On May 13, 1917, three young Portuguese children tending sheep suddenly saw a woman aglow in light. The child Lucia described the figure as, “brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal ball filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun.”

The luminous lady was our Blessed Mother Mary who asked the children to pray for the conversion of sinners and for an end to the war (World War I). She also requested that the children to return to the site on the 13th of every month.

Mary visited the children again on June 13 and July 13. There stories about the Lady clothed in light quickly drew much attention. On August 13, skeptical authorities prevented the children from going to the field, and Mary appeared to them six days later instead. On September 13, the Lady in light asked the children to pray the rosary and to pray for an end to the war. In her final appearance, on October 13, she revealed herself as Our Lady of the Rosary, and again asked for continuing prayers and repentance.

On the day of the last appearance, a crowd reported to have been 70,000 people gathered with the children to witness the appearance. Mary told the children that they would witness a sign in the heavens during her last appearance to them, and the entire crowd saw the phenomenon: for nearly 10 minutes the sun seemed to dance in the sky and fall towards the earth.

During her appearances to the children, Mary also shared three “secrets” with the children that have been revealed over time.

In the first secret, the children witnessed the horrors of hell in a deeply distressing vision.

In the second secret, Mary asked for the conversion of sinners, and especially communist Russia, and spoke of an approaching second great war.

The third secret, not revealed publicly until 2000, foretold a pope-like figure being killed and many Christian faithful martyred.  Pope Saint John Paul II interpreted the secret as the assassination attempt against his own life that took place in St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981, and the terrible violence against Christians marking the 20th century, the bloodiest of all centuries.

Within two years of Our Lady’s apparitions, the two younger children, Francisco and Jacinta died of the Spanish Influenza. Lucia who lived a long life as a cloistered nun, died in 2005.

Let us take to heart Our Lady’s message to pray and repent.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

St. Jacinta and St. Francisco and Servant of God Lucia, pray for us!