We begin our investigation with an inquiry into the mystery of the apparitions at La Salette. A rare and mysterious document was discovered during my research, the introduction of which I present here verbatum:
Only the witness herself, Melanie, can, along with Maximin, give an account of the apparition. After giving it by word of mouth an incalculable number of times, she decided to write it all down in 1878. It was published at Lecce on the 15th of November 1879 - with the "Imprimatur" of Bishop Zola - and reprinted "ne varietur" at Lyon in 1904, a few months before Melanie's death. This slim booklet is now a rarity. The text is followed exactly here. (Reference #1)
...When I woke up I couldn't see the cows, so I called Maximin and climbed up the little mound. From there I could see our cows grazing peacefully and I was on my way down, with Maximin on his way up, when all at once I saw a beautiful light shining more brightly than the sun.
"Maximin, do you see what is over there? Oh! my God!" At the same moment, I dropped the stick I was holding. Something inconceivably fantastic passed through me in that moment, and I felt myself being drawn. I felt a great respect, full of love, and my heart beat faster.
I kept my eyes firmly fixed on this light, which was static, and as if it had opened up, I caught sight of another, much more brilliant light which was moving, and in this light I saw a most beautiful lady sitting on top of our Paradise, with her head in her hands.
This beautiful Lady stood up, she calmly crossed her arms while watching us, and said to us: "Come, my children, fear not, I am here to PROCLAIM GREAT NEWS TO YOU."
These soft and sweet words made me fly to Her, and my heart desired to attach itself to Her forever.
...And as my heart melted away, sweetly gladdened, the beautiful face of my good Lady disappeared little by little. It seemed to me that the light in motion was growing stronger, or rather condensing around the Most Holy Virgin, to prevent me from seeing her any longer.
And thus light took the place of the parts of Her body which were disappearing in front of my eyes, or rather it seemed to me that the body of my Lady was melting into light. Thus the sphere of light rose gently towards the right. I cannot say whether the volume of light decreased as She rose, or whether the growing distance made me see less and less light as She rose. What I do know, is that I was a long time with my head raised up, staring at the light, even after the light, which kept getting further away and decreasing in volume, had finally disappeared. I take my eyes from the firmament, I look around me.
The second light shone out a little around the Beautiful Lady and we found ourselves bathed in it. It was motionless (that is to say it wasn't scintillating) but much more brilliant than our poor sun on earth. All this light did not harm nor tire the eyes in any way.View Original Document
In addition to all these lights, all this splendour, there shone forth concentrations or beams of light and single rays of light from the body of the Holy Virgin, from her clothes and from all over Her.
________________________________ REFERENCES:1. From APPARITION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN ON THE MOUNTAIN OF LA SALETTE the 19th of September, 1846
"And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened.THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE; 2:9-10 can be translated in different ways, the meaning being the same. To "Fear" in the Greek, is the word Phobeos, from whence the term phobic, or phobea. It not only means fear, but could also mean that fear would not be a justified reaction; in this case it may only be a perceived threat, not real. Essentially there was nothing to fear.
"And the angel said to them "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;"
