At the age of eight, Bernardo Martinez of Cuapa, Nicaraqua, saw a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was so impressed by her beauty that he thought, " This is the one I am going to marry."
His love for the Mother of God grew throughout the years, and he never married. Finally on August 19, 1995, one day before his 64th birthday, Deacon Bernardo Martinez was ordained a Roman Catholic priest. It was the culmination of a faith-filled journey.
On May 8, 1980, Our Lady began a series of apparitions to her special son, Bernardo Martinez at Cuapa. They came at a time when the country of Nicaragua was in turmoil and political revolt. The messages from the Mother of Jesus included direction and guidance to the people of this economically deprived Central American country. The subsequent investigation by Church authorities substantiated the claims of Bernardo. The Riehle Foundation publishes this report of the apparitions and interviews with Bernardo.