Monthly Archives: September 2023

A Humble Beginning

The year was 1917, a time when the world was gripped by the horrors of World War I (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918). Portugal, though not directly involved in the conflict, was experiencing the turbulence of war and its repercussions. It was against this backdrop that the Virgin Mary, accompanied by divine messages, appeared to three young shepherd children from the village of Fatima. These children, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta, were simple, humble, and devout. Their lives were deeply rooted in faith, as they tended their family’s sheep and prayed the Rosary daily.

Later on, in the fall of 1916, the Angel appeared to the children in Valinhos a second time. This time the Angel prostrated himself on the ground before a vision of a chalice and host and said, “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.”

The Apparitions – Our Lady of the Holy Rosary

The first apparition of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary occurred on May 13, 1917, when the children were tending to their flock in the Cova da Iria, a field near Fatima. The children reported that a sudden flash of light, brighter than the sun, bathed them in its radiant glow. Startled and intrigued, they saw a beautiful lady, “more brilliant than the sun,” standing over a small holm oak tree. She was dressed in white, her feet adorned with delicate white roses, and a luminous rosary hung from her hands. She asked them to return to the same spot on the 13th of each month at the same time for the next six months, and promised to reveal her identity and what she wanted from them. She also asked them if they were willing to offer themselves to God and accept the sufferings that He would send them in reparations for the countless sins by which He is deeply offended and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. After the children accepted, Our Lady told them that the grace of God would be their comfort during the hardships.

On July 13^th 1917, Our Lady appeared to the children for the third time, and this was indeed a pivotal one. She appeared to the children in the same spot and around the same time as before. She reiterated her wish for them to pray the Holy Rosary everyday, and to do so in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, so as to obtain peace and the end of World War I, acknowledging that “…for she alone can help” (herself), and promised to them a miracle for October that same year.

It was noticeable the stress Our Lady gave to praying the Holy Rosary, as she reiterated one more time how important it was to praying it everyday and to do sacrifices for sinners by telling them to say the following words when a sacrifice is being made: “Oh my Jesus, this is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the offences committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary”.

Our Lady showed to the children a terrifying vision of hell, which was something that deeply affected the young seers. They saw souls in torment, engulfed in flames and suffering. She explained that this was where the souls of the damned go, and that God wishes to establish in the world devotion to her Immaculate Heart so that many souls would be saved instead of ending up in hell, and that as a result of that there would be  worldwide peace.

She warned that, if that was not happening, then another war, even worse than the current one, would being in the reign of Pope Pius XI. And prophetically said that, given this scenario, God would give an extraordinary sign for this, which would be a night illuminated by an unknown light. With this, God would let the people know that He will punish the world for its many crimes by means of war, hunger, and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father. In this regards, it is worth to note that on the night of January 25 – 26 of 1938, the sky was lit up with an aurora borealis light storm, that was seen all across the world. And, a little over a month later, on the 12^th of March 1938, Hitler invaded Austria unopposed by the Austrian military, which marked the beginning of the chain of events that evolved into World War II.

She then added that “In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me” “it will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world. In Portugal the dogmas of the Faith will always be kept”. It is a matter of debate whether Russia was actually consecrated to her Immaculate Heart given the various interpretations. But what is not a matter of controversy, is the fact that Russia did scatter her errors throughout the world.

During the apparition of July, Our Lady of Fatima entrusted three secrets to them, which were described as “good for some and bad for others”. The first two secrets were made public to the world by Sister Lucia in her memoir from 1941, those are related to the Vision of Hell and the Consecration of Russia. These have been mentioned above in detail. For the third secret, nevertheless, Our Lady gave instructions to Lucia not to reveal it until the year 1960, when it should be made public to the world. This third secret, however, was not revealed in 1960 by the Holy See as directed by Our Lady, but 40 years later, in 2000. Several members of the clergy, laypeople, academics, and scholars have been critical about the third secret revelation, stating that it was not truly revealed or at least not in full. Cardinal Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, personally confirmed that he had read the third secret in full, and that this secret and the messages from Our Lady of Akita are “essentially the same”. The prophecies of Our Lady of Akita contains the following, in part: “The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. … churches and altars sacked … “.

Our Lady of Fatima ended her message from July 13, 1917, suggesting them to say this beautiful, and now well known prayer, after each mystery of the Holy Rosary: “Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need.”

The next and forth apparition that was scheduled for the 13^th of August could not materialized because, on that same day, the three children were sent to prison by the provincial administrator Artur Santos, who decided to put them into custody before they could reach the Cova da Iria. He believed that these events were politically disruptive for the country, as thousands of people, faithful and curious, flocked to Fatima and nearby Aljustrel drawn by the reports of marian apparitions and miracles. However, the apparition did occur on August 19^th, 1917, at nearby Valinhos. When Our Lady appeared to the children, she reiterated her call for prayer, penance, and devotion to her Immaculate Heart because “many souls go to hell as they have no one to pray for them.”

On September 13^th the children returned to the Cova da Iria, where Our Lady once again appeared to them a fifth time. She reiterated her call for prayer and sacrifice for the conversion of sinners. She also expressed her joy at the growing crowds of pilgrims who were coming to the site. During this apparition, Our Lady repeated that she would perform a miracle in October to confirm the authenticity of her messages and that “Our Lord will come, and Our Lady of Sorrows and of Mount Carmel and St. Joseph with the Child Jesus to bless the world.”

On Saturday October 13^th 1917, Our Lady appeared to the children for the last time, which is, by the way, the most famous of them all, also known as the Miracle of the Sun. On this day, there were between 70.000 to 100.000 people gathered at the Cova da Iria field, and all of them witnessed the miracle Our Lady performed. The rain was pouring and the crowd stood drenched, growing impatient awaiting the promised sign. “Put down your umbrellas everyone! Kneel down. Our Lady is coming! I have seen the flash!”, Lucia said to the people gathering around. The heavy rain immediately stopped and the clouds suddenly parted, Our Lady appeared to the young shepherds and identified herself saying to them “I am the Lady of the Rosary”. She then continued saying “I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask for pardon for their sins. They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is already too grievously offended by the sins of men. People must say the Rosary. Let them continue saying it everyday. I would like a chapel built here in my honor.” She also said that the war would end soon, referring to World War I. As a side note, the war finally ended on the 11^th of November 2018.

It spun faster each time and at the end seemed to tear itself from the sky and began plunging down to earth. Most of the crowd was on their knees, terrified, asking pardon for their sins, fearing that the end of the world was at hand. Others were too scared and attempted to flee or take cover. At the last moment, the sun halted its descent and returned to its normal position. When the miracle ended, all the ground that was soaked wet as well as people’s clothes were completely dry. There were also many reported healings. This miracle was reportedly seen over a 600 square mile area.

It is important to note that, as the crowd was witnessing the miracle of the sun, the children saw visions of the Holy Family, Jesus, Joseph and Mary. They also saw Our Lord carrying His cross with His Mother, Our Lady of Sorrows. Lucia also saw Our Lady of Mount Carmel who signifies the triumph over suffering. Just as Our Lady had promised to them.

This extraordinary event served as a confirmation of the children’s testimony and the authenticity of the apparitions. It also marked a turning point in the public perception of Fatima, as more people began to take the messages of Our Lady seriously. It was seen by believers and skeptics alike and left a profound impact on those who witnessed it.

The Scepticism and Opposition

The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima were met with scepticism and opposition from various quarters, including some within the Church and the secular authorities. The children faced ridicule and even threats from those who doubted the authenticity of their experiences. Nonetheless, they remained steadfast in their testimony, and their unwavering faith inspired others to investigate the events at Fatima more closely, leading to the massive crowd in Cova da Iria in October 13^th,1917, that could witness the  extraordinary Miracle of the Sun.

The Third Secret

The third secret of Our Lady of Fatima was officially revealed by The Holy See to the world on the 26 of June, 2000. It was written in a the letter by Sister Lucia in 1944 directed to her superior, Bishop Silva of Leiria, after he gave her explicit orders to do so, given that she was very ill at the time with influenza and pleurisy and he was concerned that the secret would be lost. She made him promise that the sealed envelop would remain in secret and it would only be opened and revealed to the world after her death or in 1960, whatever came first. The secret reads as follows:

“The third part of the secret revealed at the Cova da Iria-Fátima, on 13 July 1917.

I write in obedience to you, my God, who command me to do so through his Excellency the Bishop of Leiria and through your Most Holy Mother and mine.

After the two parts which I have already explained, at the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendor that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!’. And we saw in an immense light that is God, something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it, a Bishop dressed in White. We had the impression that it was the Holy Father. Other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big Cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork-tree with the bark; before reaching there the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way; having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big Cross he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious, and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the Cross there were two Angels each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God.”

Tuy-3-1-1944.”

The Impact of Fatima

The messages of Our Lady of Fatima had a profound impact on both the Catholic Church and the world at large. Here are some of the key ways in which Fatima influenced hearts and minds:

1. Spiritual Revival: Fatima sparked a spiritual revival, encouraging millions of Catholics and Christians to deepen their faith, particularly through the recitation of the Rosary. The call to prayer, penance, and conversion resonated with many in a world scarred by war and turmoil.

2. Conversion of Russia: The request for the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary led to ongoing efforts within the Church to fulfill this request. While the exact interpretation of this consecration has been a topic of debate given that Word War II was not prevented, it played a role in shaping Church policy toward Russia and contributed to discussions about the role of faith in geopolitics.

3. Devotion to the Immaculate Heart: The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima popularized devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a devotion that continues to be cherished by Catholics worldwide.

4. Peace and Unity: The message of peace and the call for prayer and sacrifice resonated with those seeking an end to violence and conflict. In the wake of World War I and the continued instability in Europe, Fatima offered a message of hope and a pathway to peace.

5. Increased Pilgrimage: The site of the apparitions, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, became a major pilgrimage destination. Pilgrims from around the world flock to Fatima to seek spiritual solace and to pay homage to Our Lady.

6. Canonization of the Children: Lucia dos Santos, the sole survivor of the three children who witnessed the apparitions, lived to become a Carmelite nun. She passed away in 2005, and her cause for canonization has been opened, as has the cause for the canonization of her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, who died at young ages due to the Spanish flu.

7. Consequences of Sin: the vision of Hell and her messages served as a powerful reminder of the consequences of sin, the reality of the afterlife, and the importance of prayer, sacrifice, and repentance.

Conclusion

The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917 are a testament to the enduring power of faith, hope, and divine intervention in the lives of ordinary individuals. The simple, humble lives of Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta Marto were forever changed by their encounters with the Virgin Mary, and through them, the whole world.

The messages and miracles of Our Lady of Fatima have had a lasting impact on the Catholic Church and the world, inspiring devotion, prayer, and reflection on the themes of peace, repentance, and the salvation of souls. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal remains a major pilgrimage site, drawing millions of visitors from around the world each year.