Our Lady of Akita: History, Messages And Miracles

Our Lady of Akita is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, based on apparitions that occurred in the city of Akita, Japan, in 1973. The messages received by a nun named Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa during these apparitions have been associated with several miraculous events, making Our Lady of Akita a popular devotion among Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Background
The events leading up to the apparitions of Our Lady of Akita began in 1973, when Sister Agnes, a member of the Handmaids of the Eucharist, a Catholic religious congregation, began to experience stigmata on her hands and feet. Sister Agnes also reported hearing a voice that she believed to be that of the Virgin Mary, who spoke to her about the importance of prayer and sacrifice. This led to the first of several apparitions of Mary that Sister Agnes would experience over the course of the next few years.

History
The first apparition of Our Lady of Akita occurred on June 12, 1973, when Sister Agnes saw a brilliant light shining in the chapel of her convent. As she approached the altar, she saw the figure of the Virgin Mary, who appeared to be weeping tears of blood. The Virgin Mary then spoke to Sister Agnes, telling her that she had a message for the world, and that she wanted the message to be spread to as many people as possible.

Over the course of the next few years, Sister Agnes would experience several more apparitions of the Virgin Mary, during which she received various messages and warnings about the state of the world and the need for prayer and sacrifice. The most significant of these messages came on October 13, 1973, when Sister Agnes received a vision of a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary, which began to weep tears of blood. The statue was later confirmed to have wept a total of 101 times over the course of several years.

Messages
1. She was instructed to recite the prayer of the Handmaids of the Eucharist, praying of the rosary and to pray Acts of Reparation.

2. "Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and ingrates."

3. My dear daughter, listen well to what I have to say to you. As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. Each day recite the prayer of the rosary. With the rosary pray for the Pope, bishops and the priests. The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, and bishops against other bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres, churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord. The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them. With courage, speak to your superior. It is Bishop Ito, who directs your community. You have still something to ask? Today is the last time that I will speak to you in living voice. From now on you will obey the one sent to you and your superior. I alone am able still to save you from the calamities which approach.

Miracles attributed
Several miraculous events have been attributed to Our Lady of Akita and the messages received by Sister Agnes. Perhaps the most significant of these was the healing of a deaf-mute man who had been brought to the convent to pray in front of the statue of Our Lady of Akita. According to witnesses, the man's hearing and speech were restored after he prayed in front of the statue, an event that was widely reported in the Japanese media.

Another miracle associated with Our Lady of Akita was the healing of a woman who had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. According to her testimony, the woman prayed in front of the statue of Our Lady of Akita, and was subsequently cured of her cancer. This event was also widely reported in the media, and helped to spread devotion to Our Lady of Akita throughout Japan and beyond.

Conclusion
The apparitions of Our Lady of Akita and the messages received by Sister Agnes have been the subject of much discussion and debate within the Catholic Church and beyond. While some have questioned the authenticity of the apparitions, others have been moved by the messages of prayer and sacrifice that have been associated with them. Whether or not one believes in the miraculous events attributed to Our Lady of Akita, there can be no denying the impact that the apparitions have had on the lives of many people around the world.