Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Scene 60

Setting:
Cova da Iria

people:
Lucia
Francisco
Jacinta
Our Lady of the Rosary
Dos Santos family
Marto family
Manuel
Avelino
Jose
Mrs. DV
The Carreira family
Many pilgrims

(In the backdrop of many pilgrims, Jose and Avelino meet up, both laughing and smiling, shaking hands. Avelino is wearing press credentials, with a camera around his neck.)

Jose: Hey, Avelino!

Avelino: (laughing) I can’t wait for this to fail, Jose!

Jose: What will you write in the newspaper tomorrow, Avelino?

Avelino: Oh, it’s mostly written. I just need to add a few details. That’s why I’m here. I’ll be easy on the kids. These Catholics will probably eat them for lunch anyway when this great miracle fails.

Jose: I’ve never seen a hoax take off like this one.

Avelino: Ah! Stupid Catholics! They’ll believe anything. This is their last hurrah. And when this falls flat, that’s the end of the Church in Portugal. And finally, we can have the new order in place.

Jose: Yeah? Make sure you get my good side in O Seculo tomorrow.

Avelino: You don’t have a good side, Jose.

Jose: (mimicking Avelino) You don’t have a good side, Jose.

(The mob rushes the seers as they come to the Cova. The seers are unable to pass. Manuel picks up Jacinta.)

Manuel: Make way for the children! Make way for the children!

(Lucia, Francisco, follow Manuel to the tree, the families cannot get close to them.)

Lucia: (Above the din) Close your umbrellas! (silence, except for closing umbrellas. After a few seconds, a lightning flash)

Lucia: (excited) Jacinta! Get on your knees! I saw the lightning!

(all fall on their knees, except for Avlino and Jose. The rain stops, Our Lady stands on the tree. Silence for a few seconds)

Jacinta: (poking Lucia) Lucia. Lucia! Speak to her, she’s waiting for you!

Lucia: (catching her breath) What does Your Grace want of me?

Our Lady: I want a chapel built here in My honor. I am Our Lady of the Rosary. Continue to say the Rosary every day. The war will end soon and the soldiers will return to their homes.

Lucia: I have many things to ask you: to heal some sick people, to convert some sinners, to…

Our Lady: Some yes, others, no. People must amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. (much sadder and more intensely, causing the seers to weep) They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is already too much offended.

(a pause)

Lucia: Do you want anything more?

Our Lady: Nothing more.

Lucia: Then neither will I ask anything more from you.

(Our Lady leaves)

Lucia: She’s going! She’s going!

Maria Rosa: Olimpia! There’s the same scent I smelled from the branch!



(In the sky, Our Lady opens her hands, the sun comes out)

Lucia: (pointing) Look at the sun!

Mrs. C: It’s dancing!

SE: (The sun moves around and turns different colors. During this,)

(The sun intensifies, as if to fall on the people. The people fall down, ejaculations for God’s mercy arise. All goes white.)

Mrs. DV: We’re still alive, thanks be to God!

Maria Rosa: (hugs Olimpia, peacefully) It can’t be the devil! No one can touch the sun. It must be her.

(Avelino & Jose rise with looks of shock.)

Avelino: Jose, Did you see what I think we just saw?

(Jose nods in disbelief, they cry on each others’ shoulders)

Lucia: (pointing in the air.) Look!

(A vision of St. Joseph, Our Lady, and the Child Jesus, Our Lady dressed in white with a blue mantle. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus bless the world with palms to the world, and three fingers (thumb, index and middle fingers) of the right hand extended, making the Sign of the Cross.
That vision done, the next vision is of Our Lady of Sorrows with the Sacred Heart. The Sacred Heart blesses the world as St. Joseph did.
The next vision is Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. No blessing. After the apparitions are over, bedlam again at the Cova, except the seers remain kneeling.)

(Bedlam again. Manuel comes to get Lucia, and carries her through the crowd.)

Lucia: (As she’s being carried) We must stop offending our Lord, as He’s already too much offended!

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