Guardian of Hope and Prayer
Our Lady of Akita
Our Lady of Akita is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with the apparitions experienced by Sister Agnes Sasagawa in Akita, Japan. On Jun 12, 1973, Sr Agnes who was completely deaf began receiving heavenly visions. At first, she saw angelic beings worshiping the Eucharist but then on Jul 6, 1973, she saw a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary begin to speak, relaying a powerful message similar in content to the apparitions at Fatima. The messages focused on praying the rosary and doing penance for the sins of humanity. Sr Agnes said the Virgin's statue became illuminated as it acknowledged her stigmata and hearing impairment. The statue soon after began to bleed and shed tears which was sent to a lab for testing. Both the blood and tears were confirmed to be of human origin. The statue is said to have wept on 101 occasions with the tears persisting until Sep 15th, 1981—the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. The apparitions gained further notice with the sudden healing of Sr Agnes’ hearing impairments. Bishop Ito formally declared approval for the Akita apparitions after a lengthy investigation.
Timeline of Events
The extraordinary events began on June 12, 1973, when Sr. Agnes saw brilliant mysterious rays emanate suddenly from the tabernacle. The same thing happened on each of the two days that followed.
On June 28, 1973, a cross-shaped wound appeared on the inside left hand of Sr. Agnes. It bled profusely and caused her much pain.
On July 6, Sr. Agnes heard a voice coming from the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the chapel where she was praying. The statue was carved from a single block of wood from a Katsura tree and is three feet tall.
On the same day, a few of the sisters noticed drops of blood flowing from the statue's right hand. On four occasions, this act of blood flow repeated itself.
The wound in the statue's hand remained until September 29, when it disappeared. On September 29, 1973, the day the wound on the statue disappeared, the sisters noticed the statue had now begun to "sweat", especially on the forehead and neck.
On August 3, 1973, Sr. Agnes received a second message. On October 13, she received a final third message.
Two years later on January 4, 1975, the statue of the Blessed Virgin began to weep. It continued to weep at intervals for the next 6 years and eight months. It wept on 101 occasions.
Many people make the pilgrimage to the chapel of Seitai Hoshikai, called Our Lady of Akita, since the apparitions began. The chapel was done in a Japanese "irimoya-juso-style" architecture which was built by Japanese temple building carpenters from Takasaki City. The reason this church was constructed in this traditional style was to convey to the Japanese people that the Catholic Church is universal and that Jesus Christ is the savior of all people—including the Japanese.
Eucharistic Prayer of Akita
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
TRULY present
in the Holy Eucharist,
I consecrate my body and soul
to be entirely one with Your Heart,
being sacrificed at every instant
on all the altars of the world
and giving praise to the Father,
pleading for the coming of His Kingdom.
Please receive this humble offering of myself.
Use me as You will for the glory of the
Father
and the salvation of souls.
Most Holy Mother of God,
never let me be separated
from your Divine Son.
Please defend and protect me
as your special child. Amen.
This page was compiled by Nisha Thomas a long-standing member of OITS.