‘Those who place their confidence in me will be saved’: The message of Our Lady of Akita

[Michie]

OSV News) — July 6 marks the 50th anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Akita. On June 12, 1973, Sister Agnes Sasagawa of the Handmaids of the Eucharist began receiving heavenly visions in a convent located in Akita, Japan. At first she saw angelic beings worshipping the Eucharist, but then, on July 6, 1973, Sister Agnes reported a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary speaking, relaying a powerful message similar to what the three shepherd children received in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917.

The statue soon after began to bleed and tears started to flow down her cheeks. Around 2,000 people witnessed the tears, and the liquid was gathered and sent to a laboratory for testing. A professor from the Akita University Department of Biochemistry studied the liquid, as well as a non-Christian forensic specialist, Dr. Kaoru Sagisaka. The blood was confirmed to be of human origin, as were the tears.

After a lengthy investigation, the local bishop, John Shojiro Ito of Niigata, approved the apparition to be of supernatural origin and “worthy of belief.” The Vatican has not made an official statement, leaving it up to the local bishop’s discretion.

Continued below.

'Those who place their confidence in me will be saved': The message of Our Lady of Akita

Through a statue, Our Lady of Akita relayed a message of repentance and prayer to a Japanese religious sister at prayer.

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