Emblematic figure of the church, the Virgin of Fatima – whose celebration is held every May 13th – has a history linked to appearances happened at the beginning of 20th century in a small town of Portugal.
Like other Marian apparitions, that of the Virgin of Fatima originated in testimonies of three shepherdsnamed Lucía dos Santos, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, who claimed to have been face to face with Maria in the Cova da Iria, Fátima, between the May 13 and October 13, 1917.
Where is the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Fatima and what is it like?
He sanctuary -whose full name is the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima- is built in the same place where the Virgin appeared to the three children.
The sanctuary began to be erected in 1928. It consecrated on October 7, 1953and the following year the Holy See granted it the title of minor basilica during the pontificate of Pius XII.
It is believed that the Shrine of Fatima It is one of most important popular pilgrimage centers in the world. More than 50 religious houses and about 15 male congregations including a seminary have sprung up in its surroundings.
What is the story of the Virgin of Fatima
He May 13, 1917the Virgin appeared first Lucía and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, who lived in the city of Aljustrel, in Fatima. the children were shepherds of their family herds.
In that first meeting, María told them, among other things, that she would be back during the next six months every day 13 at the same time. And she fulfilled it.
In the First appearancethe children saw a lightning on a bright day. While they were keeping watch over their sheep, they observed a cloud on which a woman was standing, with a radiance It seemed to come from the sun.
In the second appearanceMary he told the boys that Francesco and Jacinta were going to die while Lucia would have survived to witness the apparitions.
In the third appearance of the Virgin, which took place on July 13, a secret has been revealed to Lucia. The frightened girl cried out the name of the virgin, there was a loud thunder and the vision ended.
On August 13, when the fourth appearance, the children were not able to access Cova da Iria, as they were held by the administrator of Ourém. Thus the meeting with the Virgin took place August 19thin a place called Valinhos.
The children are reunited with the Virgin September 13th at Cova da Iria. The sixth and last apparition took place on October 13: that day the “miracle of the sun”since attendees claimed to have seen the star king dance.
Francisco and Jacinta died during the so-called Spanish flu pandemic that hit in 1918. While Lucía turned her life towards religion.
Thus it was that the June 13, 1929in the chapel of the convent of Tuy, in Spain, the young woman had another mystical experience in which she saw the Holy Trinity and the Virgin Mary. And the October 13, 1930the Bishop of Leiria proclaimed the The apparitions of Fatima as authentic.
After 18 years from the apparitions, Sister Lucia wrote her testimony which has been kept secret for years. Some texts have seen the light in the last century. In form of propheciesThey spoke of repentance, of prayer and gave devastating visions of hell.
Sister Lucia died at the age of 97 on February 13, 2005.. In 1941 you published the first two secrets. Only the Popes had access to the third prophecy until St. John Paul II revealed it in May 2000: what the nun had written in 1944 was revealed 83 years later.
What were the 3 prophecies of the Virgin of Fatima
THE three messages they were considered premonitory and, according to the Vatican, its content has already been fulfilled.
For John Paul IIwere the visions of the Virgin of Fatima “private revelations intended to help you live more fully according to Christ’s teachings.”
One of the prophecies is related to Russian revolution. It was the year 1917 and since February events were taking place in that country which ended with the October Revolution and, subsequently, the formation of the Soviet Union.
“If my requests are heeded, Russia will convert and have peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecutions of the Church,” Our Lady said to the shepherd children after asking that both Russians and all of humanity consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Other prophecy it spoke of new wartimes once the war was over WWI (which ended in November 1918) and visualized World War II.
“The war will end, but if they do not stop offending God, another worse one will begin under Pius XI… For his crimes through war, hunger and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father”, he communicated in the his message.
He last secret refering to John Paul II and anticipated the attempt immediately from the Supreme Pontiff onwards May 13, 1981 when they shot him in St. Peter’s Square.
The Pope himself He claimed to have survived the attack thanks to the intercession of the Virgin Mary and the prophecy of the Virgin of Fatima who predicted this would happen.
Such was the devotion of John Paul II that in 1984 he donated to the shrine of Fatima the bullet which was extracted from him and which today can be seen there set in the crown of the image.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.