Emblematic figure of the church, the Virgin of Fátima – whose celebration is held every May 13 – owns a story related to apparitions that occurred at the beginning of the 20th century in a small town in Portugal.
Like other Marian apparitions, that of the Virgin of Fatima originated from the testimonies of three shepherds, named Lucía dos Santos, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, who claimed to have been face to face with Mary in the Cova da Iria, Fátima, between May 13 and October 13, 1917.
Where is the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Fatima and what is it like?
The sanctuary -whose full name is Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima- is built in the same place where the Virgin appeared to the three children.
Construction began on the sanctuary in 1928. It was consecrated on October 7, 1953, and the following year the Holy See granted it the title of minor basilica during the pontificate of Pius XII.
The sanctuary of Fátima is considered to be one of the most important popular pilgrimage centers in the world. In its surroundings, more than 50 houses of female religious have been established and some 15 male congregations that include a seminary.
The story of the Virgin of Fatima
On May 13, 1917, the Virgin appeared before Lucía and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, who lived in the town of Aljustrel, in Fátima. The children were shepherds of their families’ flocks.
In that first meeting, María told them, among other things, that she would return every day at the same time for the next six months. And she fulfilled it.
In the first appearance, the children saw lightning on a bright day. While guarding their sheep, they observed a cloud on which a woman was standing, with a glow that seemed to come from the sun.
In the second apparition, María told the boys that Francisco and Jacinta would die while Lucía would survive to bear witness to the apparitions.
In the third apparition of the Virgin, which took place on July 13, a secret was revealed to Lucia. The frightened girl cried out the name of the virgin, there was a loud clap of thunder and the vision ended.
On August 13, when the fourth apparition was to take place, the children could not access Cova da Iria, since they were detained by the administrator of Ourém. Thus, the encounter with the Virgin happened on August 19, in a place called Valinhos.
The children were reunited with the Virgin on September 13 in Cova da Iria. The sixth and last apparition occurred on October 13: that day the “miracle of the sun” took place, since those present said they had seen the star king dance.
Francisco and Jacinta died during the so-called Spanish flu pandemic that struck in 1918. While Lucía turned her life over to religion.
It was so that on June 13, 1929, in the convent chapel in Tuy, Spain, the young woman had another mystical experience in which she saw the Holy Trinity and the Virgin Mary. And on October 13, 1930, the Bishop of Leiria proclaimed the Fatima apparitions as authentic.
Eighteen years after the apparitions, Sister Lucia wrote her testimony that was kept secret for years. Some texts saw the light in the last century. In the form of prophecies, they spoke of repentance, of prayer, and gave bleak visions of hell.
Sister Lucia died at the age of 97, on February 13, 2005. In 1941 she revealed the first two secrets. Only the Popes had access to the third prophecy until Saint John Paul II disclosed it in May 2000: what the nun had written in 1944 was revealed 83 years later.
Virgin of Fatima: the 3 prophecies
The three messages were considered premonitory and, according to the Vatican, their content has already been fulfilled.
For John Paul II, the visions of Our Lady of Fatima were “private revelations whose purpose is to help us live more fully according to the teachings of Christ.”
One of the prophecies is linked to the Russian Revolution. It was the year 1917 and events had been taking place in that country since February that ended with the October Revolution and, later, the formation of the Soviet Union.
“If my requests are heard, Russia will convert and they will have peace; If not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecution of the Church, ”the Virgin told the little shepherds after demanding that both Russians and all of humanity consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Another prophecy spoke of new times of war once World War I ended (which ended in November 1918) and envisioned World War II.
“The war will end, but if they do not stop offending God, in the reign of Pius XI another worse one will begin… For his crimes through war, famine and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father” , he conveyed in his message.
The last secret made reference to John Paul II and anticipated the attack suffered by the Supreme Pontiff on May 13, 1981 when he was shot in Saint Peter’s Square.
The Pope himself claimed to have survived the attack thanks to the intercession of the Virgin Mary and the prophecy of the Virgin of Fatima who anticipated that this was going to happen.
Such was the devotion of John Paul II that in 1984 he donated the bullet that was extracted from him to the sanctuary of Fatima and that today can be seen there embedded in the crown of the image.
The prayer of the Virgin of Fatima
O Most Holy Virgin, You repeatedly appeared to the children; I would also like to see you, hear your voice and tell you: My Mother, take me to Heaven. Trusting in your love, I ask you to reach me from your Son Jesus a living faith, intelligence to know and love Him, patience and grace to serve Him to my brothers, and one day to be able to unite with You there in Heaven.
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
My mother, I also ask you for my parents, so that they may live united in love; for my brothers, family and friends, so that living together as a family one day we can enjoy eternal life with you.
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
I ask you in a special way for the conversion of sinners and the peace of the world; for children, so that they never lack divine help and what is necessary for their bodies, and one day achieve eternal life.
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be Oh my Mother, I know you will listen, and you will get me these and how many graces I ask of you, because I ask them for the love you have for your Son Jesus. Amen.
My mother, here is your son, be my mother!
Oh sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!
Prayer Source/Devotionary.com