Have you ever yearned for something concrete, lasting evidence of the reality of a divine encounter, something you could show people and to remind yourself that God was really with you? Some examples of such awesome, tangible graces include: most importantly, the Holy Eucharist, the Lord Jesus Himself Who is present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in every tabernacle in the world. Water from the miraculous spring at Lourdes. Or even photographs with inexplicable images. Escarchas are like that.

Escarchas(Spanish for “frost”) are a metallic, glitter-like substance that sometimes falls during sacred events, such as Mass, or at an apparition of Our Lady. Most recently, we have received reports of escarchas emerging from the 12,500+ oil-oozing medals we have distributed gratis world-wide.

So what in the world are escarchas? We first experienced escarchas in 1995 on our first visit to Finca Betania, Venezuela, a Church-approved apparition site. Within minutes of walking across the steel foot-bridge to the Sanctuary, we approached the grotto housing the beautiful marble statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. All of us present saw a column of bright white, billowy cloud, approximately 6 feet by 2 feet, hovering off the ground just to the right of the statue. Was it Our Lady? We did not see an outline or figure, only the column of cloud, which gradually faded away 20 minutes after we arrived on the scene. Yet, we felt the consoling, characteristic sweetness of Her presence, so typical in all of Her Shrines. Also, we were filled with joy to witness such a marvel, which would be the first of many signs and wonders we would see that trip.

The few Venezuelan pilgrims who already had gathered at the grotto were excitedly gathering handfuls of something off the ground, as it fell like snowflakes from this hovering cloud. I kept asking, “What is this stuff?” By now, it had covered us, as well as the ground. “Escarchas,” more than one person told me. Later, I had to look that word up in my Spanish dictionary— “frost.” These people living so near the equator had probably never even seen frost before! This frost—escarchas--was nothing like natural frost; actually, it looked like filings or shavings of silver, most of the pieces were somewhat smaller than common glitter, and it did not melt. One of the Venezuelans had pity on us and gave us all a few escarchas to keep. “It means Nuestra Senora(Our Lady) is near,” he said.

Later that first pilgrimage to Betania, the Lord led the 12 of us US pilgrims to pray over one another as we celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday. We did this discreetly because the day before we were almost arrested while praying for healing. I noticed a poor woman approaching the grotto. She was being supported, really more dragged along by her husband and mother. I felt the Lord urging me to lay hands on her in the open-air chapel near the grotto. She received an instantaneous healing of both her patellae(kneecaps) which had been shattered by a fall from a second story window she was washing a few days earlier. Despite excruciating pain, she came to Betania to ask Our Lady’s intercession for a successful surgery. Her mother kept shouting “Milagro! Milagro(Miracle)! so loudly that police with automatic weapons roared to the scene; their jeep crossing the little river, pulling right up to the chapel! Thank God, our local guide who happened to hear the commotion too, saved us from interrogation. Meanwhile, mother ordered her daughter to kneel on the marble steps in front of the altar to thank Jesus and Mary for this wonderful grace.

Nevertheless, on Divine Mercy Sunday, we looked up to see a long line of Venezuelans, also wanting prayer. We prayed 5 hours over people in the steamy, jungle heat and were absolutely delighted to see many astounding miracles. One little boy, 7 years old, was carried to us by his grandmother.

He had never walked in his life, yet her faith was so strong that he would be healed. His legs were totally atrophied, shrunken, hanging there lifeless. We held him up under his arms as we prayed. Seconds later, Our Lady obtained his healing and he toddled away! His father who had been standing alongside skeptically with his arms folded, pushed through the crowd to see his son taking his first steps. Everyone around us exultantly praised God, rejoicing, and weeping for joy at the almighty power of Divine Mercy working a miracle for that little boy! Others had goiters that either fell off or dissolved away; many diverse kinds of illnesses were healed.

Hardened hearts were melted in that lowly farm, chosen by Heaven. We sent everyone who was healed in body or soul to the grotto to thank Our Lady.
Definitely, it was an unforgettable pilgrimage!

A few weeks after returning home from Betania, one morning I was praying the Rosary while driving to student clinic when I noticed what I thought were crumbs from the bagel I had just eaten. As I approached the parking lot, I brushed away the “crumbs,” jumped out of my truck, and headed for my shift in the clinic. Finished with a long day, I headed home and pulled down the sun visor, because I was headed into the dazzling afternoon sun. I almost wrecked the truck--thoroughly coating both sides of the sun visor and the interior roof above me were silver escarchas identical to the ones we saw falling in the grotto at Betania! That evening was our prayer group and I was pleased to share with everyone there, a strip of tape covered with silver escarchas which fell from Heaven into my little red Isuzu. I began to collect escarchas on transparent tape. Most often, they are silver; others are gold, or other colors.

A few weeks later, I was in the middle of examining a female patient in the student clinic when I was amazed to discover a gold-dust-like film on her chest where I was about to place my stethoscope! I questioned her if she had used a cosmetic powder on her skin and she denied it. After I had briefly explained the significance of escarchas as a sign of Our Lady’s presence, she leapt off the table to see this for herself in the full-length mirror.
“I’m a Baptist,” she protested. “But you’re still a daughter of God and therefore a daughter of Mary who was presented to us by Jesus on the Cross.” Then, I excused myself so my patient could put her clothes back on. For quite awhile, she stared at herself in the mirror, audibly praising the Lord for her miracle. In the hall, I waited for her to exit the examination room.

I had to knock on the door several times to let her know others were in line to use the room. Finally, she opened the door and exclaimed, “I can’t wait to show this to my husband! It’s a miracle” For my part, I was a little worried her husband might not believe her story and come looking for the intern who sprinkled gold dust on his wife’s chest!

Since becoming a doctor, I have not only seen more showers of escarchas on my patients, but also falling during Masses, retreats and the like. Whenever I see these tiny but abundant reminders of Our Lady’s intercession, I am moved to praise the Lord for giving me such an awesome Mother! Often, Dr. Weilert has noticed them on people standing near the oil-oozing statues in his clinic.

Following my remarks on this phenomenon of escarchas are the testimonies of others who have experienced them. Of course, careful discernment is critical. Remember some general principles of discernment, such as an event can have only one of three sources: divine, human, or demonic. Look at the fruits of a particular phenomenon to help you discern what is from God. Ask your spiritual director or confessor for help. But don’t be surprised if he has not ever heard of such a thing. Instruction in mystical theology is practically absent in modern seminary education. Carefully examine the substance you think might be escarchas. Much of what may seem to be ecarchas is actually mass-produced, plastic glitter that has fallen off someone’s clothing or the like. If all the pieces are uniformly stamped, chances are it’s just glitter, not escarchas! Be cautious. Retain what is good, reject what isn’t. May Our Lady obtain many wonderful graces for you from Her Son, Who is the God of surprises!

Escarchas in New Jersey
By Rose DeCovolo

Since January 2004, I have been blessed with the phenomenon of medals, pictures and crosses oozing with oil since Dr. Allan Weilert was kind enough to send medals to me that were oozing with oil. I placed them near my other religious objects and they started to ooze or have the smooth/oily feeling.

Dr. Weilert also told me about the escarchas (sparkles) that he witnessed falling on him and everyone at Mass while in Betania. That blessing has been with him for some time now which, again, he was kind enough to pass on to me. He sent me a tape with some escarchas on them so that I could see what they looked like, having never heard of them or seen them. I placed the tape he sent to me near all my medals, statue of Infant Jesus, gold statue of crucified Jesus on Mt. Calvary, pictures, prayer cards, etc., and after a few days decided I would check to see if they also had escarchas. I rubbed my hand over each item, checking my hand each time and thanks be toGod and Our Blessed Mother, they did have escarchas.
When this first started happening to me (the month of May 2004) anything I touched in my bedroom where most of my religious items are, I found escarchas – the dresser, mirror, anything on the dresser. It was almost like a shower of escarchas just fell all over the room. After awhile, they were only on the religious items themselves.

On May 23rd, while attending the 10:30 Mass in my parish (St. Matthias) and while listening to Fr. Doug’s homily I just happened to look at my hands and they were literally full of shiny escarchas. I noticed that they were all over my black slacks also. When I went home, I saw that they were also on my red sweater and on my arms. Having escarchas appearing on my hands while attending Mass happened again 3 more times – once at my parish and twice at St. Augustine’s Church.

I check all of my religious items 2-3 times a day, collecting 2-3 tapes of escarchas. Sometimes I collect 4-5 tapes. Each day, some items will have escarchas and some will not. Other times, the ones that didn’t have escarchas would have them and the others would not. Occasionally, in the direct sunlight when I collect the escarchas, it seems like there is no end to them – as though they just keep “growing” on my fingers or palm of my hands.
I prefer checking for the escarchas in direct sunlight since they are shiny and easier to see in sunlight. (Sometimes I can see the escarchas falling off my hand in the sunlight.) When I check for escarchas in the evening, I hold my hand under a bright light, sometimes using a large magnifying glass to see them – then collect them all on tape. (The tape I use is Matte Finish Scotch tape – if the Gloss transparent tape is used, it will pick up
fingerprints.)

I consider myself blessed to have such a beautiful thing happen to me. I know this will end one of these days, but until that time I thank Jesus and Our Blessed Mother for the blessings they are bestowing upon me.

Escarchas Down-Under
By June Dennis, Mackay Australia

When I contacted Dr Allan Weilert about receiving an oozing medal, I felt a feeling of expectation and looked forward to collecting my mail each day and excitedly waited until the cherished arrived. On opening the envelope, imagine my disappointment when the medal appeared dry to look at and to touch. I contacted Dr. Allan via email, and he assured me that the medal would start to feel sticky within a few days. I waited patiently and knew in my own heart that I would receive this Heavenly gift, although unworthy of same.

After a few days the medal started to look oily on different parts and I became elated because I could not only see and feel the oil but also smell an oily perfume. As the days went on, I placed the medal in contact with two statuettes of Our Lady (Our Lady of Lourdes and Fatima and a pocket sized figurine of St. Padre Pio). Immediately the oil became apparent on the statuettes and Our Lady of Fatima became sticky to touch and gave off a fragrant floral perfume. Our Lady of Lourdes became shiny and smelt oily but gave off glitter on my hands, silver, red and blue.

Also the medal when touched and the small figurine of Padre Pio also caused my hands to have glitter on them. Dr. Allan told me that the glitter was called "escarchas" and was a symbol of the graces that the Blessed Virgin wants to pour out upon us, and a sign of her presence amongst us. To this day I still see the miracle of the "escarchas". Recently whilst receiving a blessing over the internet from Catholic Evangelist, Thomas Rutkoski, my ironing board became covered in the silvery particles, and I was able to place them in sticky tape to show to other people who are skeptical.

Also I have found them on the wall in my bedroom near my altar. I have also experienced the "escarchas" at Mass either on other people, my clothes or on the floor.
Recently a holy priest sent me some holy cards, and they had many golden "escarchas" sprinkled all over them. There is no doubt that the supernatural nature of the "escarchas" originated with the small miraculous medal sent to me from Dr Allan Weilert. This miracle has given great joy and comfort to me, and drawn me closer to Our Heavenly Father. Praise be Jesus.

Betania Pilgrimage
October 1-8, 2005 $1646 dbl occ

Round-trip airfare from Wichita, Five-Star Hotel, Breakfast & Dinner, Guide, Ground Transportation in Venezuela, Daily Mass & Rosary, Healing Services and Praise and Worship Does not include departure tax from Venezuela(around $20), tips to
guide($10/day) and diver($2/day), and lunches. Price not guaranteed due to airfare fluctuations.

Betania(Bethany) is a Church-approved Apparition site where Our Lady appeared under the title of:
“Mary, Virgin and Mother, Reconciler of Peoples and Nations”
Where thousands have actually seen Our Lady and many other supernatural phenomena.

Betania(Bethany) is a Church-Approved Apparition site where Our Lady appeared under the title of “Mary, Virgin and Mother, Reconciler of People and Nations. “ Adore the Eucharistic Miracle at Los Teques. Visit Carrizal, where apparitions of Our Lady to an entire convent of sisters in 1993 are still under investigation. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of verdant, mountainous Venezuela!
Limited to 30 pilgrims, so reserve your space now!
Dr. Allan Weilert: 316/733-7383 or 316/259-1301