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A few weeks ago we carried reports from The Desert Sun in Palm Springs about the alleged phenomenon of luminous crosses that seemed to be appearing in Southern California. Hundreds were gathering in places like Indio (which is part of Riverside, just southeast of L.A.) and the neighboring town of Thermal. In the case of a home in Thermal, owned by a man named Jesus Aceves, it was claimed bands of light descended from the sky, were visible in a backyard, and then "floated on the glass to form a cross," according to the newspaper. This began on Ash Wednesday. We have learned that there are at least eight other homes in this poor, humble, and devout area of immigrant Mexicans on which inexplicable crosses of light are said to be forming. We asked one of our readers, Christine C. Gomez, to investigate, and she filed this report, which we offer for your discernment:

It was a 63-year-old friend, Maria del Carmen, who called me the week-end after Ash Wednesday to tell me that she had seen an apparition on a Mexican TV station and that the apparition was nearby. I asked her where it was, and she told me that it was in Thermal, California, a little over one hour from where we live. I was surprised, but I did not take the initiative to go. Inside I just kind of felt that maybe the rain had formed a cross design and that people were probably exaggerating and making it out to be bigger than it was. I ignored it.

One week later, my same friend, Maria Del Carmen, called me in almost total hysteria to tell me that her friend Rita had driven her up to see the cross at the apparition site in Thermal. My husband and I went to her home (her home, by the way, is a shrine to Our Lord, Our Lady and all of the angels and saints, you should see it), we took her out to dinner and there she told us.."You must go, and you must go now, before it disappears....please go, and take me, I have to see it again!!!!" I promised her that we would go. On the following Saturday, I called my friend "Pancho," the one who leads the monthly Medjugorge Rosary, some friends, and Maria Del Carmen.....we were headed out that way, we were going to see the Miracle for ourselves. As we were driving up there, I was excited and full of anticipation. By now, I had seen the picture of the Cross on your Web site Spirit Daily and so I knew (or so I thought) what to expect.

Finally we are driving closer and closer to the apparition site. We make a right turn at Airport Blvd and an immediate right into Fillmore Road. We drive into a Dirt Road surrounded by very old mobile homes tucked among date groves and beautiful orchards, and there is a cardboard sign that reads "no donations please." We park outside on the dirt and then walk into another dirt area. Someone welcomes us and tells us that its the "last mobile home" on the premises on the left hand side where the "miracle" is. As we are walking in, everything looks very humble and there is a "peaceful" feeling that I got as I was approaching the miracle.....and finally as we approach the home, a lady by the name of "Adelina" welcomed us. She is the daughter-in-law of the owners of the mobile home. She said that the Cross of light first appeared to her husband, Jesus Aceves. It was he who first saw a "light" descend from the sky, move down in front of him, and then placed itself on the door of the mobile home. Adelina was wonderful. She welcomed us and told us to walk to the back of the mobile home.

Believe me, nothing and I mean nothing, not even the newspaper article with photo had prepared me or my friends to SEE WHAT WE WERE ABOUT TO SEE. I WALKED UP TO THE DOOR AND GAZED INTO THE WINDOW AND I KNEW BEYOND THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT IT WAS OUR LORD OF LORDS, KING OF KINGS, PRINCE OF PRINCES, THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA who had placed this cross here. Everyone, fell to their knees and started to cry. I was overwhelmed beyond belief, and all of my sadness, my worries about my finances, my loneliness and my depression and pain, MEANT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT THIS VERY MOMENT!!! The severe pain that I had in my back was totally gone at this very moment!!!!! I was shocked, shocked beyond belief. I tried to get closer to the Cross and it now has a little fence around it because the owners don't want people tearing anything down in hysteria. But the closer I got to the cross, the more I realized that the CROSS WAS NOT IMPRINTED ON THE WINDOW. One is allowed to see it through the window, but it is as if "suspended in air." I then went up to the front of the mobile home. No one was allowed to come inside the house. I asked for the lady of the house and out came Maria de la Concepcion Aceves, another owner of the mobile home (Jesus's mother) who lives there. I identified myself and I kindly asked her in Spanish if she would "please" let me in. I just had to see the other side. I wanted to see what could be seen from the inside. Well, thank God, she let me in. As I walked into the house, I noticed there was an immense beautiful icon of Our Lord and a statue of Our Lady in their living room. As she led me into the laundry room, which is the inside of the door where the cross is appearing, I WAS SHOCKED AGAIN TO SEE THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SEEN ON THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS THAT LOOKED LIKE A CROSS; JUST A TYPICAL WINDOW. THERE WAS NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE. I snapped a photo, I touched the window. I examined the window, looked in between the window panes and there was absolutely NOTHING. Maria de la Concepcion told me then that after 7:00 p.m., she would let people into the house. She said that upon PUTTING OFF ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE INSIDE OF THE MOBILE HOME AND THE OUTSIDE, ONE CAN SEE THE CROSS START TO APPEAR FROM THE INSIDE OF THE MOBILE HOME.

And so, I waited and waited until 7:00 p.m, but at this point, someone started to scream outside of the house telling everyone that other "crosses" were starting to appear on Emerald Street and Dillon Avenue in the town of Indio, and so I decided to drive out there to see that was going on. Michael Brown, as I walked up to these streets, there were many people going from house to house. All of the owners of the homes close by were welcoming anyone and everyone to see what had happened in their homes also. These are humble Mexican and Mexican-American people who have always had statues of Our Blessed Mother in their front yards and purchased their older homes back in the 1970s (as you can see from the pictures). Their miracles also appeared on Ash Wednesday and sure enough, the crosses are there on their windows, but SMALLER THAN THE CROSS IN THERMAL.

Everyone is asking why Indio? Why Thermal? What does all of this mean? After a few hours, I drove back to Thermal, and there was a line of over 125 people, waiting to see the Cross appear on the inside of the Aceves home. I was in the middle of this line and it took me two hours to get into the Aceves home. When I finally went in (remember, I had already seen that there was nothing to see from the inside during the day when Mrs. Aceves allowed me into the home) all of the lights were off and people inside were praying the Rosary. When I walked into the laundry room at night, THERE IT WAS, A HUGE CROSS, and so I decided to put my forehead on the window of the door/from the inside) to see what I could see. MICHAEL BROWN, I COULD SEE "ANOTHER DIMENSION" WITH THE CROSS SUSPENDED IN SPACE AND THE BOTTOM OF THE CROSS SEEMED TO BE GOING IN ETERNAL DIRECTIONS ON ALL ENDS. IT WAS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER EVER FORGET IN MY LIFETIME. IT WAS AS IF THE CROSS WERE LOCATED IN "ANOTHER WORLD" THAT WAS NOT THE EARTH AND THAT WE WERE BEING ALLOWED TO SEE THIS INCREDIBLE MIRACLE. I don't know how else to explain it.

My husband Sergio accompanied me to see the cross one week later and says that the window has been designated to be "a window to allow our eyes to see the GIFT OF THE CROSS." He feels that there is no apparent obvious illusion or trickery being used. He says that if someone can prove that a light bulb can actually produce a cross like that, then "I want the patent to that" because no regular light bulb can do that. He says that it would take thousands of dollars in laser light and computers to even think of coming close to achieving the effect of the cross that is on that mobile home. The only thing that the Aceves family has on in the day is a regular 50-watt light bulb, like they have always had before the apparition.

The following weekend, my husband and I went back again and after viewing it from the inside again, someone took a picture from the outside and you were able to see the cross from the inside, white. On seeing it from the outside, when people were taking pictures, as soon as the camera "flashed" the cross would turn RED or GREEN, or BLUE AND EVEN WHITE!!!!!!

From The Mailbag: Writer Says 'Crosses Of Light' Can Not Be Trick Of Reflection

Are the crosses of light mysteriously appearing in Southern California for real -- or, as scientists might suggest, just a light refraction? (see previous story) We asked a correspondent, Christine Gomez of California, to give us more details, and after an Easter visit to the area of Thermal, where the phenomena allegedly take place, she filed this new report:

Michael, I hope you and your family had a beautiful Easter Sunday, I certainly did. My sister Ophelia came down and we both went up to Thermal on Good Friday to see the Cross of Light. When we arrived in the evening, there were over 125 people walking the Stations of the Cross on the premises of the Aceves family. It was very very humble and someone was carrying a very huge old wooden Cross for the Stations of the Cross. People were praying and my sister and I walked up to the apparition site. On this evening, the cross looked much, much brighter, it looked like snow, PURE WHITE snow, it was much more beautiful. It no longer looked gold.

Michael, this is also to let you know that on Saturday when my sister and I did not attend, there was a gentleman who saw Our Blessed Mother hugging the cross of light and another gentleman who saw Christ himself with the crown of thorns on the cross of light itself. Supposedly this gentleman let out a scream and then cried and cried and cried. He was hysterical. Several people were also permitted to see this on Saturday night. A woman took her paralyzed little girl over to the apparition site and her little girl got up from her wheelchair and started to walk. Her mother immediately fainted. My sister and I were told of these events today, Easter Sunday, on our way home from visiting our family in Indio. Michael, we also went to visit the other Crosses of Light in Indio on Good Friday after we went to Thermal. I was very touched because we were allowed into the home of Mrs. Olivia Rodriguez, age 56. She has been a servant of the Catholic Church for 25 years along with her husband. They handle retreats for the Catholic Church. TWO CROSSES OF LIGHT HAVE APPEARED IN HER HOME. IN THIS VERY SPECIAL HOME SHE TAKES CARE OF HER ELDERLY MOTHER AND HER ELDERLY MOTHER'S SISTER WHO IS A RETIRED NUN FROM MEXICO CITY. THESE OLDER LADIES ARE IN THEIR LATE 70s OR EARLY 80s.

I was very privileged to meet them and to go inside their home on Good Friday. Their entire home is a shrine to Our Lord and Savior. You should see the bedroom of the little old ladies, it is also an altar to Our Lord (yes, inside the home). Mrs. Olivia Rodriguez is a very special woman and a wonderful daughter. On Easter Sunday the cross was still there and there were several very humble Catholic women (Mexican immigrants) who were going to do a vigil. They are going to pray because they are asking God for the favor that the cross stay there permanently as a sign for all to see.

Michael, I hope that this information helps you greatly in your investigations. Also, I forgot to tell you that in one of the other homes, a second cross has also appeared on the window; one is GOLD, the other one is DEEP RED. (Yes, I'm sure this is light refraction to all of the unbelievers too!....and so is the appearance of our Lord and Savior). Anyway, my sister Ophelia TOOK SEVERAL PICTURES GOOD FRIDAY. SHE IS VERY TIRED TONIGHT BUT SHE IS GETTING THEM DEVELOPED TOMORROW AND WILL IMMEDIATELY E-MAIL THEM TO ME. GOD BLESS YOU MICHAEL.

YOUR SISTER IN CHRIST,

CHRISTY GOMEZ, California

P.S. How does the physicist explain that the crosses all appeared on Ash Wednesday in all of those houses in Indio? How does he explain light refraction making a perfect cross and 100 crosses within a cross with a perfect (host-like) circle surrounding the entire cross? How does he account for the vision of the cross when there is absolutely no light in the pitch darkness? How does he explain that none of those houses had crosses since they were bought 20
years ago and more than 20 years ago? How does he explain the fact that not all houses get the cross? So then light refraction only applies in 10-plus houses in an entire city's windows and a little bit of light "refraction" in
the crosses that are appearing in some houses all over the country? So then the law of light refraction doesn't apply to anyone else unless you've had a house for more than 20 years? How about the weeping statues all over the country, the ones weeping blood and the ones oozing oil? What kind of refraction is that?

Every so often, we run into mysteries that seem either like a trick of perception or a stirring reminder from God. Such is the case of the illuminated crosses reported in a devout community of Mexican-Americans in California. We've had several reports on the phenomena, whereby illuminated crosses seem to be manifesting on doors and windows. The skeptics see it as as simply a reflection of light. It may seem mysterious, they say, but it's within the realm of natural laws. Others tell us it is like no reflection they have ever encountered. At this point they far outnumber the skeptics, and they see it as a sign from God.

We see it as a mystery and hope to personally investigate it soon. Even if the manifestation goes beyond natural explanations, we are always wary: phenomena involving formations of light are also known to the New Age.

But we also believe it could well be a sign of our times -- another reminder that God is with us in this Time of Turmoil. Even from afar it is obvious that there is a devotion, a piety, and a poverty to the area that lends it credibility. As we said, we'll investigate it further. It's in Thermal, not far from Riverside. But for now let's consider the testimony of Perla Aceva, who related the origin of these happenings to us, occurrences that began with her Spanish-speaking father, Jesus, last Ash Wednesday.

"He had a horse out in the back," Perla related to Spirit Daily. "And he was going to check up on the horse because he heard some noises. He thought the horse was being attacked by dogs or something. So he went out and it was pitch black and all he had was a flashlight. Then he came back inside. It was a little past twelve (midnight). He woke up a second time because he heard noises again and he went outside and saw nothing. But as he was coming back inside he saw a big light, a big, big light coming from the sky to the ground, and he got scared, so he went up the stairs and as he closed the door -- the back door has a window on it -- he saw the reflection of the cross."

According to Perla (and as usual we submit this all only for your discernment) at first her father, a mechanic at the nearby high school, was afraid and didn't tell anyone. He went back to bed. But he got up again ten minutes later because he couldn't believe what he had seen, and that's when he woke everyone up and they all went outside to see it.

A cross, a luminous cross, was on the glass, and has been there since, witnesses tell us. Skeptics say it's simply a reflection, although those who have been there say it's beyond a reflection, and that there is a special feeling attached to it. We're open to such potential grace at the same time that we urge that no one visit such phenomena before first fasting and praying for discernment. This helps protect against both deception and potential negative forces.

Like we said, this is a poor, pious community and the phenomenon seems to have led to an intensification of their Catholicism, at least at first glance. For that reason we are further examining it.

"We have a lot of people tell us that they see different images on the cross, like the Virgin Mary or the face of Jesus Christ," claimed Perla. It seems three-dimensional but sometimes the images have to be looked for. There are no associated apparitions, although Perla said her father has been meeting with a local priest and there is one special message, which are endeavoring to learn more about.

"He went outside three days after the cross appeared and he was just really confused and he was just asking God what He wanted from him, and at that point he heard a dog that was chasing this chicken. The chicken just ran into my father's feet and stayed there. The dog was coming at full speed and as it saw my father just stood there and then ran away. My father told my priest about it, and the priest said my dad had received a special gift from God."

The cross is still on the door every day all day, from the outside, and to see it from the inside they have to turn off all the lights. Is it a structure of the glass that reflects both outside and inside sources? At night there is a factor of the internal light reflecting outward for the cross to fully form, but those who have reported to us claim that it is much stronger than a normal reflection. As for what they see from the inside, they assert that there is no light outside reflecting in such a way as to cause the effect. "Thousands and thousands come and check around," said Perla. "There is a lot of serenity with it, and a lot of peace. There are a lot of people who come with petitions, and we've heard a lot of reports of healings.

Perla said her own brother was in a very serious accident shortly after the cross appeared, injuring his kidneys and suffering collapsed lungs, a dislocated collar bone, an immobile arm, and broken ribs, yet was able to leave the hospital just five days later, and was able to walk. "The doctor said it was really a miracle, because when he went in the doctor said there wasn't much they could do for him," Perla recounted. "He said it was all up to us and God."

We have also heard from a friend in L.A. who went there recently and told us last week: "The cross within the cross that can only be seen from the inside of the house is absolutely amazing! It truly is seeing another dimension of this world as one views through the cross another 25-foot cross suspended in mid air! It's absolutely miraculous."