The Virgin Mary appeared to three poor children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917.
“one of the most important events in the history of the faith is the appearance of the mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, to three poor children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917.”
American Cosmic
ch5:18727-18894
Three children encountered a woman in a glowing light at the Cova da Iria pasture and were asked to return monthly.
“Three children were watching their sheep when a bright flash surprised them, and they walked toward the large hollow pasture called Cova da Iria...in the center of the light they perceived a little woman, who spoke to them, begging them to return every month to the same spot.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
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The apparitions occurred near the small Portuguese town of Fatima.
“few American readers know the full story of what happened in 1917 near that small Portuguese town”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:1494-1587
The first apparition took place on 1917-05-13.
“The first apparition of the woman took place on May 13, 1917.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:3974-4030
The children reported seeing the apparition six times in all.
“The children reported seeing the apparition six times in all.”
American Cosmic
ch5:20082-20139
The events began with Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto seeing an angel in spring 1917.
“It started with the three children, nine-year-old Lucia Santos and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, who saw an angel in the spring of 1917.”
American Cosmic
ch5:19467-19610
Vallée dates the sequence to angelic apparitions to Lucia dos Santos two years earlier, a classical UFO sighting sequence.
“the entire sequence of observations of an entity thought to be the Holy Virgin had begun two years previously with a fairly classical sequence of UFO sightings”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
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Crowd sizes across the apparitions grew: 3, 50, 4,500, 18,000, 30,000, 70,000.
“(The size of the assembled crowd had grown in the following progression: 3, 50, 4,500, 18,000, 30,000, 70,000.)”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:10557-10662
At the second apparition, fifty witnesses watched the children kneel and appear transfigured.
“there were fifty people the second time, on June 13. They watched while the little shepherds knelt and became transfigured, as if transported into another world, at the time of the observation.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:4530-4711
Lucia dos Santos, aged ten, addressed an unseen entity whose answers others could not hear.
“The oldest child, Lucia, who was 10 at the time, addressed an unseen entity whose answers were not heard by others in the group.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:4724-4846
An explosion was heard and a small cloud rose near the tree that became the focus of later apparitions.
“At the end of the dialogue all witnesses heard an explosion and saw a small cloud rise from the vicinity of a tree—on which all the succeeding manifestations would center.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:4991-5155
The third apparition, 13 July, drew 4,500 witnesses.
“The following month, on July 13, the number of witnesses had risen to forty-five hundred!”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:5164-5245
Witnesses reported a buzzing sound, a dimmed sun, a whitish cloud, and a loud noise at the Lady's departure.
“a buzzing or humming sound, a decrease in the Sun's glow and heat, a small whitish cloud about the tree of the apparitions, and a loud noise at the Lady's departure.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:5461-5616
The children were shown a vision of hell that terrified them.
“It is also remarkable that the children were shown a vision of hell that terrified them”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:5629-5712
A prophecy said the war would end but a worse one would begin under Pius XI if offences against God continued.
“The war is going to end, but if people do not stop offending God another and worse one will begin during the reign of Pius XI... When you see a night illuminated by an unknown light know that this is the great sign that God is giving you that he is going to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, famine, and persecution of the Church and of the Holy Father.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:5814-6176
The message asked for the consecration of Russia, warning of its errors spreading if unheeded.
“To prevent this I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia…. If they heed my requests, Russia will be converted and there will be peace. If not, she will spread her errors throughout the world.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:6185-6380
On 13 August, 18,000 people gathered but the children were absent, having been jailed by a local official.
“On August 13 there were eighteen thousand people at the site of the apparitions. The children, however, were not present. They had been kidnapped and jailed by a local official who had decided to put an end to this "nonsense."”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
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In the children's absence a thunderclap and flash preceded a small cloud forming, hovering, and dissipating.
“In their absence, a clap of thunder was heard, followed by a bright flash. A small whitish cloud was forming around the tree. It hovered for a few minutes, then rose and melted away.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:6983-7160
The sky's clouds turned crimson, then pink, yellow and blue.
“The clouds in the sky had turned crimson red, and then changed to pink, yellow, and blue.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:7166-7250
Witnesses reported 'falling flowers', an angel-hair phenomenon also linked to UFO sightings.
“The witnesses saw "falling flowers," the famous phenomenon of "angel hair" so consistently reported after the passage of a UFO, and sometimes interpreted as an ionization effect.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:7431-7602
Manuel Pedro Marto testified under oath to seeing a luminous globe spinning through the clouds.
“One man, Manuel Pedro Marto, reported seeing clearly a luminous globe spinning through the clouds ("Uma especie de globo luminoso girando nas nuvens") in a statement made under oath during the canonical enquiry concerning the "signs" of August 13, 1917.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
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On 19 August the temperature dropped and the sun turned yellowish with rainbow colours visible to nearby adults.
“On August 19 the children had been released and were tending sheep near Aljustrel, when about 4 P.M. they noticed a sudden lowering of the temperature. The sun, they said, became yellowish; the colors of the rainbow once again filled the countryside, visible to adults in the vicinity”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:7867-8143
A glowing light and an entity in white and gold asked for sacrifices before departing east with a roaring sound.
“The bright flash was seen, and a glowing light came to settle about a tree near the children. The entity, clothed in white and gold, stood once more in the center of the glow... A dialogue followed in which the apparition asked the children to "make sacrifices for sinners." After ten minutes the Lady of Light departed slowly toward the east with a roaring sound!”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:8180-8608
At the fifth apparition, the 30,000-strong crowd included two skeptical priests.
“On September 13 the crowd numbered thirty thousand, including two "men in black" (wearing the distinctive Roman collar). These two priests were absolutely skeptical and had come specifically to establish the falsity of the much-heralded "miracles."”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:8647-8885
At noon the sun dimmed and a globe of light advanced down the valley to rest on the tree.
“Noon. The sun got dimmer, although no clouds were seen in the sky... A globe of light was seen by all, advancing slowly down the valley, from east to west, toward the children. It came to rest on the tree.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:9186-9424
A white cloud formed and shiny white petals fell, shrinking and melting as they were caught.
“A white cloud formed and out of the empty sky, shiny white "petals" began to fall... the falling, glistening globules, contrary to the laws of perspective, grow smaller and smaller as they near them. And when they reach out their hands and hats to catch them they find that they have somehow melted away.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:9430-9801
The promise of an October miracle was repeated before the globe rose and vanished into the sun.
“The promise of a miracle on October 13 was repeated. Then the radiant globe rose and disappeared into the sun.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:9985-10092
A skeptical priest said the globe was a heavenly vehicle carrying the Mother of God to this 'forbidden wasteland'.
“Asked what he thought the globe was, one of the priests, now quite shaken, stated that "it was a heavenly vehicle that carried the Mother of God from her throne above to this forbidden wasteland."”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:10099-10284
Vallée notes the 'forbidden wasteland' idea recurs among those exposed to such phenomena.
“The concept of the earth as a prison or a "forbidden wasteland" is decidedly a popular one among those who have been exposed to these phenomena.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:10296-10430
The final apparition, 13 October, drew a crowd of seventy thousand.
“The last apparition, as predicted, took place on October 13, 1917. The crowd numbered seventy thousand this time.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:10442-10550
The vision was preceded by a flash and fragrance; the crowd saw a change in the children's faces but no lady.
“The vision was preceded by a flash of light at noon, a sweet strange fragrance. The children engaged in a dialogue with the Lady. The crowd did not hear the conversation and saw no Lady. They did observe the dramatic change on the faces of the three children, enraptured by the vision.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:10668-10946
Rain stopped, clouds parted, and the sun spun as a silver disc casting red, violet, blue and yellow light.
“The rain, that had been pouring down on the crowd, suddenly stopped, and the heavy clouds parted. The sun appeared as a disk of brilliant silver, "a weird disk that turns rapidly on its own axis and casts off beams of colored lights in all directions. Shafts of red light shot out from the rim of the sun and colored the clouds, the earth, the trees, the people; then shafts of violet, of blue, of yellow and of other colors followed in succession."”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:11029-11466
The disc stopped spinning and fell in a zigzag toward the crowd before reversing and vanishing into the sun.
“The reports speak of a flat disk rather than a globe. After a while it stopped spinning and "plunged downward in zigzag fashion toward the earth and the horrified spectators."...Finally the disk reverted its motion and disappeared into the sun”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:11577-11879
Afterwards the crowd's soaked clothes, the trees and the ground were found perfectly dry.
“The astounded crowd suddenly realized that their clothes, the trees, and the ground were perfectly dry.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:11985-12084
Garrett saw a thin bluish column of smoke rise briefly above the children before evaporating.
“It must have been 1:30 p.m. when there arose, at the exact spot where the children were, a column of smoke, thin, fine and bluish, which extended up to perhaps two meters above their heads, and evaporated at that height. This phenomenon, perfectly visible to the naked eye, lasted for a few seconds.”
American Cosmic
ch5:24038-24329
Garrett watched the crowd turn to a sharp-edged sun that could be looked at without discomfort.
“Suddenly I heard the uproar of thousands of voices, and I saw the whole multitude spread out in that vast space at my feet . . . turn their backs to that spot . . . and look at the sun on the other side. I turned around, too . . . and I could see the sun, like a very clear disc, with its sharp edge, which gleamed without hurting the sight. . . . The most astonishing thing was to be able to stare at the solar disc for a long time, brilliant with light and heat, without hurting the eyes or damaging the retina.”
American Cosmic
ch5:24741-25356
Garrett described the sun spinning in a 'mad whirl' rather than remaining still.
“the sun’s disc did not remain immobile, it had a giddy motion, [but] not like the twinkling of a star in all its brilliance for it spun round upon itself in a mad whirl.”
American Cosmic
ch5:25484-25647
Garrett said everything he looked at took on an amethyst colour.
“I looked first at the nearest objects and then extended my glance further afield as far as the horizon. I saw everything had assumed an amethyst color.”
American Cosmic
ch5:25834-25979
Garrett saw the sun turn blood red and seem to advance threateningly, prompting a cry of anguish.
“one heard a clamor, a cry of anguish breaking from all the people. The sun, whirling wildly, seemed all at once to loosen itself from the firmament and, blood red, advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge and fiery weight.”
American Cosmic
ch5:26003-26246
Garrett said he never observed similar phenomena before or after 13 October 1917.
“I must declare that never, before or after October 13 [1917], have I observed similar atmospheric or solar phenomena.”
American Cosmic
ch5:26498-26605
The disc's edges were sharp and not blinding, though some saw the phenomenon darken enough for the moon and stars to appear.
“The edges of the disk, according to all descriptions, were sharp. And it was definitely not blinding, although pictures of the crowd show many witnesses shading their eyes. But others report that the phenomenon darkened the sun to such an extent that at one point they could see the moon and the stars.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:19228-19524
Two witnesses using binoculars reported seeing a ladder and two entities.
“Two witnesses looked at it with binoculars and reported seeing a ladder and two entities.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:19138-19218
The phenomenon could not be photographed with the era's emulsions and shutter speeds.
“The phenomenon, it seems, could not be photographed directly with the photographic emulsions and shutter speeds commonly available at the time.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:18685-18823
A widely reproduced 'Fatima miracle' photograph is actually an unrelated solar eclipse photograph.
“(One picture often produced by the newspapers and alleged to show the miracle is in fact a photograph of an eclipse of the sun that has nothing to do with the Fatima miracle.)”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:18830-18995
Guilhermina Lopes da Silva, 16 miles away in Leiria, saw a great red flash at noon.
“A woman named Mrs. Guilhermina Lopes da Silva, who lived in Leiria no less than sixteen miles from the site of the miracle, could not go to the place appointed for the apparition, but she looked toward the mountain at noon and saw "a great red flash" in the sky.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:18259-18517
Afonso Lopes Vieira and family saw the brilliance thirty miles away at San Pedro de Muel.
“The brilliance in the sky was such that it was seen thirty miles away (at San Pedro de Muel, by Portuguese writer Afonso Vieira, his wife, and his mother-in-law).”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:18522-18679
Albano Barros, aged 12, was too struck by the falling disc to recall what followed.
“A child of 12, named Albano Barros, for example, who was in a field near Minde, eight miles from Fatima, was so struck when he saw the disk of light falling toward the earth that he does not remember what followed: "I cannot even remember whether I took the sheep home, whether I ran, or what I did."”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:16953-17250
Farmer Manuel Francisco went home weeping.
“Others were so afflicted that, like farmer Manuel Francisco, they went home weeping.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:17340-17416
A schoolboy witness at Alburitel later became a priest; Haffert interviewed him in 1960.
“Another remote witness was a schoolboy who was so impressed by what he saw that he subsequently became a priest. (John Haffert interviewed him in 1960.) At the time of the miracle he was with his brother and other children in the village of Alburitel, nine miles away from the Cova da Iria”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:19532-19817
Mr. Mendes told Haffert in 1960 that the event still dominated his interior life.
“A prominent lawyer, Mr. Mendes, stated in an interview with John Haffert in 1960: "What I saw at Fatima could not help but affect the interior life... I still remember it today as vividly as at the moment it happened, and I feel myself to be dominated by that extraordinary event."”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:17592-17912
Engineer Mario Godinho reported his mother's eye tumour was inexplicably cured at Cova da Iria.
“At my mother's request, I went once more to Cova da Iria in August at the time of the apparitions, writes engineer Mario Godinho... My mother, who had had a large tumor in one of her eyes for many years, was cured. The doctors who had attended her said they could not explain such a cure.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:16295-16679
The Church's 1930 ruling held the solar phenomenon was not natural, as no observatory registered it.
“This phenomenon, which no astronomical observatory registered and which therefore was not natural, was witnessed by persons of all categories and of all social classes”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:2292-2452
The 1930 ruling cited witnesses of all classes and journalists as ruling out collective illusion.
“was witnessed by persons of all categories and of all social classes, believers and unbelievers, journalists of the principal Portuguese newspapers and even by persons some miles away. Facts which annul any explanation of collective illusion.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:2391-2624
The Church approved the apparitions as worthy of belief as private, not public, revelation.
“The church, after thirteen years of investigation, approved the event as worthy of belief, albeit under the category of “private revelation,” as distinguished from “public revelation,” which is something Catholics are obligated to believe”
American Cosmic
ch5:26750-26981
The apparition has official Church sanction, and several popes expressed devotion to Our Lady of Fatima.
“The apparition has received the official sanction of the Catholic Church, and several popes have expressed open devotion to "Our Lady of Fatima," as she is called.”
American Cosmic
ch5:18900-19056
The figure did not name herself Virgin Mary, said she was 'from Heaven', and promised an October miracle.
“She had not said that she was the Virgin Mary. She had simply stated that she was "from Heaven" and instructed them to return every month until October, when a public miracle would take place "so that everyone may believe."”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:2793-3007
A prophetic message was given to the children and transmitted by them to the Church.
“In one of the encounters a prophetic message was given to the children, and transmitted by them to the Church.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:3441-3544
The prediction that Jacinta and Francisco Marto would die before adulthood proved true.
“One of the predictions of the lady was that Jacinta and Francisco would die before they reached adulthood, which sadly proved true.”
American Cosmic
ch5:27474-27600
The sealed part of the message was opened by Pope John XXIII in 1960 but not published.
“A part of that message was not to be revealed until 1960, at which time Pope John XXIII opened the sealed envelope, but did not publish the secret.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:3552-3692
John Paul II was doubtless aware that 13 May coincided with the 1981 attempt on his life.
“May 13 was when the lady first appeared to the three young children, and the pope was doubtless aware of the date.”
American Cosmic
ch5:19176-19285
Jesse Mitchells says the Vatican confiscated a written prophecy more complex than the historical account.
“I think the Vatican confiscated one of the prophecies from the, the orphans or whatever... And it was written down and that piece of paper was literally confiscated by the Vatican.”
The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event
02:22:32.7-02:22:41.6
Vallée lists the disc, falling-leaf trajectory, light effects, sounds, fragrance and heat as placing Fatima in UFO perspective.
“Not only was a flying disk or globe consistently involved, but its motion, its falling-leaf trajectory, its light effects, the thunderclaps, the buzzing sounds, the strange fragrance, the fall of "angel hair" that dissolves upon reaching the ground, the heat wave associated with the close approach of the disk, all of these are constant parameters of UFO sightings everywhere.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
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Vallée considers the Fatima technology indistinguishable from UFO-phenomenon technology.
“it is also indistinguishable from the technology surrounding the UFO phenomenon.”
American Cosmic
ch5:20972-21041
Vallée compares the Fatima prophecy's absurdity to contactee stories and to Lourdes' instructions to Bernadette Soubirous.
“The mixture of seriousness and absurdity that we have already noted in several contactee stories is an unmistakable characteristic of this statement. We will find the same thing to be true in Lourdes, where the alleged Virgin Mary instructs the little Bernadette to perform meaningless actions.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race
ch15:6388-6674
Recurring elements include a shining being in a small sphere, spinning discs, humming, heat and healing.
“including the arrival of a shining being in a small sphere (much like the spheres described by Alison Kruse), spinning aerial discs, humming noises, heat effects, healing phenomena, some people witnessing it while others do not”
American Cosmic
ch5:21139-21363
Messages in these cases often seem absurd and include an injunction to silence, as with Fatima's secrets.
“the message of the beings, which seems absurd and often includes the injunction to remain silent (here, the secrets of Fatima)”
American Cosmic
ch5:21427-21546
Vallée sets aside evaluative interpretations of the Fatima entity as the Virgin Mary, as with UFO events generally.
“He ignores the second-order, evaluative interpretations of the entity as being the Virgin Mary. He takes the same approach to UFO events.”
American Cosmic
ch5:27963-28093
Vallée's morphology of miracles includes a psychic component reported by the Fatima children and St. Teresa of Avila.
“There is also the “psychic component” that Jacques mentions, which was reported by the children who witnessed the apparition, as well as by St. Teresa of Avila. This component is experienced as a direct knowing of what the beings seem to communicate. It is as if the beings somehow get inside the heads of the experiencers, as if there are no barriers between them.”
American Cosmic
ch5:31825-32185
Pasulka writes that Vallée sees the actual Fatima events as largely unknown, altered by media coverage over time.
“Although the story of Fatima is known by almost all Catholics, and even to millions of non-Catholics, Jacques notes that the actual events are mostly unknown and have been changed through media and over time.”
American Cosmic
ch5:20363-20566
Jason Samosa described visiting Fatima and touring the 1917 apparition sites.
“I went there recently and did a tour. And it was really funny because I went and scheduled this tour with me and my girlfriend at the time.”
The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event
02:20:23.0-02:20:30.4