Fatima: Apparitions, Messages, Secret, Prayers
On May 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared in Fatima, Portugal, to three shepherd children: Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta. In 1916, an angel had already come three times to prepare the children for the arrival of the Holy Virgin. Our Lady appeared to them for six consecutive months, on the 13th of each month, and entrusted them with messages, secrets, and prayers with the aim of making reparation for the offenses committed against the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and for the conversion of sinners. On October 13, 1917, as foretold by the Virgin, a great miracle was witnessed by all at the site of the apparition. The apparitions of Fatima are recognized by the Church, and several popes have made pilgrimages to Fatima.
The Apparitions of Fatima in Portugal
The Visionaries
The witnesses of the Fatima apparitions are three young shepherds: Lucia Dos Santos (9 years old), Francisco Marto and his sister Jacinta Marto (8 and 6 years old). They live in Aljustrel, a village near Fatima, and tend their flocks in the surrounding area. The apparitions take place at a site called Cova da Iria.
Apparitions of the Angel
Starting in 1916, the three young shepherds saw an angel who introduced himself as the Angel of Peace and the Angel of Portugal. He came three times to prepare the children for what was to come, teaching them two prayers that the children would repeat tirelessly (find these prayers below).
Apparitions of the Virgin
On May 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to the children for the first time, preceded by two flashes of lightning. While the children were reciting the rosary, Our Lady appeared above a small holm oak tree. She would return on the 13th of each month until October (except for August 13, replaced by August 19, as the children were imprisoned). During the apparitions, the Virgin spoke to the children, shared her requests, answered their questions, and revealed a Secret. Lucia, the eldest, spoke with the Virgin on behalf of all, while Francisco did not hear the Virgin Mary; Lucia and Jacinta relayed everything She said to him.
During the first apparition, the Virgin asked the children if they were willing to offer themselves to God to endure all the sufferings He would send them, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and for the conversion of sinners. They answered yes with one heart.
On June 13, during the second apparition, several dozen people gathered around the small holm oak tree, reciting the rosary. The Virgin asked for the daily recitation of the rosary and revealed to the children their destinies: Jacinta and Francisco would soon join Her in Heaven, while Lucia would remain on Earth “for some time” to spread devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
On July 13, thousands of people surrounded the children, who were the only ones to see the Virgin. During this third apparition, the Virgin again asked for the daily recitation of the rosary “in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.” It was during this apparition that the Virgin revealed to the children the Secret, consisting of three parts.
On August 13, 1917, the three children were imprisoned. The administrator had taken them to Nova de Ourem to make them talk. After threatening to throw them into boiling oil to force them to confess their lies and reveal the Secret, he had them imprisoned. Released on the 15th, the children did not expect to see the Virgin again until the following month. However, on August 19, Our Lady appeared at Valinhos (near Cova da Iria). The Virgin again asked for the rosary, gave details about the upcoming apparition on October 13, and answered Lucia's questions.
On September 13, 30,000 people gathered around the little shepherds for the fifth apparition. The Virgin asked for the rosary to be prayed to obtain the end of the war.
Finally, October 13 arrived, the great date foretold by the Virgin for the miracle. Between 50,000 and 80,000 people gathered to witness it. The Virgin finally revealed Her name to the children: “I am Our Lady of the Rosary.” As Our Lady ascended into Heaven, Lucia cried out, “Look, the sun!” Then everyone saw the sun emit multicolored rays, and the crowd could look at the sun without being harmed. The sun began to dance and spin, then it seemed to detach itself and move terrifyingly toward the crowd. During the 10 minutes of this grand cosmic miracle, the three little visionaries, for their part, contemplated three successive scenes in the sky: the vision of the Holy Family, the vision of Our Lady of Sorrows, and the vision of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Find the detailed account of each apparition with all the words exchanged between the Virgin and the children.
The Messages Given by the Virgin at Fatima
The exchanges between the Virgin and Lucia during the apparitions are relatively lengthy; you can find them here. Here are some excerpts from the messages given by Our Lady of Fatima to the three shepherd children.
“Are you willing to offer yourselves to God to endure all the sufferings He wishes to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and to plead for the conversion of sinners?” (May 13, 1917)
“Recite the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.” (May 13, 1917).
“Yes, Jacinta and Francisco, I will take them soon, but you, Lucia, will remain here for some time. Jesus wishes to use you to make me known and loved. He wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. To those who embrace this devotion, I promise salvation; these souls will be cherished by God, like flowers placed by Me to adorn His throne.” (June 13, 1917)
“I want you to come here on the 13th of next month, to continue reciting the rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only She can help you.” (July 13, 1917)
“Pray, pray much, and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is no one to sacrifice and pray for them.” (August 19, 1917)
The Secret of Fatima
The Secret of Fatima consists of three parts: the first is the vision of Hell that the children had during the apparition on July 13. The second part of the Secret is a warning from the Virgin. She tells the children where the world is heading if it continues on the path of sin and how to avoid the chastisements through devotion to her Immaculate Heart (especially the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the devotion of the First Saturdays of the month). The third part of the Secret of Fatima, which has caused much ink to flow, consists of a vision given to the children on July 13, 1917. The vision was to be kept secret at first, but the Virgin specified that the pope should reveal it to the world by 1960 at the latest. It was not until the year 2000 that the vision was revealed to the world by Pope John Paul II. Find the account of the vision here.
The Prayers Revealed at Fatima
Prayers Revealed by the Angel of Peace to the Three Shepherd Children
“My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You.”
“Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifferences by which He is offended. Through the infinite merits of His Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.”
Prayers Revealed by Our Lady of Fatima
Invocation to repeat often to Jesus, especially when making a sacrifice: “O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
Prayer to recite after each mystery of the rosary: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Your mercy.”
Find all the prayers to Our Lady of Fatima as well as the prayers of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Pray to Our Lady of Fatima with Hozana!
- . Through this novena, ask Our Lady of Fatima and the three shepherds to intercede for the conversion of France, sinners, and for peace in the world.
- . For 7 days, draw closer to Mary and consecrate yourself to her Immaculate Heart to ask for peace in Europe! Also entrust Ukraine and Russia to Her!
Pray the rosary weekly as requested by Our Lady of Fatima. Through this devotion, make reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and intercede for the conversion of the world and peace.
