Saint Veronica Giuliani is one of the greatest mystics in history. Born in Mercatello sul Metauro, near Urbino, in 1660, she entered the Capuchin Poor Clares of Città di Castello at the age of 17. Nothing would have been revealed about her extraordinary mystical experience if her confessor had not ordered her to write down in a diary the confidences of the Redeemer, whose Passion she regularly relived in her own suffering. In her diary, she also describes the experiences she had of Hell, accompanied by the angels.
«I am with you»
In a vision dating back to January 1716, the Madonna appears to her and leads her to the feet of the Glorious Trinity; then she orders the guardian angels to accompany her in spirit into the abyss: «Do not be afraid, my daughter, I am with you».
«Souls and demons are one and the same thing»
Veronica arrives in a low, dark, foul-smelling region; she hears the lowing of bulls, the roars of lions, and the hissing of snakes. There is dense smoke; she sees and hears flashes of lightning and thunder. A great mountain rises before her, entirely covered with aspics and basilisks bound together and writhing, but unable to free themselves.
She hears horrible curses. She will write: «Turning to my Angels, I asked them what those voices were, and they told me that many souls were being tormented there, and that the said place was the most refreshing. In fact, that great mountain suddenly opened, and it seemed to me that I saw it all (filled) with souls and demons in such numbers! Those souls were clinging to one another as if they were a single thing; and the demons hold them so tightly bound to themselves with chains of fire that souls and demons are one and the same thing».
Lucifer is frightening, horrifying
Veronica also sees another mountain where there are bulls, horses, angry dogs that tirelessly bite and devour the souls. Then she sees mountains with savage torments. The Saint writes: «In the midst of this place, there is a very high, very wide, hideous throne composed entirely of demons! More frightening than Hell; and in its midst there is a seat formed by demons, the leaders and principal ones. Lucifer sits there, frightening, horrifying. O God! What an ugly figure! He surpasses all the other demons in ugliness; he seems to have a head made up of a hundred heads, and to be covered with very long spikes, at the top of each of which there is something like an eye, as large as an ox's head, sending fiery arrows that burn all of Hell.
For all eternity
All the damned see Lucifer, and this causes them torment. The angels make Saint Veronica understand that while in Paradise souls are in joy and blessedness because they see God, in Hell the damned experience the torment of seeing Lucifer. The Saint emphasizes: «They all see, face to face, the Enemy of God. And having lost God forever, and never, ever having Him to enjoy, forms the punishment… And how long will this last? I asked my Angels; and they answered me: Forever, for all eternity. O God!».
Saint Veronica concludes: «In Hell there is a place for everyone, and there is one for me too, if I do not change my life ». A warning that reaches us today.
Did you know about the visions of Hell experienced by Saint Veronica Giuliani? Write it in the comments.
