The healing of Gigliola Candian in Medjugorje

Gigliola Candian recounts his miracle that took place in Medjugorje, in an exclusive interview with Rita Sberna.
Gigliola lives in Fossò, in the province of Venice and on September 13, 2014, she was in Medjugorje, when thanks to the divine hand, the great miracle occurred that allowed her to abandon her wheelchair.
The case of Gigliola, has made the rounds of national news, her miracle has not yet been recognized by religious authorities, but in this exclusive interview, Mrs. Candian tells what happened to her 4 months ago.

Gigliola, when did you discover you had multiple sclerosis?
I had the first episode of malaise in September 2004. Subsequently on 8 October 2004, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis through investigations.

Sclerosis forced you to live in a wheelchair. Was it difficult initially to accept the disease?
When I found out that I had multiple sclerosis, it was like a lightning bolt. The word "multiple sclerosis" itself is a term that hurts, because it leads the mind to immediately think of the wheelchair.
After doing all the investigations to find that I had multiple sclerosis, I had a hard time accepting it, also because the Doctor communicated it to me in a brutal way.
I have been to many hospitals, up to the hospital in Ferrara and once I got there, I didn't say that I had already been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, I had only told the doctors that I had so much back pain, this because I wanted to be sure of the diagnosis .
Multiple sclerosis does not heal, in many cases the disease can be blocked if it is compatible with some drug (I was intolerant and allergic to almost all drugs) so it was not possible for me, even to stop the disease.
In fact, initially from my illness, I used a crutch because I couldn't walk so much. Then after 5 years from my illness, I started using the wheelchair sporadically, that is, I only used it to move when I had to travel long stretches. Then in December 2013, following a fall in which I had fractured the third sacral vertebra, the wheelchair became my life partner, my dress.

What made you go on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje?
Medjugorje for me was the salvation of my soul; I was offered this pilgrimage in 2011. Before then, I didn't even know what this place was, where it was and I didn't even know the history.
My uncles proposed it to me as a journey of hope, but in reality they were already thinking about my recovery and I was told later.
I didn't think of my recovery in the least. Then when I went home, I realized that that trip represented my conversion because I started praying everywhere, it was enough that I closed my eyes and started to pray.
I have rediscovered faith and today I can testify that faith does not abandon me.

You are certain that you have been miraculously precisely in that Bosnian land. How and when did you leave for Medjugorje?
I was in Medjugorje on September 13, 2014, on that date I didn't even have to be there because my friends were getting married on that day, I had also purchased the dress.
From July I already felt in my heart this strong call to go to Medjugorje on that very date. I pretended nothing initially, I didn't want to listen to this voice, but in August I had to call my friends to tell him that unfortunately I couldn't be at their wedding because I went on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje.
Initially my friends were offended by this decision, even the guys from the company told me that if I wanted I could go to Medjugorje on any date while they were getting married only once.
But I told them that when I got home, I would find a way to make up for it.
In fact it was just like that. On 13 September they got married and I received healing on the same day in Medjugorje.

Tell us the moment when you were miraculously treated.
It all started on the evening of September 12th. I was in the chapel on my wheelchair, there were also other people and the priest that evening, made a physical healing mass.
He invited me to close my eyes and imposed his hands on me, at that moment I felt a great heat in my legs and I saw a strong white light, inside the light, I saw the face of Jesus smiling at me. Despite what I had seen and heard, I was not thinking about my recovery.
The next day, that is on September 13, at 15:30 the priest gathered us again in the chapel and laid hands on all the people present again.
Before I laid my hands on it, he gave me a sheet where all the general information was written and there was a specific question to which each of us had to answer "What do you want Jesus to do for you?".
That question put me in crisis, because generally I was used to always praying for others, I never asked for anything for me, so I asked a nun who was close to me for advice, and she invited me to write what I felt in my heart.
I invoked the Holy Spirit and enlightenment immediately came. I asked Jesus to bring peace and serenity to others through my examples and my life.
After the laying on of hands, the priest asked me if I wanted to remain seated in a wheelchair or if I wanted to get up supported by someone. I accepted to be supported and to remain standing, at that point, made another laying on of hands and fell into the rest of the Holy Spirit.
The rest of the Holy Spirit is a semi-unconscious condition, you fall without getting hurt and you don't have the strength to react because at that moment the Holy Spirit acts on you, and you have the perception of everything that happens to the other than you.
With your eyes closed you can see everything that happens at that moment. I was on the ground for about 45 minutes, I felt that Mary and Jesus were praying behind me.
I started to cry but I didn't have the strength to react. Afterwards I was found and two boys helped me to get up and as support I went from the front to the altar to thank the exposed Jesus.
I was about to sit in a wheelchair, when the priest told me that if I trusted Jesus I didn't have to sit in a wheelchair but I had to start walking.
The boys left me standing alone, and I was supported by my legs. Staying on my feet was already a miracle, because since I got sick, I couldn't feel the muscles from the hips down anymore.
I started taking the first two steps, I looked like a robot, then I took two more decisive steps and I even managed to bend my knees.
I felt like I was walking on water, at that moment I felt Jesus holding my hand and I started walking.
There were people who, at the sight of what was happening, cried, prayed and clapped their hands.
Since then my wheelchair ended up in a corner, I only use it when I make long journeys, but I try not to use it anymore because now my legs are able to keep me upright.

Today, 4 months after your recovery, how has your life changed both spiritually and physically?
Spiritually, I pray much more especially at night. I feel more sensitive to perceiving both good and evil, and thanks to our prayer, we manage to overcome it. Good always wins over evil.
On a physical level, a huge change lies in the fact that I no longer use the wheelchair, I can walk and now I support myself with an ambulatory, before I could only do 20 meters, now I can even travel kilometers without getting tired.

Did you return to Medjugorje after your recovery?
I returned immediately after my recovery in Medjugorje on September 24 and remained until October 12. Then I came back in November.

Has your faith been strengthened through suffering or healing?
I got sick in 2004, but I only started to approach faith in 2011 when I went to Medjugorje for the first time. Now she has strengthened herself with healing, but it is not a conditioned but unconditional thing. It is Jesus who guides me.
Every day I read the Gospel, pray and read the Bible a lot.

What do you want to say to all those people with multiple sclerosis?
To all the sick I would like to say never to lose hope, to pray a lot because prayer saves us. I know it's hard, but without the cross we can't do anything. The cross is used to understand the border between good and evil.
Illness is a gift, even if we don't understand it, above all it is a gift for all those close to us. Entrust your sufferings to Jesus and give hope to others, because it is through your example that you can help others.
Let us pray to Mary to get to her son Jesus.

Service by Rita Sberna