Amparo Cuevas facts for kids
Luz Amparo Cuevas Arteseros (born March 13, 1931 – died August 17, 2012) was a Spanish woman who said she saw the Virgin Mary.
She claimed that the Virgin of Sorrows appeared to her in a place called Prado Nuevo, in El Escorial, Spain, on June 14, 1981. After she shared these claims, a religious group grew, bringing thousands of people to the site of these Marian apparitions. People often called her "El Escorial seer" because of where she said the visions happened.
The Catholic Church has not officially said these apparitions are real. This has caused some disagreements, even reaching the courts. Some people have described the events and the group that formed around them as a "business and a harmful group."
About Luz Amparo Cuevas
Luz Amparo Cuevas Arteseros was born into a family that didn't have much money on March 13, 1931. This was in a small village called Pesebre, in Peñascosa, Spain. Her parents were María Dolores Arteseros and Jacinto Cuevas Ruiz. She married Nicasio Barderas Bravo and they had seven children.
She was a humble woman who didn't go to school much, but she was good at talking to people. On June 14, 1981, she said that the Virgin of Sorrows appeared to her on an ash tree in Prado Nuevo. She claimed the Virgin told her she was "the person chosen by the Lord and the Virgin to share their messages." She had some similar experiences before this, starting in November 1980.
The Virgin Mary's appearances, which Amparo said happened many times until 2002, attracted thousands of people. They came from different parts of Spain and other countries like Portugal, France, Argentina, Mexico, and Italy.
Amparo Cuevas would speak messages that she claimed came from the Virgin Mary. These talks were recorded and played through loudspeakers for everyone to hear.
In 1985, the leader of the Catholic Church in Madrid, Angel Suquía, decided not to support the idea that these apparitions were supernatural. However, in April 2012, another Archbishop of Madrid, Antonio María Rouco Varela, allowed special Easter services to be held at the site. He also approved building a chapel there, but he still followed the earlier decision that the Church didn't officially recognize the apparitions. This chapel was built after his approval.
Besides the many followers, some families and former followers accused Luz Amparo Cuevas and the group around her of being a "destructive sect." They claimed there were physical and emotional problems within the group.
On May 26, 1983, she was attacked by three unknown men.
Luz Amparo Cuevas Arteseros passed away on Friday, August 17, 2012, at her home in El Escorial. She had been ill for a long time. Her funeral was held in the new chapel dedicated to the Mother of God, which was built at the apparition site. This chapel was one of the things the Virgin had supposedly asked for. Luz Amparo Cuevas was buried there.
The Apparitions
Even though Luz Amparo Cuevas had a strange experience in October 1980, she said her main vision happened on June 14, 1981. She claimed she saw the Virgin of Sorrows on an ash tree at the "Prado Nuevo" estate. She said the Virgin gave her this message:
Soy la Virgen Dolorosa. Quiero que se construya en este lugar una capilla en honor a mi nombre; que se venga a meditar de cualquier parte del mundo la pasión de mi Hijo, que está muy olvidada. Si hacen lo que yo digo, el agua de esta fuente curará. Todo el que venga a rezar aquí diariamente el Santo Rosario será bendecido por mí. Muchos serán marcados con una cruz en la frente. Haced penitencia. Haced oración.
I am the Virgin of Sorrows. I want a chapel built here in my name. I want people from all over the world to come here to think about the suffering of my Son, which is often forgotten. If you do what I say, the water from this spring will heal. Everyone who comes here to pray the Rosary every day will be blessed by me. Many will be marked with a cross on their forehead. Do penance. Make prayer.
On June 24, 1983, she claimed the Virgin appeared again. This time, the Virgin asked for "houses of love and mercy for the poor" to be built.
Luz Amparo Cuevas said the Virgin appeared many more times, giving different messages. She claimed to have seen the Virgin 376 times in total.
In the early 1990s, the mayor of El Escorial and others tried to close the Prado Nuevo estate to stop the movement. However, on September 15, 1995, Prado Nuevo reopened. The local priest, Don Pablo Camacho Becerra, did not take sides, following instructions from the Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid-Alcalá, who told him to ignore the events.
The Work
Around the Marian apparitions in Prado Nuevo, a group of foundations and religious organizations was created. This group became known as "the Work of the Mother of God of El Escorial."
In 1994, two main groups were formed: the "Foundation Pia Independent Lady of Sorrows" and the "Public Association of Faithful and Repairers of Our Lady the Virgin of Sorrows." The "Public Association of Faithful and Repairers of Our Lady the Virgin of Sorrows" owns more than 132 properties.
Three priests were ordained in 2000 who were directly connected to Prado Nuevo, and then four more later. Also, more than 80 new members joined the religious community.
See Also
In Spanish: Amparo Cuevas para niños
- Our Lady of Sorrows
- Marian apparition
