100 Years of Our Lady of Fátima Apparitions

Credits: Ana Figueiredo

Today is a very special day, 100 years ago, three shepherd children experienced the apparition of Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, at Fátima. The three children were Lúcia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto. The apparitions at Fátima were officially declared worthy of belief by the Catholic Church. Popes Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI voiced their acceptance of the supernatural origin of the Fátima events. John Paul II credited Our Lady of Fátima with saving his life following an assassination attempt on the Feast of Our Lady of Fátima, 1981. He donated the bullet that wounded him to the Roman Catholic sanctuary at Fátima, Portugal and it was placed in the crown of the Virgin's statue.

On May 13, 1917, Lúcia described seeing a lady "brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal goblet filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun". While they had never spoken to anyone about the angel, Jacinta divulged her sightings to her family despite Lucia's admonition to keep this experience private. Her disbelieving mother told neighbors as a joke, and within a day the whole village knew. Further appearances were reported on June 13 and July 13. In these, the lady asked the children to do penance and Acts of Reparation and make personal sacrifices to save sinners. According to Lúcia's account, the lady also confided to the children three secrets, now known as the Three Secrets of Fátima.

Credits: Santuário de Fátima

Pope Francis is in Portugal for the centenary celebration of the Marian apparitions of Fátima, which wouldn’t be complete without the presence of the Pope as he is part of the message of Fátima. Francisco and Jacinta, two of the childrem who saw Our Lady, will be canonized today, during Pope Francis's mass at the Santuary.

To know more about Our Lady of Fátima and this special place, visit the page Santuário de Fátima.

Bênção das Velas (Blessing of Candles)
Credits: Santuário de Fátima