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The Secrets OfFatima
Apparitions of the Angel
In rural Portugal of 1917 it would not have beenunusual to see children leading their family flocks to pasture. This is whatthe children of the Marto and Santos families, cousins all, did on many days.Often it was Lucia Santos, Francisco Martos and his sister Jacinta, who gladlyundertook this chore, grateful for the chance to be outdoors and to play as thesheep silently grazed. They would take their families few sheep to graze onsmall plots of land owned by their parents in different parts of the sera, themountainous plateau on which was located the village of F'tima (where theparish church was) and Aljustrel (where the children
actuallyresided). Two favorite grazing areas were the hillside facing Aljustrel, nearan outcropping called Loca do Cabeco (Place of the Head) and the Cova da Iria(Cove of Irene) at some distance beyond F'tima. At first one, then the other,would occur the apparitions which would change the course of the children'slives and the history of the 20th century.
First Apparition of theAngel
In the spring of 1916 Lucia, Francisco andJacinta, had their first encounter with a heavenly messenger. Writing in hermemoirs, composed under obedience to the Bishop, Lucia tells of that firstmeeting.
We went on that occasion to my parents' property,which is at the bottom of the Cabeco, facing east. It is called Chousa Velha.
About the middle of the morning it began todrizzle and we climbed up the hill, followed by our sheep, in search of a rockthat would shelter us. And so it was that we entered for the first time intothat blessed place. It is in the middle of an olive grove that belongs to mygodfather, Anastacio. From there one can see the village where I was born, myfather's house, and also Casa Velha and Eira da Pedra. The olive grove, whichreally belongs to several people, extends as far as these places.
We spent the day there, in spite of the fact thatthe rain had stopped and the sun was shining in a clear sky. We ate our lunchand began to say the Rosary. After that we began to play a game with pebbles.We had only been at it a few moments when a strong wind began to shake thetrees and we looked up to see what was happening, since it was such a calm day.And then we began to see, in the distance, above the trees that stretched tothe east, a light whiter than snow in the form of a young man, quitetransparent, and as brilliant as crystal in the rays of the sun. As he camenear we were able to see his features. We were astonished and absorbed and wesaid nothing to one another. And then he said:
Do not be afraid. I am the angel of peace. Praywith me.
He knelt, bending his forehead to the ground.With a supernatural impulse we did the same, repeating the words we heard himsay:
My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I loveYou. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, anddo not love You.
After repeating this prayer three times the angelrose and said to us:
Pray in this way. The hearts of Jesus and Mary areready to listen to you.
And he disappeared. He left us in an atmosphereof the supernatural that was so intense we were for a long time unaware of ourown existence. The presence of God was so powerful and intimate that even amongourselves we could not speak. On the next day, too, this same atmosphere heldus bound, and it lessened and disappeared only gradually. None of us thought oftalking about this apparition or any pledge of secrecy. We were locked insilence without having willed it.
The intense effect that the apparition of theAngel had on the children, quite different from the more serene experience ofthe Virgin the following year. Lucia states, I don't know why, but theapparitions of our Lady produced in us effects quite different from the angel'svisitations We felt in both instances the same intimate happiness, peace andjoy, but instead of the physical prostration the angel imposed, our Ladybrought a feeling of expansion and freedom; and instead of this annihilation inthe divine presence, we wished only to exult in our joy. There was nodifficulty of speech when our Lady appeared; there was rather on my part adesire to communicate.
This difference can perhaps be explained in thisway. The angels of whatever choir share in common with God a spiritual nature,unmixed with matter. The goodness of their being, filled with the divinejustice according to the degree of glory granted to each, radiates thatholiness unmediated, though proportioned to the capacity of human beings toexperience it. Not without reason Scripture shows how easily an angel appearingto men can be confused with God Himself (Rev 19:10, 22:9). When our Ladyappears, however, although her glory is greater than that of the highestseraphim her human nature cloaks that glory in the familiar, just as did OurLord's human nature, even after the Resurrection.
Although the angels, too, can appear in moremundane fashion, it must have suited the divine purposes to reveal to thechildren something of the holiness of God. Lucia tells us of the lingeringeffect it had on them.
His words sank so deeply into our minds that wenever forgot them, and ever after we used to spend long periods on our kneesrepeating them, sometimes until we fell down exhausted.
Second Apparition of theAngel
Sometime during the summer of 1916 the threecousins were playing in the heat of the day in the garden near the well behindthe Santos home in Aljustrel. Lucia describes how the angel appeared to themonce more, chastising them for their for their lack of spiritual seriousness.
Suddenly we saw the same angel near us.
What are you doing? You must pray! Pray! Thehearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs for you. You must offer yourprayers and sacrifices to God, the Most High.
"But how are we to sacrifice?" I asked.
In every way you can offer sacrifice to God inreparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication forsinners. In this way you will bring peace to our country, for I am its guardianangel, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, bear and accept with patience thesufferings God will send you.
This apparition renewed the same profound effectwhich the first one had on them. Francisco, who throughout the appearances ofthe angel and Our Lady would see but not hear, was unsuccessful in prying fromthe girls the words which the angel had spoken until the following day. Luciatells us,
The Angels' words sank deeply into our souls likea gleaming torch, showing us Who God is, what is His love for us, and how hewants us to love Him too; the value of sacrifice and how it pleases Him; how Hereceives it for the conversion of sinners. That is why from that moment webegan to offer Him whatever mortified us.
Third Apparition of theAngel
Lucia is uncertain when the third apparition ofthe angel occurred, sometime in late September or in October 1916 is herrecollection. Having gone to the Cabeco with their flocks, and being moreattentive to the words of the angel, they immediately knelt down to pray theprayer taught them by the angel: My God, I believe, I adore etc...
After we had repeated this prayer I don't knowhow many time we saw the shining over us a strange light. We lifted our headsto see what was happening. the Angel was holding in his left hand a chalice andover it, in the air, was a host from which drops of blood fell into thechalice. The Angel leaves the chalice in the air, kneels near us and tells usto repeat three times:
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Iadore You profoundly, and I offer You the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul andDivinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, inreparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He isoffended. And by the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart and theImmaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.
After that he rose, took again in his hand thechalice and the host. The host he gave to me and the contents of the chalice hegave to Jacinta and Francisco, saying at the same time:
Eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christterribly outraged by the ingratitude of men. Offer reparation for their sakesand console God.
Once more he bowed to the ground repeating withus the same prayer thrice: Oh, Blessed Trinity etc. and disappeared.Overwhelmed by the supernatural atmosphere that involved us, we imitated theAngel in everything, kneeling prostrate as he did and repeating the prayers hesaid.
It was in this way that catechized in prayer,reparative suffering, and the doctrine of the Holy Eucharist, and strengthenedby the Bread of Angels, that the children of F'tima were prepared for thevisitation of the Queen of Portugal, the Immaculate Virgin Mary.
Apparitionsof Our Lady
Almost eight months had passed since the lastapparition of the Angel. Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta continued to practicewhat the Angel had taught them, praying and offering sacrifices to the Lord.Lucia was now ten years old, Francisco would be nine in June and Jacinta hadjust turned seven in March, when on May 13th, 1917, they chose to pasture theirsheep in a hilly depression owned by Lucia's father and known as the Cova daIria, or Cove of Irene. It was there, with one exception, that the BlessedVirgin under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary appeared on six occasions in1917, and a seventh time in 1920 (to Lucia alone).
As important as the place and the time is thesituation of the world. At that moment the First World War raged in Europe,introducing mankind to the most savage forms of warfare seen to that date. Infar off Moscow Lenin prepared the revolution that would overturn the Russiansocial order in November 1917 and eventually engulf almost half the peoples ofthe earth. It was in that context that heaven condescending to earth to providethe antidote to the moral and social evils of the world - the message ofFatima.
Apparition of 13 May 1917
Leading their flock out from Aljustrel on themorning of the 13th of May, the feast of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, thethree children passed F'tima, where the parish church and cemetery could befound, and proceeded a kilometer or so north to the slopes of the Cova. Herethey allowed their sheep to graze as they played in the pasture land sprinkledwith the occasional oak tree. After having had their lunch about noon theydecided to pray a rosary, although in a somewhat truncated fashion, saying onlythe first words of each prayer. Shortly, they were startled by what they laterdescribed as "lightening in a clear sky." Thinking that a storm might beapproaching they debated whether they should take the sheep and go home.Preparing to do so they were again surprised by a strange light.
And we began to go down the slope driving thesheep towards the road. When we were half-way down, near a holm oak there [thelarge tree which today is encircled with an iron fence], we saw another flashof lightening, and after a few steps we saw on a holm oak [a small one lower onthe hillside] a lady dressed in white, shining brighter than the sun, givingout rays of clear and intense light, just like a crystal goblet full of purewater when the fiery sun passes through it. We stopped astounded by theApparition. We were so near that we were in the light that encircled her, orwhich she radiated, perhaps a meter and a half away [4-5 feet].
Please don't be afraid of me, I'm not going toharm you.
Lucia responded for all three, as she wouldthroughout the apparitions. "Where are you from?"
I come from heaven.
The Lady wore a pure white mantle, edged withgold and which fell to her feet. In her hands the beads of a rosary shone likestars, with its crucifix the most radiant gem of all. Still, Lucia felt nofear. The Lady's presence produced in her only gladness and confident joy.
"And what do you want of me?"
I want you to return here on the thirteenth ofeach month for the next six months, and at the very same hour. Later I shalltell you who I am, and what it is that I most desire. And I shall return hereyet a seventh time.
"And shall I go to heaven?"
Yes, you will.
"And Jacinta?"
She will go too.
"And Francisco?"
Francisco, too, my dear, but he will first havemany Rosaries to say.
For a few moments the Lady looked at Franciscowith compassion, tinged with a little sadness. Lucia then remembered somefriends who had died.
"Is Maria Neves in heaven?"
Yes, she is.
"And Amelia?"
She is in purgatory. Will you offeryourselves to God, and bear all the sufferings He sends you? In atonement forall the sins that offend Him? And for the conversion of sinners?
"Oh, we will, we will!"
Then you will have a great deal to suffer, but thegrace of God will be with you and will strengthen you.
Lucia relates that as the Lady pronounced thesewords, she opened her hands, and we were bathed in a heavenly light thatappeared to come directly from her hands. The light's reality cut into ourhearts and our souls, and we knew somehow that this light was God, and we couldsee ourselves embraced in it. By an interior impulse of grace we fell to ourknees, repeating in our hearts:
"Oh, Holy Trinity, we adore You. MyGod, my God, I love You in the Blessed Sacrament."
The children remained kneeling in the flood ofthis wondrous light, until the Lady spoke again, mentioning the war in Europe,of which they had little or no knowledge.
Say the Rosary every day, to bring peace to theworld and an end to the war.
After that she began to rise slowly in thedirection of the east, until she disappeared in the immense distance. The lightthat encircles Her seemed to make a way amidst the stars, and that is why wesometimes said we had seen the heavens open.
The days that followed were filled withexcitement, though they had not intended it that way. Lucia had cautioned theothers to keep their visitor a secret, correctly perceiving the difficultiesthey would experience if the events became known. However, the joy of sevenyear old Jacinta could not be contained, and she rather promptly forgot herpromise and revealed all to her mother, who patiently listened but gave itlittle credence. Her brothers and sisters piped in with their questions andjokes. Among the interrogators only her father, "Ti" Marto, was inclinedimmediately to accept the tale as true. He believed in the honesty of hischildren, and had a simple appreciation of the workings of God, such that hebecame the first believer in the apparitions of F'tima.
Lucia's mother, on the other hand, when at lastshe heard what had transpired, believed her own daughter to be the instigatorof a fraud, if not a blasphemy. Lucia would quickly learn what the Lady meantwhen she said they would suffer a great deal. Maria Rosa was unable to getLucia to recant, event under threats. Finally she hauled her before the parishpriest, Fr. Ferreira, with no better success. On the other hand, Lucia'sfather, who was not especially religious, was practically indifferent,attributing all of it to the fancies of women. The next few weeks, as thechildren awaited their scheduled appointment with the lady in June, wouldreveal that they had few believers, and many detractors, in Aljustrel andF'tima.
Apparition of 13 June 1917
In Portugal the 13th of June is a great feast,the feast of St. Anthony of Lisbon, known to most Catholics as St. Anthony ofPadua. This Franciscan miracle-worker was born in Lisbon and had enteredreligious life as a Canon Regular of the Holy Cross, residing first in Lisbonand then Coimbra, before leaving the Portuguese order for the new Order ofFriars Minor and a hope of martyrdom. It was, and is, THE children's feast inPortugal, so the parents of Lucia naturally thought that the festivities at theparish church in F'tima would distract her from the appointment at the Cova.However, undismayed by this tactic Lucia and the Marto children proceeded tothe apparition site to keep their noon day rendezvous.
When they arrived they found a small crowdawaiting them.
After having said the rosary with Jacinta and Francisco and other people whowere present, we saw again the reflection of light nearing us, (we used to sayit was lightening), and following, Our Lady on the holm oak as in May.
"Please tell me, Madam, what it is that you wantof me?"
I want you to come here on the thirteenth of nextmonth. I want you to continue saying the Rosary every day. And after each oneof the mysteries, my children, I want you to pray in this way: O my Jesus,forgive us our sins , save us from the fire of hell. Take all souls to heaven,especially those who are most in need. I want you to learn to read and write,and later I will tell you what else I want of you.
"Will you take us to heaven?"
Yes, I shall take Jacinta and Francisco soon, butyou will remain a little longer, since Jesus wishes you to make me known andloved on earth. He wishes also for you to establish devotion in the world to myImmaculate Heart.
"Must I remain in the world alone?"
Not alone, my child, and you must not be sad. Iwill be with you always, and my Immaculate Heart will be your comfort and theway which will lead you to God.
The moment she said the last words, opening herhands, She transmitted to us, for the second time, the reflection of thatintense light. In it we felt we were submerged in God. Jacinta and Franciscoseemed to be in that part of the light which was rising to Heaven, and I in thepart spreading over the earth. In front of the palm of Our Lady's right handwas a heart encircled with thorns which appeared to pierce it. We understood itwas the Immaculate Heart of Mary offended by the sins of mankind, cravingreparation.
The apparition then concluded as on the firstoccasion, with the Lady going off toward the east and disappearing in the"immensity of heaven."
Despite the joy of those precious moments the sorrows of the children continuedin the following weeks, moderated by the belief of very many at the Cova thatday. They knew that something unusual had occurred - they saw the "lightening,"some perceived a certain dimming of the sun, others a little gray cloud thatcame and went as the apparition did and they believed. However, thedifficulties with their families did not abate, especially with their mothers,who became genuinely alarmed that the events were not just continuing butexpanding. To this was added the painful caution of the parish priest, thatafter all it might be real but of demonic origin.
Apparition of 13 July 1917
As the July date approached Lucia continued to betroubled by the words of her pastor that the devil might be behind theapparitions. Finally, she confided to Jacinta that she intended not to go. Whenthe day finally dawned, however, her fears and anxieties disappeared, so thatthe noon hour found her in the Cova with Jacinta and Francisco, awaiting thearrival of the beautiful Lady.
The apparition of July 13th would prove to be inmany ways the most controversial aspect of the message of F'tima, providing asecret in three parts which the children guarded zealously. The first twoparts, the vision of hell and the prophecy of the future role of Russia and howto prevent it, would not be revealed until Sr. Lucia wrote them down in herthird memoir, at the request of the bishop, in 1941. The third part, usuallycalled the Third Secret, was only later communicated to the bishop, who sent itunread to Pope Pius XII.
A few moments after arriving at the Cova da Iria,near the holmoak, where a large number of people were praying the Rosary, wesaw the flah of light once more, and a moment later Our Lady appeared on theholmoak.
"Lucia," Jacinta said, "speak. Our Lady istalking to you.
"Yes?" said Lucia. She spoke humbly, askingpardon for her doubts with every gesture, and to the Lady: "What do you want ofme?"
I want you to come back here on the thirteenth ofnext month. Continue to say the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of theRosary, to obtain the peace of the world and the end of the war, because onlyshe can obtain it.
"Yes, "yes." "I would like to ask who you are,and if you will do a miracle so that everyone will know for certain that youhave appeared to us."
You must come here every month, and in October Iwill tell you who I am and what I want. I will then perform a miracle so thatall may believe.
Thus assured, Lucia began to place before theLady the petitions for help that so many had entrusted to her. The Lady saidgently that she would cure some, but others she would not cure.
"And the crippled son of Maria daCapelinha?"
No, neither of his infirmity nor of his povertywould he be cured, and he must be certain to say the Rosary with his familyevery day.
Another case recommended by Lucia to the Lady'sassistance was a sick woman from Atougia who asked to be taken to heaven.
Tell her not to be in a hurry. Tell her I knowvery well when I shall come to fetch her." Make sacrifices forsinners, and say often, especially while making a sacrifice: O Jesus, this isfor love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for offencescommitted against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
As Our lady spoke these words she opened herhands once more, as had during the two previous months. The rays of lightseemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw as it were a sea of fire. Plunged inthis fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers,all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, nowraised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves togetherwith great clouds of smoke, now following back on every side like sparks inhuge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain anddespair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. (it must have beenthis sight which caused me to cry out, as people say they heard me do). Thedemons could be distinguished by their terrifying nad repellant likeness tofrightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals.terrified and as if to plead for succor, we looked up at Our Lady, who said tous, so kindly and so sadly:
You have seen hell, where the souls of poorsinners go. It is to save them that God wants to establish in the worlddevotion to my Immaculate Heart. If you do what I tell you, many souls will besaved, and there will be peace. This war will end, but if men do not refrainfrom offending God, another and more terrible war will begin during thepontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night that is lit by a strange andunknown light [this occurred on January 28, 1938], you will know it is the signGod gives you that He is about to punish the world with war and with hunger,and by the persecution of the Church and the Holy Father.
To prevent this, I shall come to the world to askthat Russia be consecrated to my Immaculate Heart, and I shall ask that on theFirst Saturday of every month Communions of reparation be made in atonement forthe sins-of the world. If my wishes are fulfilled, Russia will be converted andthere will be peace; if not, then Russia will spread her errors throughout theworld, bringing new wars and persecution of the Church; the good will bemartyred and the Holy Father will have much to suffer; certain nations will beannihilated. But in the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Fatherwill consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and the world willenjoy a period of peace. In Portugal the faith will always be preserved...
[
The third part of thesecret was not revealed until May 2000 and continues as follows: at the left ofOur Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his lefthand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set theworld on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendour that Our Ladyradiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his righthand, 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 peopleappear in a mirror when they pass in front of it' a Bishop dressed in White 'wehad the impression that it was the Holy Father'. Other Bishops, Priests, menand women Religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was abig Cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork-tree with the bark; before reachingthere the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and halftrembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for thesouls 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 soldierswho fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one afteranother the other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious, and various laypeople of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the Crossthere were two Angels each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in whichthey gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls thatwere making their way to God. ]
Remember, you must not tell this to anyone exceptFrancisco.
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.
"Is there anything more that you want ofme?"
No, I do not want anything more of youtoday.
Then as before Our Lady began to ascend towardsthe east, until she finally disappeared in the immense darkness of thefirmament.
The possession of the Secret proved to be verygreat trial for the three young ones. Family, neighbors, followers of theapparitions, even the clergy, tried unsuccessfully to get them to reveal it.Finally, as the day of the August apparition approached even the civilgovernment, which was secular and virulently anti-clerical, alarmed by thenumbers of people taking an interest in the F'tima events, attempted to wrestit from them and in the process expose the Church as a collaborator in a fraud.
Apparition of 19 August1917
Under the pretext of providing his personalautomobile, so that the children could travel safely through the crowdspressing around their homes, the civil Administrator or Mayor of the districtin which F'tima was located, arrived in Aljustrel on the morning of August13th.
Aprevious attempt on August 11th to obtain the "truth" from the children havingbeen unsuccessful, Artur Santos, an apostate Catholic and high Mason, haddevised a scheme by which he would take them into custody and force them toreveal all. With a show of good will he now offered to take the three and theirparents to see the parish priest, whom he claimed wished to see them, and thento the Cova. At the parish house he abandoned this ruse, and the parents,taking the children alone from there to the district headquarters in Vila Novade Ourem, some 9 miles away. Here he tried bribes, threats of death and lockingthem in a cell with other "criminals" in order to get them to recant theirstory. It was to no avail. Despite their ages, their belief in the Lady andtheir courage was unshakeable.
Meanwhile, in the Cova at noon on the 13th thecharacteristic external signs of the Apparition appeared for the benefit of thecrowd, the greatest crowd to that time. After they ended the crowd dispersed,as yet unaware of the trickery of the government.
The "trial" of the children, however, continuedfor two days, to the consternation of their families. Finally, on the Feast ofthe Assumption, August 15, the Administrator had them driven back to F'tima anddeposited on the steps of the rectory. Here they were seen as the people, whohad just come from Mass, were trying to determined from Ti Marto where thechildren were. Their anger was poured out on the driver, and on the Mayor whenhe arrived a little later, both of whom were no doubt glad to be rid of theirlittle charges and to escape unscathed. It would effectively be the onlyserious effort of the civil authorities to interfere with the Lady of F'tima.
As it was the Lady's plans were delayed slightly.On Sunday the 19th Lucia, her brother John, and Francisco, were grazing thesheep at a place known as Valinhos. It was located on the side of the samehillock opposite Aljustrel where the angel appeared twice, though a littlefarther north. At apout 4 o'clock, sensing that Our Lady was about to appear,Lucia tried unsuccessfully to get John to fetch Jacinta, until she offered hima couple pennies for the errand. As she and Francisco waited they saw thecharacteristic light. The moment Jacinta arrived the Lady appeared.
"What do you want of me?"
Come again to the Cova da Iria on the thirteenthof next month, my child, and continue to say the Rosary every day. In the lastmonth I will perform a miracle so that all may believe.
"What are we to do with the offerings of moneythat people leave at the Cova da Iria?"
I want you to have two ardors [litters to carrystatues] made, for the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. I want you and Jacintato carry one of them with two other girls. You will both dress in white. Andthen I want Francisco, with three boys helping him, to carry the other one. Theboys, too, will be dressed in white. What is left over will help towards theconstruction of a chapel that is to be built here.
Lucia then asked for the cure of some sickpeople.
Some I will cure during the year.
(lookingsadly at them)Pray, pray very much. Make sacrifices for sinners. Many souls goto hell, because no one is willing to help them with sacrifice.
Having said that she departed as she had on theother occasions.
Apparition of 13 September1917
Despite the ridicule and jokes of the secular,atheistic press, more than 30,000 people gathered in the Cova for the Septemberapparition. Whether drawn by devotion or curiosity, they prayed the rosarywhile awaiting the arrival of the visionaries and their vision. When at leastthe time came they could hear Lucia say,
"What do you want of me?"
Continue the Rosary, my children. Say it every daythat the war may end. In October Our Lord will come, as well as Our Lady ofSorrows and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Saint Joseph will appear with the ChildJesus to bless the world.
God is pleased with your sacrifices, but He doesnot want you to wear the cords to bed. Keep them on during the day.
"I have the petitions of many for your help. Willyou assist a little girl who is deaf and dumb?"
She will improve within the year.
"And the conversions that some have asked to havebrought about? The cures of the sick ones?"
Some I will cure, and some I will not. In OctoberI will perform a miracle so that all many believe.
With these last words still ringing in theirears, the Lady rose and disappeared in the heavens, as Lucia called to thecrowd, "If you wish to see her --- look! Look!"
Apparition of 13 October1917
During the night of 12-13 October it had rainedthroughout, soaking the ground and the pilgrims who make their way to F'timafrom all directions by the thousands. By foot, by cart and even by car theycame, entering the bowl of the Cova from the F'tima-Leiria road, which todaystill passes in front of the large square of the Basilica. From there they madetheir way down the gently slope to the place where a trestle had been erectedover the little holm oak of the apparitions. Today on the site is the modernglass and steel Capelhina (little chapel), enclosing the first chapel builtthere and the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary of F'tima where the holm oak hadstood.
As for the children, they made their way to theCova amid the adulation and skepticism which had followed them since May. Whenthey arrived they found critics who questioned their veracity and thepunctuality of the Lady, who had promised to arrive at noon. It was well passednoon by the official time of the country. However, when the sun arrived at itszenith the Lady appeared as she had said she would.
"What do you want of me?"
I want a chapel built here in my honor. I want youto continue saying the Rosary every day. The war will end soon, and thesoldiers will return to their homes.
"Yes. Yes."
"Will you tell me your name?"
I am the Lady of the Rosary.
"I have many petitions from many people. Will yougrant them? "
Some I shall grant, and others I must deny. Peoplemust amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend ourLord any more, for He is already too much offended!
"And is that all you have to ask?"
There is nothing more.
As the Lady of the Rosary rises toward the eastshe turns the palms of her hands toward the dark sky. While the rain hadstopped, dark clouds continued to obscure the sun, which suddenly burststhrough them and is seen to be a soft spinning disk of silver.
"Look at the sun!"
Fromthis point two distinct apparitions were seen, that of the phenomenon of thesun seen by the 70,000 or so spectators and that beheld by the children alone.Lucia describes the latter in her memoirs.
After our Lady had disappeared into the immensedistance of the firmament, we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and OurLady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and theChild Jesus seemed to bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the Crosswith their hands. When, a little later, this apparition disappeared, I saw OurLord and Our lady; it seemed to me to that it was Our Lady of Sorrows (Dolors).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 timeresembling Our Lady of Carmel. [Only Lucia would see the later, presaging herentrance into Carmel some years later.]
This would be the last of the apparitions ofF'tima for Jacinta and Francisco. However, for Lucia Our Lady would return aseventh time, in 1920, as she had promised the previous May. At that time Luciawould be praying in the Cova before leaving F'tima for a girls boarding school.The Lady would come to urge her to dedicate herself wholly to God.
As the children viewed the various apparitions ofJesus, Mary and Joseph the crowd witnessed a different prodigy, the now famousmiracle of the sun. Among the witnesses there were the following:
O Seculo
(a pro-government, anti-clerical, Lisbon paper):
From the road, where the vehicles were parked andwhere hundreds of people who had not dared to brave the mud were congregated,one could see the immense multitude turn toward the sun, which appeared freefrom clouds and in its zenith. It looked like a plaque of dull silver, and itwas possible to look at it without the least discomfort. It might have been aneclipse which was taking place. But at that moment a great shout went up, andone could hear the spectators nearest at hand shouting: "A miracle! A miracle!
Before the astonished eyes of the crowd, whoseaspect was biblical as they stood bareheaded, eagerly searching the sky, thesun trembled, made sudden incredible movements outside all cosmic laws---thesun "danced" according to the typical expression of the people.
Standing at the step of an omnibus was an oldman. With his face turned to the sun, he recited the Credo in a loud voice. Iasked who he was and was told Senhor Joao da Cunha Vasconcelos. I saw himafterwards going up to those around him who still had their hats on, andvehemently imploring them to uncover before such an extraordinary demonstrationof the existence of God.
Identical scenes were repeated elsewhere, and inone place a woman cried out: "How terrible! There are even men who do notuncover before such a stupendous miracle!"
People then began to ask each other what they hadseen. The great majority admitted to having seen the trembling and the dancingof the sun; others affirmed that they saw the face of the Blessed Virgin;others, again, swore that the sun whirled on itself like a giant Catherinewheel and that it lowered itself to the earth as if to burn it in its rays.Some said they saw it change colors successively....
O Dia
(another Lisbon daily, edition of 17 October 1917):
"At one o'clock in the afternoon, midday by thesun, the rain stopped. The sky, pearly grey in colour, illuminated the vastarid landscape with a strange light. The sun had a transparent gauzy veil sothat the eyes could easily be fixed upon it. The grey mother-of-pearl toneturned into a sheet of silver which broke up as the clouds were torn apart andthe silver sun, enveloped in the same gauzy grey light, was seen to whirl andturn in the circle of broken clouds. A cry went up from every mouth and peoplefell on their knees on the muddy ground....
The light turned a beautiful blue, as if it hadcome through the stained-glass windows of a cathedral, and spread itself overthe people who knelt with outstretched hands. The blue faded slowly, and thenthe light seemed to pass through yellow glass. Yellow stains fell against whitehandkerchiefs, against the dark skirts of the women. They were repeated on thetrees, on the stones and on the serra. People wept and prayed with uncoveredheads, in the presence of a miracle they had awaited. The seconds seemed likehours, so vivid were they.
Ti Marto
(father of Jacinta and Francisco)
We looked easily at the sun, which for somereason did not blind us. It seemed to flicker on and off, first one way, thenanother. It cast its rays in many directions and painted everything indifferent colors--- the trees, the people, the air and the ground. But what wasmost extraordinary, I thought, was that the sun did not hurt our eyes.Everything was still and quiet, and everyone was looking up. Then at a certainmoment, the sun appeared to stop spinning. It then began to move and to dancein the sky until it seemed to detach itself from its place and fall upon us. Itwas a terrible moment.
Maria de Capelinha
(one of the earliest believers):
The sun turned everything to differentcolours---yellow, blue and white. Then it shook and trembled. It looked like awheel of fire that was going to fall on the people. They began to cry out, "Weshall all be killed!" Others called to our Lady to save them. They recited actsof contrition. One woman began to confess her sins aloud, advertising that shehad done this and that.... When at last the sun stopped leaping and moving, weall breathed our relief. We were still alive, and the miracle which thechildren had foretold, had been seen by everyone.
I was looking at the place of the apparitions, ina serene, if cold, expectation of something happening, and with diminishingcuriosity, because a long time had passed without anything to excite myattention. Then I heard a shout from thousands of voices and saw the multitudesuddenly turn its back and shoulders away from the point toward which up to nowit had directed its attention, and turn to look at the sky on the oppositeside.
It must have been nearly two o'clock by the legaltime, and about midday by the sun. The sun, a few moments before, had brokenthrough the thick layer of clouds which hid it, and shone clearly andintensely. I veered to the magnet which seemed to be drawing all eyes, and sawit as a disc with a clean-cut rim, luminous and shining, but which did not hurtthe eyes. I do not agree with the comparison which I have heard made inFatima---that of a dull silver disc. It was a clearer, richer, brighter colour,having something of the luster of a pearl. It did not in the least resemble themoon on a clear night because one saw it and felt it to be a living body. Itwas not spheric like the moon, nor did it have the same colour, tone, orshading. It looked like a glazed wheel made of mother-of-pearl. It could not beconfused, either, with the sun seen through fog (for there was no fog at thetime), because it was not opaque, diffused or veiled. In Fatima it gave lightand heat and appeared clear-cut with a well-defined rim.
The sky was mottled with light cirrus clouds with the blue coming through hereand there, but sometimes the sun stood out in patches of clear sky. The cloudspassed from west to east and did not obscure the light of the sun, giving theimpression of passing behind it, though sometimes these flecks of white took ontones of pink or diaphanous blue as they passed before the sun.
It was a remarkable fact that one could fix one'seyes on this brazier of heat and light without any pain in the eyes or blindingof the retina. The phenomenon, except for two interruptions when the sun seemedto send out rays of refulgent heat which obliged us to look away, must havelasted about ten minutes.
The sun's disc did not remain immobile. This wasnot the sparkling of a, heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a madwhirl. Then, suddenly, one heard a clamour, a cry of anguish breaking from allthe people. The sun, whirling wildly, seemed to loosen itself from thefirmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with itshuge and fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was terrible.
During the solarphenomenon, which I have just described in detail, there were changes of colourin the atmosphere. Looking at the sun, I noticed that everything around wasbecoming darkened. I looked first at the nearest objects and then extended myglance further afield as far as the horizon. I saw everything an amethystcolour. Objects around me, the sky and the atmosphere, were of the same colour.An oak tree nearby threw a shadow of this colour on the ground.
Fearing that I was suffering from an affection ofthe retina, an improbable explanation because in that case one could not seethings purple-colored, I turned away and shut my eyes, keeping my hands beforethem to intercept the light. With my back still turned, I opened my eyes andsaw that the landscape was the same purple colour as before.
The impression was not that of an eclipse, andwhile looking at the sun I noticed that the atmosphere had cleared. Soon afterI heard a peasant who was near me shout out in tones of astonishment: "Look,that lady is all yellow!"
And in fact everything, both near and far, hadchanged, taking on the colour of old yellow damask. People looked as if theywere suffering from jaundice, and I recall a sensation of amusement at seeingthem look so ugly and unattractive. My own hand was the same colour. All thephenomena which I have described were observed by me in a calm and serene stateof mind, and without any emotional disturbance. It is for others to interpretand explain them.
Dr.Almeida Garrett, PhD
(CoimbraUniversity):
I was looking at the place of the apparitions, ina serene, if cold, expectation of something happening, and with diminishingcuriosity, because a long time had passed without anything to excite myattention. Then I heard a shout from thousands of voices and saw the multitudesuddenly turn its back and shoulders away from the point toward which up to nowit had directed its attention, and turn to look at the sky on the oppositeside.
It must have been nearly two o'clock by the legaltime, and about midday by the sun. The sun, a few moments before, had brokenthrough the thick layer of clouds which hid it, and shone clearly andintensely. I veered to the magnet which seemed to be drawing all eyes, and sawit as a disc with a clean-cut rim, luminous and shining, but which did not hurtthe eyes. I do not agree with the comparison which I have heard made inF'tima---that of a dull silver disc. It was a clearer, richer, brighter color,having something of the luster of a pearl. It did not in the least resemble themoon on a clear night because one saw it and felt it to be a living body. Itwas not spheric like the moon, nor did it have the same color, tone, orshading. It looked like a glazed wheel made of mother-of-pearl. It could not beconfused, either, with the sun seen through fog (for there was no fog at thetime), because it was not opaque, diffused or veiled. In F'tima it gave lightand heat and appeared clear-cut with a well-defined rim.
The sky was mottled with light cirrus clouds withthe blue coming through here and there, but sometimes the sun stood out inpatches of clear sky. The clouds passed from west to east and did not obscurethe light of the sun, giving the impression of passing behind it, thoughsometimes these flecks of white took on tones of pink or diaphanous blue asthey passed before the sun.
It was a remarkable fact that one could fix one'seyes on this brazier of heat and light without any pain in the eyes or blindingof the retina. The phenomenon, except for two interruptions when the sun seemedto send out rays of refulgent heat which obliged us to look away, must havelasted about ten minutes.
The sun's disc did not remain immobile. This wasnot the sparkling of a, heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a madwhirl. Then, suddenly, one heard a clamor, a cry of anguish breaking from allthe people. The sun, whirling wildly, seemed to loosen itself from thefirmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with itshuge and fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was terrible.
During the solar phenomenon, which I have justdescribed in detail, there were changes of color in the atmosphere. Looking atthe sun, I noticed that everything around was becoming darkened. I looked firstat the nearest objects and then extended my glance further afield as far as thehorizon. I saw everything an amethyst color. Objects around me, the sky and theatmosphere, were of the same color. An oak tree nearby threw a shadow of thiscolor on the ground.
Fearing that I was suffering from an affection ofthe retina, an improbable explanation because in that case one could not seethings purple-colored, I turned away and shut my eyes, keeping my hands beforethem to intercept the light. With my back still turned, I opened my eyes andsaw that the landscape was the same purple color as before.
The impression was not that of an eclipse, andwhile looking at the sun I noticed that the atmosphere had cleared. Soon afterI heard a peasant who was near me shout out in tones of astonishment: "Look,that lady is all yellow!"
And in fact everything, both near and far, hadchanged, taking on the color of old yellow damask. People looked as if theywere suffering from jaundice, and I recall a sensation of amusement at seeingthem look so ugly and unattractive. My own hand was the same color. All thephenomena which I have described were observed by me in a calm and serene stateof mind, and without any emotional disturbance. It is for others to interpretand explain them.
Dr. Domingos Coelho
(reported in the newspaper Ordem):
The sun, at one moment surrounded with scarletflame, at another aureoled in yellow and deep purple, seemed to be in anexceedingly fast and whirling movement, at times appearing to be loosened fromthe sky and to be approaching the earth, strongly radiating heat.
Fr. Manuel Pereira da Silva
(in a letter to a friend)
The sun appeared with its circumference welldefined. It came down as if to the height of the clouds and began to whirlgiddily upon itself like a captive ball of fire. With some interruptions, thislasted about eight minutes. The atmosphere darkened and the features of eachbecame yellow. Everyone knelt even in the mud....
Senhor Alfredo da SilvaSantos
(Lisbon):
We made our arrangements, and went in three motorcars on the early morning of the 13th. There was a thick mist, and the carwhich went in front mistook the way so that we were all lost for a time andonly arrived at the Cova da Iria at midday by the sun. It was absolutely fullof people, but for my part I felt devoid of any religious feeling. When Luciacalled out: "Look at the sun!" the whole multitude repeated: "Attention to thesun!" It was a day of incessant drizzle but a few moments before the miracle itstopped raining. I can hardly find words to describe what followed. The sunbegan to move, and at a certain moment appeared to be detached from the sky andabout to hurtle upon us like a wheel of flame. My wife---we had been marriedonly a short time- -- fainted, and I was too upset to attend to her, and mybrother-in- law, Joao Vassalo, supported her on his arm. I fell on my knees,oblivious of everything, and when I got up I don't know what I said. I think Ibegan to cry out like the others. An old man with a white beard began to attackthe atheists aloud and challenged them to say whether or not somethingsupernatural had occurred.
There may have been many former atheists inF'tima that day, but there were plenty in Portugal, nonetheless, to chargehallucination. For those the Lady provided witnesses who were not at the sceneand could not have been subject to collective suggestion.
Alfonso Lopes Vieira
(observed the display from a distance of nearly 25 miles):
On that day of October 13, 1917, withoutremembering the predictions of the children, I was enchanted by a remarkablespectacle in the sky of a kind I had never seen before. I saw it from thisveranda....
Fr. Ignacio Lorenco
(Alburitel, 11 miles away):
I was only nine years old at this time, and Iwent to the local village school. At about midday we were surprised by theshouts and cries of some men and women who were passing in the street in frontof the school. The teacher, a good, pious woman, though nervous andimpressionable, was the first to run into the road, with the children afterher.
Outside, the people were shouting and weeping andpointing to the sun, ignoring the agitated questions of the schoolmistress. Itwas the great Miracle, which one could see quite distinctly from the top of thehill where my village was situated---the Miracle of the sun, accompanied by allits extraordinary phenomena.
I feel incapable of describing what I saw andfelt. I looked fixedly at the sun, which seemed pale and did not hurt the eyes.Looking like a ball of snow revolving on itself, it suddenly seemed to comedown in a zigzag, menacing the earth. Terrified, I ran and hid myself among thepeople, who were weeping and expecting the end of the world at any moment.
Near us was an unbeliever who had spent themorning mocking at the simpletons who had gone off to F'tima just to see anordinary girl. He now seemed to be paralyzed, his eyes fixed on the sun.Afterwards he trembled from head to foot and lifting up his arms fell on hisknees in the mud, crying out to our Lady.
Meanwhile the people continued to cry out and toweep, asking God to pardon their sins. We all ran to the two chapels in thevillage, which were soon filled to overflowing. During those long moments ofthe solar prodigy, objects around us turned all the colors of the rainbow. Wesaw ourselves blue, yellow, red, etc. All these strange phenomena increased thefears of the people. After about ten minutes the sun, now dull and pallid,returned to its place. When the people realized that the danger was over, therewas an explosion of joy, and everyone joined in thanksgiving and praise to our Lady.
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