May-13 Feast of Our Lady of Fatima

 May 13: Feast of Our Lady of Fatima

Exactly 105 years ago today, our Lady appeared to three poor shepherd children : Lúcia dos Santos and her friends Francisco and Jacinta Marto, in Fatima, Portugal 


They reported witnessing, between 13 May and 13 October 1917, six apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom they described as "a Lady more brilliant than the Sun". 


She asked them to devote themselves to the Holy Trinity and to pray "the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war"


Lúcia also said that she heard Mary ask for the following words to be added to the Rosary after the Gloria Patri prayer: "O my Jesus, pardon us, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need."


After newspapers reported that the Virgin Mary had promised a miracle for the last of her apparitions on 13 October, a huge crowd, between 30,000 and 100,000, including reporters and photographers, gathered at Cova da Iria. What happened then became known as the "Miracle of the Sun".


The local bishop investigated the events and determined that the apparitions were worthy of belief.

 

Francisco died in 1919 and Jacinta in 1920, during the international Spanish flu pandemic. Lucia dos Santos became a nun and lived until 2005.


If you haven’t already seen it, do watch the Netflix documentary Fatima at https://www.netflix.com/title/80998279


We end with this Prayer to Our Lady of Fatima
O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of the most holy Rosary, you were pleased to appear to the children of Fatima and reveal a glorious message. We implore you, inspire in our hearts a fervent love for the recitation of the Rosary. By meditating on the mysteries of the redemption that are recalled therein may we obtain the graces and virtues that we ask, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

Location: Cova de Iria, 2496-908 Fátima, Portugal

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