Death of Father Luis M: Andreu
Maria Josefa Villa de Gallego.

A day that the four little girls all had a vision, there were a lot of people with them: Father Luis M: Andreu, a young seminarist named Andres Pardo and Father Royo Marin, dominic. It was almost night when the Blessed Virgin appeared to the four children at church after the Rosary, and they all were walking to the Pines under ecstasy. Once there, people who were closer to Father Luis M: Andreu heared him to say four successive times: Miracle!, with his eyes fixed onto the sky, in a similar way to an ecstasy. "We - Conchita says -, saw him very well, although we only see ourselves and the Blessed Virgin when we are under ecstasy". So, we can concluded Father Luis M* Andreu was under ecstasy too. Afterwards, Loli, Jacinta and Mari Cruz, assured that the Blessed Virgin told them: "Father Luis has seen me and also, in advance, the Great Miracle announced by Conchita". This happened on the 8th of August of 1961. That mornig, death of Father Luis M: Andreu would come to be an important part of Garabandal events, as it is possible to be verified in Conchita4s diary. The Father was a teacher of Teology at the Faculty that the Society of Jesus has in Ona (Burgos). He had done his studies in Ona, Innsbruck and Rome, and was 36 years old when he died. He had gone to Garabandal on the last days of July of 1961, at the request of the family Fontaneda de Aguilar de Campoo, with whom he was spending a short holidays. He went back to Garabandal on 8th of August of 1961; that day parish D. Valentin de Marichalar was absent and had given the church keys to him, in order to celebrate what would be the last Mass in his life. That day, 8th of august of 1961, in the afternoon there were a children long ecstasy. Starting at the church, they walked to the Pines, doing a break to pray at those places where they had been under ecstasy on other occasions. Father Luis M: Andreu followed the children during the ecstasy and arrived at the Pines with them. There, Father Luis M: entered into the children4s visual field, and he said under ecstasy the word "miracle" four successive times. He spoke them in a very low voice, similar to the usual voice of the little visionaries during their ecstasy. The four girls have reported how they saw him during the ecstasy: "He was on his knees, with his eyes fixed onto the Sky; the Virgin looked at him as if she was saying: you will be with me very soon." Afterwards, Father Luis M: went down to Cosio by car, and there he waited for those going on foot in the family Fontaneda4s car. It was about one in the morning when D. Valentin arrived from his little trip and went to the car where Father Luis M: was waiting in order to ask him some questions, but Father Luis M:, without leaving him time, said: "D. Valentin what the children say is the truth, but dont say anything yet". And that sentence was written by D. Valentin in his diary that night, soon before receiving the new of Father Luis M: death. When the rest of people who went down on foot arrived, they all left for Aguilar de Campoo by car. Between Cosio and Reinosa, Father Luis M: commented to Carmen and Rafael Fontaneda and to the driver Jesus Salcedo: "I am plenty of happiness, what a present the Virgin has given to me! what lucky we are for having a Mother like Her in the Sky, we have not to be afraid of supernatural life; it can4t remain a doubt. why the Virgin will have chosen us? Today is the most happy day in my life". Just when saying this the raised his head and stopped speaking, so they asked him: "Father, are you all right?". And he answered: "Just tired". He bowed his head saying this. Then the driver looked at him and sayed: "the Father is bad, his eyes are turned back". And quickly they took him to the nearest hospital where his death was certified.

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