POPE Innocent the third, one of the greatest pontiffs to

ever occupy the chair of St. Peter was another visitor from purgatory who appeared to Lutgarda. Innocent III

was the Pope who presided over the celebrated Council

of Lateran in 1215A.D. He appeared to Lutgarda on July

16, the very day he died. It all happened at Aywieres,

Brabant in Lutgarda’s Monastery. Surprised to see a

person covered all over in flames, Lutgarda recollecting

herself asked, “who are you and what do you want?”.

I am Pope Innocent, replied the apparition. Lutgarda

could hardly believe and asked: “Is it possible that you,

our common Father, should be in such a state?”. “It is but

too true. I am expiating three faults which might have

caused my eternal perdition. Thanks to the Blessed

Virgin Mary, I have obtained pardon for them, but I have

to make atonement. Alas! it is terrible; and it will last

centuries if you do not come to my assistance. In the

name of Mary, who has obtained for me the favour of

appealing to you, help me”. With these words, he

disappeared.

At this time, the news of the Pope’s death had not left

Rome, and so none of the other sisters in this monastery

in Brabant knew that the Holy Pontiff was no more. And

so, when Lutgarda announced to the other sisters that

Pope Innocent III was dead; everyone wondered how she

got such a sad news, until she revealed to them what she

saw, and all that transpired. It was after about two weeks

that news officially got to the monastery confirming the

Pope’s death on the 16th of July, the day of the

apparition.Although St. Lutgarda revealed the three faults of the

Pontiff to Thomas de Cantimpre who wrote a biography

on the late Pope it is being omitted in this booklet. Other

books have similarly omitted this. This is as a mark of

respect for so great a Pope.

However, vital lesson to draw from this episode is that

God makes no exception of persons; and that the great

and the lowly are equal before Him. Moreover, God

judges each person according to his or her works. He to

whom much responsibility is given, much will also be

expected. “A more severe judgment shall be for them

that bear rule”(Wisdom 6:6).