in a white dress. 

As soon as the little seer saw her, he fell to the ground startled by what he saw. Bringing himself back up he exclaimed in awe, "Lord Jesus Christ!" At that moment the vision disappeared. 

The boy later went to the parish priest to tell him what he had seen. The priest listened carefully to the young man. Severino, who had a good reputation in the town, being well behaved and loved by the locals, was not at first believed by the priest. However, given the sincerity and precision with which he reported everything he saw, the parish priest finally advised him to return to the place of the apparition and ask this vision to inform him who she was. 

The next day, May 11, 1917, on a Friday, it was again eight o'clock in the morning when Severino was walking with his sheep to take them to the mountain. It was a clear day, just as it had been the day before. As he walked he encountered the same Lady, who was sitting in the same place as the previous day. 

On that day, May 11, 1917, the face of the apparition was smiling radiantly. When he saw her, the little boy fell to his knees and, being brave, asked what the parish priest had advised him: "She who did not speak yesterday, let her speak today." 

Then the apparition with a voice that was a mixture of laughter and singing, a voice unlike anything he had ever heard, reassured him, saying: "Do not be afraid, boy, it is I." And she added: "Tell the shepherds of the mountain to always pray the rosary, let the men and women once again sing the “Star of Heaven” hymn, which has been long forgotten, and to approach me in prayer, that I shall come to the world and placate the war." 

After saying this, without the child having more time to answer anything but: "Yes, Lady", the vision, looking to the side, commented: "What beautiful buds.” 

As soon as the little boy had looked in the same direction, turning his head, the vision was gone. The privileged seer went and immediately told the mothers who had sons in the army what the beautiful Lady had said, that she would end the war if people prayed the Rosary and once again sang the “Star of Heaven”. 

To the questions asked, the little boy always answered in the same way: "If you want to believe, then believe. If you do not want to believe, then don’t," he added: "I did my duty, telling you what the Lady told me." 

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF SEVERINO ALVES

Severino Alves was born in Barral, Parish of Vila Chã S. João, Ponte da Barca on June 21, 1906. He was the son of António Alves and Cecília Francisca Valente. 

When the apparition of Our Lady occurred, Severino was 10 years old. On the day of the first appearance, he spoke with the parish priest. The next day, May 11, he announced what the Vision told him to say. 

In the same year of 1917, Severino Alves was interrogated by various priests of the Archdiocese of Braga, in the Chapel of Our Lady of Amparo, about the apparitions of Our Lady of Peace. "Of course, they tried to make me admit to lying. When I refused to recant my story they then began to threaten me with a beating. They then put their hands on me. I told them, ‘You can be assured that what I saw is what is said. And what was told to me by the Lady is what I said. Now go ahead and do as you please." (Severino Alves, 1917). 

Later that year, Severino was advised to deny everything he had seen, otherwise he would be arrested. "Oh! Never! Our Lady told me to tell everyone to pray the Rosary and to sing the “Star of Heaven” to bring an end to the war, and I will now say I did not see anything?! Never will I deny these words she spoke to me! Never! If you want to arrest me, go ahead and arrest me. If they want to kill me, let them kill me!" (Severino Alves, 1917). 

Severino Alves was collected by the Archdiocese of Braga, in the Major Seminary of Braga, not to study, but simply to be there. He was regularly subjected to interrogations about what he had seen and told about the apparitions of Our Lady of Peace. He was then sent to the Jesuit Fathers' College in La Guardia, Galicia. He was there for two years against his will. They wanted to force him to become a Brother in the Society of Jesus. Since he did not feel a vocation, Severino begged a friend to help him escape and returned to Barral. 

Then, like most of Barral's youth, Severino went to Lisbon looking for a job. He got a job at a drug store. Then came the time to fulfill the Military Service. His mother accompanied him to Ponte da Barca. He had the typhus. The doctor said to the mother that the boy would die soon. His daughter says that "He prayed to Our Lady and she appeared to him and said 'Drink a tea of nettles and I will do the rest!' He drank this tea and the next day he recovered." 

He married Delfina Alves, who was a native of the Parish of Sampriz, Ponte da Barca. Six months after the birth of their first daughter, they left the city of Lisbon and returned to Barral, where they lived for ten years. 

Around the 1950’s he was again questioned about what happened on May 10 and 11, 1917: "I swear by my daughter's health that what I said in 1917 has to be said now, because it was all true" (Severino Alves, 1954). 

He returned to Lisbon, going to work for the same employer who despite having enough employees, accepted again Severino Alves. Severino and his wife had a small vegetable garden. It was tended by Severino. The vegetables were to make some little income, and the profit was added to offer to Our Lady of Peace. It was Severino's custom, before going to work to participate and to commune in the Church of S. Domingos, in Lisbon. They left Lisbon at the time of the Reformation. 

He was interrogated one last time on January 3, 1985, Severino being already very weak and bedridden. He died ten days later, on January 13, 1985 at the age of 78. His remains are buried in the Parish Cemetery in Lugar do Barral. 

(Click image to enlarge)

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