Our Lady of Fátima | Apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima

Three children reported seeing apparitions of an angel who identified himself as Guardian Angel of Portugal followed by apparitions of Mary. Mary revealed to the children three secrets: first, the reality of hell and the means of saving people from it through personal sacrifices and Acts of reparation; second, a prediction of future upheavals (beginning with World War II), the spiritual means of ending them (a Consecration of Russia and Communions of reparation on First Saturdays), and a prediction of an eventual "triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary" third, an obscure vision of future persecution of the Church. The apparitions culminated with the Miracle of the Sun, an astronomical phenomenon witnessed by a crowd of approximately 70,000 people, and even by others located miles away. All nine popes since the apparitions Benedict XV, Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis have indicated their belief in the authenticity of the apparitions. Pope John Paul II credited Our Lady of Fátima with saving his life after he was shot in Rome on the May 13 feast day of the apparition in 1981, and donated the bullet that wounded him to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima. In 1925, eight years after the Fátima events, Lúcia, then Sister Lúcia, reported another set of related apparitions, which became known as the Pontevedra apparitions. The Apparitions was approved in October 13, 1930. 1915 Occurrences In 1915, on the top of Monte do Cabeço, Lucia and her three companions - Teresa Matias, her sister Maria Rosa and Maria Justino - witnessed manifestations thus described in the seer's Memoirs: We had hardly begun when, there before our eyes, we saw a figure poised in the air above the trees; it looked like a statue made of snow, rendered almost transparent by the rays of the sun. – “What is that?” asked my companions, quite frightened. – “I don’t know!” We went on praying, with our eyes fixed on the figure before us, and as we finished our prayer, the figure disappeared" Apparitions of the Angel in 1916 First apparition of the Angel Location: Loca do Cabeço, Pregueira in Valinhos Date: 1916 Spring “Do not be afraid. I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me.” Kneeling on the ground, he bowed down until his forehead touched the earth. Led by a supernatural impulse, we did the same, and repeated the words which we heard him say: “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You!” Having repeated these words three times, he rose and said: “Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications." Second apparition of the Angel Location: Backyard of Lucia's house, next to Poço do Arneiro Date: 1916 Summer - “What are you doing?” he asked. “Pray! Pray very much! The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High.” - “How are we to make sacrifices?” I asked. - “Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. You will thus draw down peace upon your country. I am its Angel Guardian, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, accept and bear with submission, the suffering which the Lord will send you. Third apparition of the Angel Location: Loca do Cabeço Date: 1916 Fall […] holding a chalice in his hands, with a host above it from which some drops of blood were falling into the sacred vessel. Leaving the chalice and the host suspended in the air, the Angel prostrated on the ground and repeated this prayer three times: - “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You 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 indifference with which He Himself is offended. And, through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.” Then, rising, he once more took the chalice and the host in his hands. He gave the host to me, and to Jacinta and Francisco he gave the contents of the chalice to drink, saying as he did so: “Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Repair their crimes and console your God.” Once again, he prostrated on the ground and repeated with us threetimes more, the same prayer. “Most Holy Trinity...” Marian Cycle: Apparitions of Our Lady in 1917 First apparition of Our Lady Location: Cova da Iria Date: May 13, 1917 - Do not be afraid. I will do you no harm! - Where are you from? - I am from Heaven. - What do you want of me? - I have come to ask you to come here for six months in succession, on the 13th day, at this same hour. Later on, I will tell youwho I am and what I want. Afterwards, I will return here yet a seventh time. [- Can you tell me if the war will still last too long or it will be over soon?- I cannot yet tell you until I say what I want of you.] - Shall I go to Heaven too? - Yes, you will. - And Jacinta? - She will go also. - And Francisco? - He will go there too, but he must say many Rosaries. […] - Is Maria das Neves in Heaven? - Yes, she is.” (I think she was about 16 years old). - And Amélia? - She will be in purgatory until the end of the world. […] - Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?” - Yes, we are willing.” - Then you are going to have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort. As she pronounced these last words “...the grace of God will be your comfort”, Our Lady opened her hands for the first time, communicating to us a light so intense that, as it streamed from her hands, its rays penetrated our hearts and the innermost depths of our souls, making us see ourselves in God, Who was that light, more clearly than we see ourselves in the best of mirrors. Then, moved by an interior impulse that was also communicated to us, we fell on our knees, repeating in our hearts: - O most Holy Trinity, I adore You! My God, my God, I love You in the most Blessed Sacrament!” After a few moments, Our Lady spoke again: - Pray the Rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war." Second apparition of Our Lady Location: Cova da Iria Date: June 13, 1917 People present: 50 to 60 - What do you want of me? I asked. - I wish you to come here on the 13th of next month, to pray the Rosary every day, and to learn to read. Later, I will tell you what I want. I asked for the cure of a sick person. - lf he is converted; he will be cured during the year. - I would like to ask you to take us to Heaven. - Yes. I will take Jacinta and Francisco soon. But you are to stay here some time longer. Jesus wishes to make use of you to make me known and loved. He wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.” [l promise salvation to those who embrace it, and those souls will be loved by God like flowers placed by me to adorn His throne.]. Am I to stay here alone? I asked, sadly. No, my daughter. Are you suffering a great deal? Don’t lose heart. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God. As Our Lady spoke these last words, she opened her hands and for the second time, she communicated to us the rays of that same immense light. We saw ourselves in this light, as it were, immersed in God. Jacinta and Francisco seemed to be in that part of the light which rose towards Heaven, and I in that which was poured out on the earth. In front of the palm of Our Lady’s right hand was a heart encircled by thorns which pierced it. We understood that this was the Immaculate Heart of Mary, outraged by the sins of humanity, and seeking reparation.» Third apparition of Our Lady Location: Cova da Iria Date: July, 13, 1917 People present: 4000 to 5000 or 2000 to 3000 «- What do you want of me? I asked. - I want you to come here on the 13th of next month, to continue to pray the Rosary every day in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you. - I would like to ask you to tell us who you are, and to work a miracle so that everybody will believe that you are appearing to us. - Continue to come here every month. In October, I will tell you who I am and what I want, and I will perform a miracle for all to see and believe. [- I have here a petition to make, that you convert a woman from Pedrógão and another one from Fátima, and cure a child from Moita. She said that she would convert them, and restore the child's health, within a year.] - Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say many times, especially whenever you make some sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart ofMary. As Our Lady spoke these last words, she opened her hands once more, as she had done during the two previous months. The rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw as it were a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke now falling back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. (It must have been this sight which caused me to cry out, as people say they heard me). The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frighfful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. Terrified and as if to plead for succour, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us, so kindly and so sadly: - You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius Xl. When you see a night illumined by na unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays 15. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace 16; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world. In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved. 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 splendour 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. Do not tell this to anybody. Francisco, yes, you may tell him. When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: “O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need.” After this, there was a moment of silence, and then I asked: - Is there anything more that you want of me? - No, I do not want anything more of you today." Fourth apparition of Our Lady Location: Valinhos Date: August 19, 1917 People present (on the 13th): 15000 to 18000, though some writings mention only 5000 - What do you want of me - I want you to continue going to the Cova da Iria on the 13th, and to continue praying the Rosary every day. In the last month, I will perform a miracle so that all may believe. [If you did not come back with them to the Village, it would be the best-known Miracle; St Joseph was to come with the Child Jesus to give peace to the world, and also our Lord would come to bless the people; our Lady of the Rosary would come with an angel on each side, and Our Lady surrounded with an arch of flowers.] - What do you want done with the money that the people leave in the Cova da Iria? - Have two litters made. One is to be carried by you and Jacinta and two other girls dressed in white; the other one is to be carried by Francisco and three other boys. The money from the litters is for the “festa” of Our Lady of the Rosary, and what is left over will help towards the construction of a chapel that is to be built here. - I would like to ask you to cure some sick persons. - Yes, I will cure some of them during the year. Then, looking very sad, Our Lady said: - Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them. Fifth apparition of Our Lady Location: Cova da Iria Date: September 13, 1917 People present: 20000 to 30000 "- Continue to pray the Rosary in order to obtain the end of the war. In October Our Lord will come, as well as Our Lady of Dolours and Our Lady of Carmel. Saint Joseph will appear with the Child Jesus to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices. He does not want you to sleep with the rope on, but only to wear it during the daytime. - I was told to ask you many things, the cure of some sick people, of a deaf-mute. - Yes,I will cure some, but not others. [Because Our Lord does not want to believe them] . In October I will perform a miracle so that all may believe. [- People would like to have here a little chapel. - [From] half the money collected till today make two litters for our Lady of the Rosary; the other half is to help building the little chapel. I offered her two letters and a glass with scented water. - They gave me this, if you want of them. - This is not appropriate to heaven.]» Sixth apparition of Our Lady Location: Cova da Iria Date: October 13, 1917 People present: 50000 to 70000 "- What do you want of me?” - I want to tell you that a chapel is to be built here in my honour. I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue always to pray the Rosary every day. The war is going to end, and the soldiers will soon return to their homes. - I have many things to ask you: the cure of some sick persons, the conversion of sinners, and other things... - Some yes, but not others. They must amend their lives and ask forgiveness for their sins. Looking very sad, Our Lady said: - Do not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is already so much offended! {If the people amend, the war will be over, and if they do not amend their ways, the world will come to an end.} [- Is there anything more you want of me? - No, I do not want anything more of you.] Then, opening her hands, she made them reflect on the sun, and as she ascended, the reflection of her own light continued to be projected on the sun itself. […] After Our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of the firmament, we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus appeared to bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the Cross with their hands. When, a little later, this apparition disappeared, I saw Our Lord and Our Lady; it seemed to me that it was Our Lady of Dolours. Our Lord appeared to bless the world in the same manner as St. Joseph had done. This apparition also vanished, and I saw Our Lady once more, this time resembling Our Lady of Carmel. Seventh apparition of Our Lady Location: Cova da Iria Date: June 15, 1921 Context: Eve of Lucia's departure for the Vilar asylum His Excellency the bishop José met Lucia, for the first time, around 1920-1921, and questioned her about the events. He proposed to her leaving Fatima and going to Oporto, because there she was not yet known. From the diary of Sister Lucia "Again, in Fatima, I kept inviolate my secret. But the joy I felt in saying goodbye to the Bishop was short-lived. I recalled to my mind my family, the father's house, the Cova da Iria, the Cabeço, the Valinhos, the well ... and now should I go away from everything, thus, once and forever? And without knowing where to go...? I said yes to the Bishop, but now I'll tell him that I regretted, and do not want to go there. " She was in this inner struggle, when she went to the Cova da Iria: «So careful and solicitous, You, once again, came down to earth, and then I felt your friendly and maternal hand touching me on the shoulder; I looked up and saw You; it was You, the Blessed Mother, giving me a hand and showing me the way. Your lips opened and the sweet timbre of your voice brought back again light and peace to my soul: “Here I am for the seventh time, go, follow the path along which the Bishop wants to take you, this is the will of God.” Then I repeated my 'yes', now a 'yes' much more conscious than that of May 13, 1917; and while you were again raising towards heaven, it came to my mind, at a glance, a whole series of wonders which in that same spot, only four years ago, I was given to contemplate." Cordimarian cycle, 1925 - 1929 Apparition of Our Lady Location: in her cell, in Pontevedra Date: 10 December 1925 "Appeared to her the Most Holy Virgin and, beside her, borne by a cloud, a Child. The Most Holy Virgin, placing one hand on her shoulder, showed her, at the same time, in the other hand a heart surrounded with thorns. Simultaneously, the Child said: «Have compassion on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother, covered with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to make an act of reparation to remove them : -Then, said the Most Holy Virgin: Look, my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at very moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the rosary, and keep me company for 15 minutes while meditating on the 15 mysteries of the rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.» Apparition of the Child Jesus Location: in the yard, in Pontevedra Date: February 15, 1926 On the 15th of February 1926, while returning as usual [to empty a garbage can outside of the yard], I found there a child who appeared to me to be the same (whom I met once before), and I then asked him: - Have you asked Our Heavenly Mother for the Child Jesus? The Child turned to me and said: - And have you revealed to the world what the Heavenly Mother has asked you? - And saying that, He transformed Himself into a resplendent Child. Recognizing then that it was Jesus, I said to Him: - My Jesus! You know very well what my confessor said to me in the letter I read to you. He said that this vision had to be repeated, for there are to be facts permitting us to believe it, and the Mother Superior alone could not spread this devotion. - It is true that the Mother Superior, alone, can do nothing, but with My grace, she can do anything. It is enough that your confessor gives you permission, and that your Superior announces this for it to be believed by the people, even if they do not know who it was revealed to. - But my confessor said in his letter that this devotion already exists in the world, because many souls receive Thee every first Saturday of the month, in honor of Our Lady and the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.’ - It is true, My daughter, that many souls begin, but few persevere to the very end, and those who persevere do it to receive the graces promised. The souls who make the five first Saturdays with fervor and to make reparation to the Heart of your Heavenly Mother, please Me more than those who make fifteen, but are lukewarm and indifferent ... - My Jesus! Many souls find it difficult to confess on Saturday. Will You allow a confession within eight days to be valid? - Yes. It can even be made later on, provided that the souls are in the state of grace when they receive Me on the first Saturday, and that they had the intention of making reparation to the Sacred Heart of Mary. - My Jesus! And those who forget to form this intention? They can form it at the next confession, taking advantage of their first opportunity to go to confession." Apparition of the Holy Trinity and Our Lady Location: in the chapel in Tuy Date: June 13, 1929 «The only light was that of the lamp. Suddenly, the whole chapel lit up with a supernatural light and on the altar appeared a cross of light which reached the ceiling. In a clearer light, on the upper part of the cross, could be seen the face of a man with His body to the waist, on His chest a dove, equally luminous; and nailed to the cross, the body of another man. A little below the waist, suspended in the air, could be seen a chalice and a large host, onto which some drops of blood were falling, which flowed from the face of the Crucified One and from the wound in his breast. Running down over the Host, these drops fell into the Chalice. Under the right arm of the Cross was Our Lady (she appeared as Our Lady of Fatima, with Her Immaculate Heart... in the left hand, without sword or roses, but with a crown of thorns and flames) with Her Immaculate Heart in Her hand... Under the left arm of the Cross, in large letters, like crystalline water which flowed over the altar, forming these words: "Grace and Mercy". I understood that the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity was shown to me, and I received lights about this mystery which I am not permitted to reveal. Then Our Lady said to me: - The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father to make, in union with all the bishops of the world, the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means. So numerous are the souls which the justice of God condemns for sins committed against Me, that I come to ask for reparation. Sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray. I rendered an account of this to my confessor, who ordered me to write down what Our Lord willed to be done. Later, in an intimate communication, Our Lady complained to me, saying: - They did not wish to meet my request!… Like the King of France, they will repent and do it, but it will be late. Russia will have already spread her errors throughout the world, provoking wars, and persecutions of the Church: the Holy Father will have much to suffer. 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