The 1917 Appearances of Our Lady of Fatima
In 1917, three humble shepherd children—Lucia dos Santos, Francisco Marto, and Jacinta Marto—encountered the Virgin Mary in the quiet village of Fatima, Portugal. What began as a simple day tending sheep transformed into a series of divine apparitions that revealed visions of hell, prophetic warnings, and a call to prayer and repentance.
Notes
- The First Apparition (May 13, 1917): While tending their sheep, Lucia (10), Francisco (9), and Jacinta (7) saw a radiant lady "brighter than the sun" appear above an oak tree. She asked them to return on the 13th of each month for six months, promising further revelations.
- The Three Secrets of Fatima: Vision of Hell: A terrifying glimpse of suffering souls, urging the children to pray and offer sacrifices for sinners. Devotion to the Immaculate Heart: Mary called for the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart, predicting the end of World War I and warning of a greater war if humanity did not repent. Trials of the Church: Revealed later, this secret foretold Christian persecution and an assassination attempt on a pope—many connect it to the 1981 attack on Pope John Paul II.
- The Miracle of the Sun (October 13, 1917): During the final apparition, over 70,000 witnesses saw the sun dance, change colors, and appear to plunge toward Earth before returning to the sky. Reported in newspapers, this miracle converted skeptics and affirmed the children’s testimony.
- Francisco and Jacinta were canonized by Pope Francis on May 13, 2017—the 100th anniversary of the first apparition—becoming the youngest non-martyr saints in the Catholic Church. Today, Fatima remains a beacon of hope, reminding us to draw closer to Jesus through Mary’s Immaculate Heart.
Episode Transcript
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In 1917, in a quiet Portuguese village, three shepherd children encountered the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Fatima. Their faith and courage, amidst the terrifying visions of hell and the prophetic warnings they received, changed hearts worldwide. The story begins in the small village of Fatima, Portugal.
In 1917, three shepherd children, Lucia dos Santos, Francisco Marto, and Jacinta Marto witnessed a series of apparitions that would change the world. These children were simple, and they were devout, spending their days tending sheep in the fields of Portugal. They would often pray the rosary together, unaware that heaven was about to intervene in their humble lives in a profound way. They often prayed the rosary together, unaware that heaven was about to intervene in their humble lives in a profound way that would echo through time. On 05/13/1917, while the three children were tending their sheep, a radiant lady appeared to them.
Described as brighter than the sun, she instructed the children to return to the same spot on the thirteenth day of each month for the next six months, promising to appear again. Over the course of these apparitions, the Virgin Mary shared three secrets with the children. The first was a vision of hell, a place of immense suffering for souls who turn away from God. This vision deeply affected the children, especially Francisco and Jacinta. The second secret was a call for devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Mary asked for prayers and sacrifices to save sinners and bring peace to the world. She also predicted the end of World War one and warned of another war if humanity did not repent. While revealing the second secret, she also asked for the consecration of Russia to her immaculate heart, and that if her requests were heeded, Russia would be converted, and there would be peace. If not, she said that Russia would spread her errors in the world, causing wars and persecutions of the church. The third secret of Fatima, finally revealed in February, detailed the trials of the church, including Christian persecution and an assassination attempt on the pope.
Many see this as a prophecy of the nineteen eighty one attack on pope John Paul the second. The final apparition on 10/13/1917 was accompanied by the miracle of the sun witnessed by over 70,000 people as the sun appeared to dance in the sky, change colors, and plunge toward the earth before returning to its place. The account of the miracle of the sun appeared in newspapers at the time. This miracle left even skeptics in awe, with many falling to their knees in repentance. The children faced immense challenges as they shared their experiences over these six months.
They were ridiculed, threatened, even imprisoned by local authorities who tried to force them to recant their story. Despite this, they remained steadfast in their testimony. Francisco, a contemplative and very gentle boy, was deeply moved by the visions of hell. He dedicated his short life to praying for sinners and offering sacrifices to console the sad heart of Jesus. He passed away in 1919 at the age of 10, saying, I am going to heaven, and there I will pray for you.
Jacinta, the youngest, was profoundly affected by the suffering she saw in the vision of hell. She became a vessel of compassion, offering her own sufferings for the conversion of sinners. She died in 1920 at the age of nine, enduring great pain with remarkable patience. Lucia, the oldest, bore the responsibility of communicating Mary's message to the world. She entered the Carmelite convent and lived as a religious sister.
Over the decades, she wrote extensively about the apparitions and passed away in 02/2005 at the age of 97. The devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, central to the Fatima message, calls us to honor Mary's heart, which is full of love of God and humanity. Mary asks for acts of reparation, including prayer, sacrifice, and the First Saturday devotion to console her heart and bring souls to God. The first Saturday devotion involves attending mass, receiving communion, praying the rosary, and meditating on its mysteries on the first Saturday of five consecutive months. The practice is meant to make reparations for the sins committed against Mary's immaculate heart.
The immaculate heart of Mary is a symbol of impurity, love, and maternal care. By devoting ourselves to her heart, we draw closer to Jesus as Mary always leads us to her son. This devotion is powerful. It's a way to grow in holiness and bring peace to the world. The lives of Francisco and Jacinta, though brief, were marked by extraordinary holiness.
They were canonized as saints by Pope Francis on 05/13/2017, the one hundredth anniversary of the first apparition, and they are the youngest nonmartyr saints in the Catholic church. Today, the message of Fatima remains as relevant as ever. We're called to pray the rosary daily for peace, to repent, and return to God, and devote ourselves to the immaculate heart of Mary.