Fátima, Portugal

The Shrine of Fátima was born in the heart of Portugal from a series of supernatural events that profoundly marked the Church in the 20th century.

Apparitions of the Angel (1916)

A year before the visits of Our Lady, Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, three humble shepherds from Aljustrel, received three visits from the Angel of Portugal, also called the Angel of Peace. He taught them prayers of adoration, penance and reparation, preparing them for the great mission that God would entrust to them. During these apparitions, the Angel invited them to offer sacrifices and to pray especially ‘for sinners and for peace in the world.’

The Apparitions of Our Lady (1917)

Between 13 May and 13 October 1917, Our Lady appeared to them six times in Cova da Iria, always on the 13th of each month at noon, except in August, when, due to the children's imprisonment, the apparition took place on 19 August in Valinhos. Each encounter brought a specific message, forming a coherent set of appeals for conversion and reparation.

13th of May

Our Lady introduced herself as ‘coming from Heaven’ and asked the children to pray the rosary every day to achieve peace and end the war. She promised them: ‘You will have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort.’ She also announced that Francisco and Jacinta would go to Heaven soon, while Lucia would remain longer to make known the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

13th of June

The Virgin revealed God's desire to establish devotion to her Immaculate Heart in the world and showed it surrounded by thorns, asking for reparation. Lucia received the grace to understand that her mission would be to spread this devotion, while Francisco and Jacinta would be taken early to Heaven.

13th of July

Our Lady revealed the famous Secret of Fatima in three parts. The children saw a vision of hell, where the souls of sinners go; they were told of the need for devotion to the Immaculate Heart as a means of salvation and conversion; and a prophecy about the future sufferings of the Church, the Pope and the world, including the threat of a new war if people did not convert. Our Lady promised: ‘In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.’

19th of August

As the children were abducted on the 13th by the mayor of Ourém, the Virgin appeared to them later, in Valinhos, reaffirming her request for sacrifices and prayers for sinners and promising a miracle in October, ‘so that everyone may believe.’

Before a crowd of about 30,000 people, Our Lady again insisted on the recitation of the Rosary and sacrifices. Many pilgrims witnessed signs, such as white petals falling and disappearing before they touched the ground, and a luminous cloud over the holm oak tree.

13th of September

13th of October - The Miracle of the Sun

The last apparition was witnessed by a crowd of 50,000 to 70,000 people, including sceptics and journalists. Our Lady identified herself as ‘Our Lady of the Rosary’ and again asked for the daily recitation of the rosary and conversion.

On that day, the Miracle of the Sun occurred: the sun seemed to detach itself from the sky, spinning and casting coloured lights, before ‘dancing’ and rushing towards the crowd, causing fear and then jubilation.

The phenomenon, witnessed by thousands, including atheists, Freemasons and sceptics, confirmed to the eyes of the world the veracity of the apparitions and the message of Our Lady.

The Devotion to the Immaculate of Mary in Portugal

Portugal has a particularly rich history of devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, expressed in the lives of several contemporary mystics:

Venerable Sister Lúcia, Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa, and Mother Virgínia Brites da Paixão.

Blessed Alexandrina stood out in an extraordinary way: for years she mystically relived the Passion of Christ every Friday, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and lived for 13 years feeding only on Holy Communion, a fact verified by medical examinations. She had mystical experiences similar to those of Lucia, with apparitions of Jesus and Mary, and even of angels who brought her Communion when a priest was unable to do so.

It was through her influence that Pope Pius XII made the world's first consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1942.