It was not a miracle when the earth quaked and petals covered the Carmelite Monastery in Lipa, Batangas. Not when the Virgin Mary appeared to Teresita Castillo at five in the afternoon. Nor when Mary returned for fifteen days at the same hour to the young Carmelite, speaking secret words. Not too, when Teresita's body was found after the visions, outstretched — as if crucified. Teresita's head collapsed at the strike of three, just as Christ's, and it was just as naked when Teresita was exiled, stripped from her titles, and growing ill. All the proof was burned. The devotion, banned. Nothing was deemed worthy of belief.

Regardless, newspapers reported it all. Over 500,000 devotees arrived in following months to this small Filipino town, in pilgrimage. They swore the petals rained on them.