In the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of Jesus Crucified, founded in Brazil by Monsignor Francisco de Campos Barreto, Bishop of Campinas, lived a pious nun named Sister Amalia of Jesus Scourged (by baptism, Amalia Aguirre). Like other privileged souls – Saint Francis of Assisi, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina and Therese Neumann – she had in her own body the sacred Stigmata of Jesus.

Sister Amalia was born in Riós, in the autonomous community of Galicia, near the Portugal–Spain border, on July 22, 1901. She belonged to an ancient family of long Christian tradition and their parents were admired by the sanctity of customs, fervent piety and their inexhaustible charity towards the neighbor. However, economic circumstances and God's plans compelled them to leave Spain and go to Brazil, whose language (Portuguese) was known by them and allowed them to communicate and work without difficulty. Firstly, they were in the State of Bahia, but shortly afterwards they moved to the State of São Paulo and settled in the brazilian city of Campinas.

Amalia Aguirre, initially, did not go with her parents to Brazil, having been taking care of her grandmother, who was already very old and sick, and needed company. Only after her grandmother's death did Amalia cross the Atlantic Ocean, arriving in Campinas on June 16, 1919. The young girl and future religious missionary was far from imagining that in her new homeland she would be receive such prodigious manifestations of Jesus and Blessed Virgin Mary.

Sister Amalia belonged to the first group of eight nuns, co-founders of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Jesus Crucified, who, on December 8, 1927, in Campinas, received the religious habit and made their perpetual vows equally on December 8, 1931.

At that time, a relative of Sister Amalia was in great distress because his wife was seriously ill and several doctors told him that there was no remedy that could save her. Not knowing what to do or what God expected of him, he turned to Sister Amalia as his last hope. Breaking in tears, the poor man asked: "What will become of my children?"

Sister Amalia took the affliction of her kinsman very deeply, and in a confident prayer she addressed the Divine Savior.

Suddenly, Sister Amalia felt inwardly called to go to Jesus present in the Tabernacle. She went to the chapel where, with open arms, she knelt down before the altar and said to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament:

"If there is no salvation for the wife of T..., then I am ready to offer my life for the mother of this family. What do you want me to do?"

Then Jesus appeared for the first time to Sister Amalia and said: "If you want to obtain this grace, ask Me for the sake of My Mother's Tears."

Sister Amalia asked: "How should I pray?"

In answering, Jesus taught her the following invocations: "O Jesus, hear our prayers for the sake of Your Most Holy Mother's Tears! O Jesus, look upon the Tears of the One who loved You most on Earth and loves You most ardently in Heaven!"

Finally, Jesus added: "My daughter, whatever people will beg Me for the sake of the Tears of My Mother, I shall lovingly grant them. Later, My Mother will hand over this treasure to our beloved Institute as a magnet of Mercy."

This occurred on November 8, 1929.

Exactly four months from this date, Jesus fulfilled His promise to Sister Amalia. As the prophecy foretold, the Blessed Virgin Mary bestowed a great treasure to Heaven’s beloved Institute.

Bibliographical sources:
• Renato Carrasquinho; Our Lady of Tears: Apparitions, Messages and Devotion. Edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).
• Renato Carrasquinho; Devotionary to Our Lady of Tears. Special edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).

Sister Amalia's own words about what happened in the convent chapel:

"On March 8, 1930, I was in the chapel kneeling on the steps of the altar when suddenly I felt myself as being elevated to the high. A Lady of unspeakable beauty was approaching me. She wore a violet robe, a blue mantle, and a white veil draped over her shoulders which also wrapped her around the chest. With a smile, she approached me hovering. She held in her hands a Rosary that she herself called "Crown". The beads glowed like the sun and were as white as snow.

Handing me this rosary, Our Lady said to me:
"This Chaplet is the Chaplet of My Tears, that My Son wants to entrust to your Institute as part of His Inheritance. My Son has already taught you the invocations. Through these invocations, He wants to honor Me in a very special way and, therefore, willingly will grant all graces that are begged for the sake of My Tears.
This Chaplet will serve for the conversion of many sinners, and especially those who are possessed by the devil.
To the Institute of Jesus Crucified is reserved a special honor that is the conversion of many members of a sect transforming them into flowering trees within the Church.
Through this Chaplet the devil will be defeated and the power of hell will be destroyed. Get ready for this great battle!".

When our Blessed Mother had finished speaking, she disappeared."

Bibliographical sources:
• Renato Carrasquinho; Our Lady of Tears: Apparitions, Messages and Devotion. Edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).
• Renato Carrasquinho; Devotionary to Our Lady of Tears. Special edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).

On April 8, 1930, the Virgin Mary appeared again to Sister Amalia and revealed the Medal of Our Lady of Tears and of Jesus Bound (tied during His Passion). She said that this same medal should be widely publicized so that the power of Satan in the world was defeated. Our Lady added that all the faithful people who will bring that prodigious medal with love and devotion would receive innumerable graces.

By order of the Mother of God, the front of this new medal depicts Our Lady of Tears handing the Chaplet of Tears to Sister Amalia (just as it had happened during the apparition of March 8, 1930) surrounded by the words: "O Virgin Most Sorrowful, Your Tears have destroyed the infernal empire!". On the back, the prodigious medal depicts the image of Jesus Bound (tied during His Passion) with the following words: "By Your Divine meekness, O Jesus Bound, save the world from the error which threatens it!".

Bibliographical sources:
• Renato Carrasquinho; Our Lady of Tears: Apparitions, Messages and Devotion. Edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).
• Renato Carrasquinho; Devotionary to Our Lady of Tears. Special edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).

"My daughter: Today I will speak to you about the Tears of My Mother.

For twenty centuries they were kept in My Divine Heart to deliver them now. With this delivery, I make you an apostle of Our Lady of Tears and I know that you are ready to give your life by the diffusion of such holy devotion.

To be a missionary of My Mother's Tears is to give Me immense consolations! I have given infinite value to these Tears, and, with them, those who will set out to propagate them will have the happiness of stealing souls from the evil one, whose hatred will put them with many obstacles so that these Tears will not become known."

"The world needs Mercy, and to receive it there is no more precious gift than the Tears of My Mother! If the Tears of a mother can touch the heart of a rebellious son, how cannot my Heart feel commotion when I love this Mother so much? This magnificent treasure, guarded during twenty centuries, is now in the hands of all to save many souls from the infernal claws!... When the generous souls say, "My Jesus, for the sake of Your Most Holy Mother's Tears", My Heart opens itself and spreads over those souls the torrents of My Mercy!"

Bibliographical sources:
• Renato Carrasquinho; Our Lady of Tears: Apparitions, Messages and Devotion. Edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).
• Renato Carrasquinho; Devotionary to Our Lady of Tears. Special edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).

"Everyone who sets out to disclose My Mother's Tears will receive in Heaven a very special joy and will praise all the hours spent to have made them known.

All priests who will spread the power of the Tears of Mary will have their labors bearing fruits of eternal life and great things they will do for love of Me. The spreading of this wealth of My Mother's Tears is of great importance to My Heart because it will give Me millions and millions of souls!

I am your Crucified Jesus who in every hands has deposited such a sacred and powerful treasure, of which you must be an indefatigable apostle and must be able to lay down your life for it.
– Blessed are those who preach the Tears of Mary!"

Bibliographical sources:
• Renato Carrasquinho; Our Lady of Tears: Apparitions, Messages and Devotion. Edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).
• Renato Carrasquinho; Devotionary to Our Lady of Tears. Special edition of the International Apostolate of Our Lady of Tears (2017).