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This photograph of Melanie Calvert Mathieu, and Maximin Giraud, was taken in 1847, the first anniversary of the apparition. September 19th 1846.

Why there were Two versions of the Secret of La Salette.

Melanie released two versions of her Secret and this caused a level confusion that affected the longer version of her Secret when it was released. The reasons for there being two versions of Melanie's Secret are shown here.

see in a broader context in the Questions and Answers:

Q.15 Just going back to The Secret Of La Salette. The Church focused
on the parts of the Secret that referred specifically to the Church
Herself, there was also the difficulty that there were two versions of
Melanie's Secret. Can you tell us why there were two versions and
about the confusion this caused?

A. Yes, the apparition (1846) was very controversial; including amongst
the clergy. And some, and for some evident reasons, found it difficult to
believe that it was the Blessed Virgin Mary. But the Church did approve
the apparition at La Salette as being an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

At La Salette itself there was great focus on the Apparition, but Melanie,
as shown in the text of the longer version of her secret, had ben told (at
the time of receiving the Secret (1846), that she may disclose it in 1858.

Q16. Did the local Bishop carry out the investigation into the Apparition straight
away?

A. Yes, he began the investigations within weeks (October 1846). The
theological commission investigated and answered all questions and objections,
and was in place for two years. The Bishop's favourable conclusions
were then sent to Pope Pius IX, who responded asking Bishop de
Bruillard to build a beautiful church at La Salette. Later raised to a
Basilica by Pope Leo XIII

His favourable conclusions meaning that the
Apparition would be formally declared worthy of belief.

Q.17 Did the Bishop make the announcement straight away?

A. He was just about to when the Metropolitan Cardinal, who had,
in effect, come to be a focus for the clergy who were not comfortable
about the Apparition, stepped in to say that the announcement should
not be made without the contents of the Secret having been made
known to the Church. And, technically, the Cardinal had a valid point.

Q.18 Did this cause a dilemma for the Bishop?

A. The Bishop would not have put himself at odds with the Cardinal.
But with it being 1848, and Melanie stating that she had been told not
to release the secret until 1858, it meant ten years to wait.

It must have been a very difficult time for Melanie (and Maximin, the
other recipient of the Apparition) both still teenagers, they would have
been very anxious for the Apparition to be approved. And many pilgrims
were flocking to La Salette, which had its own spring of healing water,
and soon with some canonically approved miracles. One hundred
thousand pilgrims are said to have been at the sight of the Apparition
for the first anniversary.

Q.19 What did Melanie do?

A. After three years she wrote a short and general version of the
Secret, to be made known only to the Pope. This was sent to Pope
Pius IX and, within three months, Bishop de Bruillard had made the
announcement giving formal approval (September 1851.)

Q.20 What happened next?

A. Melanie sent the long version (which included the part about the
release of Lucifer and a great number of demons from hell in 1864)
by courier, to Pope Pius in 1858, but, from the that information we
have, there was no response and it was soon classified as "lost."

It was not until 1879 that Melanie, and following a number of
setbacks, gained a Bishop's imprimatur for the longer (1858)version of
the Secret, and which meant that it would be protected from being
placed on the Forbidden Index.

Here is how what is shown in The Apocalypse corresponds with the
warning in The Secret of La Salette:

In The Apocalypse, St John writes of “the Lamb” opening the fourth
seal and of the fourth horse and horseman of The Apocalypse; the
pale green horse, as follows:
__________

And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the
voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come! ”
And I saw, and behold, a pale green horse, and
he who was sitting on it — his name is Death,
and hell was following him....(Apoc; 6:7-8)
_________

Traditional Catholic commmentary on the fourth horseman is
as follows:
____

Ver.8. Pale-green horse, i.e., olive-coloured; this horseman
symbolizes death, or rather pestilence...(commentary: Holy
Family Bible 1950.)

It is what is “following him” that is shown in the Apocalypse;
chapters eight and nine, and shown in paragraphs 11 and 12
of The Secret of La Salette.

Chapter nine of the Apocalypse begins with St John writing:
_______

And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet, and I
saw that a star had fallen from heaven upon the
earth, and there was given to him the key of the
bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit,
and there came up smoke out of the pit like the
smoke of a great furness, and the sun and the air
were darkened by the smoke of the pit. And out of
the smoke there came forth locusts upon the earth...
(Apoc. 9:1-3.)
_______

The release of the Locusts thus follows from the Abyss being
opened by the fallen star. And just as the fallen star must be
an individual; ie a living intelligent being (to have been given
the key to open the bottomless pit with) so too the locusts are
those whom live in the Abyss (to be released from) and from
out of which they come. Locusts (the creature/insect) do not
[as such] live in the Abyss, demons do (as do imprisoned
human souls.)

Locusts are a descriptive term. Just as 'serpent' or 'snake' is
the descriptive term used for Lucifer; the devil, in the garden
of Eden. “Locusts upon the earth” means demons in incarnate;
human form. And voluminous. And swarming.

The Secret of La Salette (secret, as disclosed, in 1858)
paragraphs 11 and 12 are:
____

"In the year 1864, Lucifer with a great number of demons will be
unleashed from hell; they will abolish the faith little by little and
even in persons consecrated to God; they will blind them in such
a way that barring a particular grace these persons will take on
the spirit of these bad angels: several religious houses will lose
the faith entirely and will lose many souls.. "[Secret:(11)]

The dead and the just will be made to revive [Secret:12]
[That is to say that these dead will take the appearance of just
souls who had lived on earth, in order to lead men further astray:
these so-called resurrected dead, who will be nothing other than
the demon under these appearances, will preach another Gospel
contrary to the one of the true Christ Jesus, denying the existence
of heaven, or they may also be the souls of the damned. All these
souls will appear as if united to their bodies.]
____

These words [in brackets] [and said to have been made known slightly
later by Melanie] are stated by her to have been according to the
Vision she had whilst hearing the words "the resurrection of the dead."
[Le Secret De Melanie p 29-30.]

Note that it is very significant that Melanie included her explanation of
the vision that she saw during the apparition (para 11) It is accurate!

This is mankind's last times predicament. Apostate angels exist in vast,
vast numbers and on all levels of society and in all societal institutions.
They are near and far.

Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle, be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust down to hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. Pope Leo XIII

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