Marian Apparitions: Fatima
Fatima, Portugal, 1917
Witness
Three children: Bl. Francisco & Jacinta Marto; Sister Lucia
Summary
In the spring of 1916, the Angel of Portugal appeared to three children (Francisco age 8, Jacinta age 6 and Lucia age 9) near a hilltop cave, giving them a special prayer of adoration to pray to the 'Hearts of
Jesus and Mary.' He appeared later in the summer urging them to pray and make sacrifice in reparation for sin and again in October, giving
them supernatural Communion.
On May 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to the children above a holmoak tree in Cova da Iria and asked them to come to the same spot for six months on the same day of the month. She also urged praying the Rosary daily for peace.
On July 13, Mary showed the children a vision of hell, and taught them an addition to the
Rosary aimed at salvation of souls. More and more of the faithful began to visit and accompany
the
young seers to the apparition site. In August, when a hostile government official 'kidnapped' the children to prevent their going to visit Mary, a crowd of 15,000 witnessed supernatural thunder and a lightning which
thwarted the plans of some to go and forcefully release the children (who were freed after being severely threatened).
In the October 13 apparition, the Virgin asked that a chapel be built there. In the past, onlookers had seen a bending shrub (June), smelled a 'celestial fragrance' (August), and beheld a luminous globe and
a 'rain of vanishing roses' (September) all of which (along with the messages relayed by the children) led several
thousand people, including the press and sceptics, to come to view the promised miracle. Just after noon, the sun
began 'dancing' and moved about the sky along with various colors.
Witnesses as far as 30 miles away viewed the undeniable event which was reported in all secular newspapers.
Francisco and Jacinta (recently beatified) died a few years later and Lucia (then a cloistered nun) had three more visits from the Virgin in which Messages and requests for devotion were relayed.
Prayers
Spring, 1916: The Angel's Prayer
"My God, I believe, I adore, and I love You! I beg pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You!"
October, 1916: The Angel's Second Prayer
"Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly and offer You the most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the earth, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference with which He Himself is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners."
May 13, 1917: Children's Interior 'Impulse' Prayer from the Virgin Mary
"O most Holy Trinity, I adore You! My God, my God, I love You in the most Blessed Sacrament."
July 13, 1917: The Virgin Mary's Rosary Ejaculation
"O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of Hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of your Mercy."
Devotions
May 13, 1917: Mary's Request for the Daily Rosary
"Pray the Rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war."
July 13, 1917: Mary's Request for Sacrifice
"Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and repeat often, especially whenever you make a sacrifice for them:
'O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins
committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.'"
December 10, 1925: First Saturdays (to Sr. Lucia)
"I (Blessed Virgin) promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite
five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the
Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me."
Messages/Prophecies
Additional Online Resources
Fatima Sanctuary
Blue Army Apostolate
Extensive Narrative of the Events
Books About Fatima
(After entering the site, click on 'Subject Listing' and then 'Apparitions')
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