By Leon Bent –
The Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated under the Captioned Title following apparitions to three shepherd children — Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco — in Portugal in 1917. The message of Fatima includes a call to conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through praying the Rosary.
The apparitions and miracles that occurred at Fatima, in 1916 and 1917 rocked the country at the time, and the rest of the world soon after. Let us look back on the events of Fatima — in Servant of God Lucia dos Santos’ own words.
We began to see, in the distance, above the trees that stretched to the east, a light whiter than snow in the form of a young man, quite transparent, and as brilliant as crystal in the rays of the sun.”
He taught us to pray these words: “Oh, My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love you. And I beg pardon for all those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love you.”
“The Angels’ words sank deeply into our souls like a gleaming torch, showing us Who God is, what is His limitless and intensive love for us, and how he wants us to love Him too; the value of sacrifice and how it pleases Him; how He receives it for the conversion of sinners,” Lucia said. “That is why from that moment we began to offer Him whatever mortified us.”
Later that year, the angel appeared a third time, this time holding a Chalice and Bleeding Host, and offered us Holy Communion.
Our Lady’s First Visit
Much of the world was suffering in 1917 when Our Lady appeared, eight months after the last appearance of the angel. World War I was wreaking havoc across Europe, and in Russia, turbulent revolution would later give rise to the Soviet Union. The apparitions were just what the world needed.
On May 13, when Lucia was 10, Francisco, nine, and Jacinta, seven, Our Lady appeared to the three of us, children, with a flash of lightning.
She asked, “Will you offer yourselves to God, and bear all the sufferings He sends you, in atonement for all the sins that offend him and for the conversion of sinners?”
They replied that they would. She then asked them to return to this spot every month.
Lucia describes the encounter, “We were bathed in a heavenly light that appeared to come directly from her hands. The light’s reality cut into our hearts and our souls, and we knew somehow that this light was God, and we could see ourselves embraced in it. By an interior impulse of grace we fell to our knees, repeating in our hearts: ‘Oh, Holy Trinity, we adore You. My God, my God, I love You in the Blessed Sacrament.’”
Secrets and Sufferings
Between the second and fourth apparitions, we suffered much at the hands of their families and the local authorities, who believed them to be lying. But we remained steadfast, and with encouragement from Francisco and Jacinta, I, Lucia overcame her own doubts caused by my family’s disbelief.
The second apparition, June 13, revealed that Francisco and Jacinta would soon be taken to heaven; Lucia would remain on earth a while longer to tell the story of Fatima; but the third apparition would reveal much more.
On July 13, Our Lady revealed to us the “Secrets of Fatima,” the third of which would not be released until 2000 by St. John Paul II. The first was a vision of hell and a warning about World War II; the second, a warning about Russia.
“The first and second parts of the ‘secret’…refer especially to the frightening vision of hell, devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Second World War, and finally the prediction of the immense damage that Russia would do to humanity by abandoning the Christian faith and embracing Communist totalitarianism.”
The third secret was a prophecy. I write, “[There was] a Bishop dressed in white; we had the impression that it was the Holy Father – Pope John Paul II and his might-have-been assassin, Turkish , Mehmet Ali Agca. Who could be more merciful than His Holiness, the Propagator of Divine Mercy, in June, 2007. He went alone to meet Agca and forgave him in his prison Cell.
The Miracle of the Sun
In the final vision on October, 13, the Sun “danced” to eyewitnesses, which were 70,000 in attendance. “Opening her hands, she made them reflect on the sun, and as she ascended, the reflection of her own light continued to be projected onto the sun itself,” Lucia wrote. “Here…is the reason why I cried out to the people to look at the sun…I was moved to do so under the guidance of an interior impulse.”
After the start of World War II, Pope Pius XII released the first two secrets of Fatima, and consecrated the human race to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, specifically mentioning Russia. Pope Paul VI later renewed the consecration during his papacy.
St. Pope John Paul II was, arguably, the most devoted to the message of Fatima; following his assassination attempt on May 13, 1981, he attributed Our Lady of Fatima to saving his life. He renewed the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary the following day.