OUR LADY OF FATIMA

STORY BEGINS

• Where: Fatima, Portugal
• When: 1916-1917
• Who: Lucia Dos Santos and Francisco and Jacinta Marto

AN ORDINARY DAY?
On a summer day in 1916 Lucia, Francisco, Jacinta were tending to their family's sheep. When it began to ran they took shelter in a cave nearby. Suddenly, there was a strong gust of wind and a bright light. An angel stood before them.

AN ANGEL?

Of course the children were afraid, but the angel told them not to fear because he was the angel of peace! The angel bowed down with the children and prayed with them. He told the children to pray, sacrifice everything they did to God, and pray for the salvation of all people including sinners.

The angel reappeared to the children two more times after this encounter reminding them of this same message.

A WOMAN IN WHITE

On May 13th 1917, something amazing occurred. The children tended to their sheep like normal when they saw lightning out of nowhere. It was a beautiful day, so this horrified them. As they started to run home, the flash appeared once more and above them stood a woman completely in white.

She called out, "Fear not. I'm from Heaven."

1st and 2nd Apparition

Mary tells the children: that she will return to the children in the same spot at the same time each month for the next six months. Then, she would return for a seventh and final time.

Out of curiosity, Lucia asked the woman if her cousins and she would go to heaven. The woman replied that she and Jacinta would go to heaven but Francisco needed to say many rosarys.

A PROMISE:

The Woman asked the children if they would give themselves to Lord by endearing the suffering of sinners throughout the world during their journey of repentance and for the conversion of all sinners.

Lucia said yes.

The woman told them that they would undergo sufferings but The Lord would always be with them.

The 3rd Apparition

The woman in white tells the children to pray for the sinners of the world at all times. At once she spread out her arms and hell opened below them. She told the children that what they saw is where sinners go if they do not repent.

She taught them to pray: "Oh my Jesus, forgive our sins. Save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to heaven especially those in need of thy mercy."

4th & 5th Apparition

The woman persistently tells the children to pray for sinners who need prayers more than anyone.

The 6th Apparition:

On October 13th 1917, more than 30,000 people accompanied the children to field where the woman appeared to them in hope to see her too.

On that day, the woman revealed herself as the woman of the Rosary. She told the children to build a chapel where she had appeared to them.

The Miracle of the Sun

At the 6th apparition, Lucia asked Mary if she wanted anymore of her. She told her that she didn't want anything more. Calmly, she opened up her palm and told Lucia to look up to the sky. At the time it was raining, but all at once the clouds disappeared and the sun danced across the sky.

This happened once more four days later. More extravagantly than the first time.