TLDR;

  • Event: On May 13, 1917, in Fátima, Portugal, three shepherd children witnessed the first apparition of a radiant woman who identified herself as ‘from heaven’.
  • Messages: The apparition delivered messages of prayer, repentance, and the importance of praying the rosary daily for peace and the end of World War I, with subsequent apparitions on the 13th of each month for six months.
  • Impact: The apparitions attracted growing crowds and skepticism turned to belief after unusual phenomena, like the dimming of the sun, were witnessed by others.
  • Legacy: The events at Fátima sparked a global movement of faith, culminating in the Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917, witnessed by thousands, and remain a powerful symbol of divine mystery and faith.

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Story

The sun hung low in the sky over the rolling hills of Fátima, Portugal, casting long shadows across the fields where three young shepherds tended their flock. It was May 13th, 1917, a day that would forever alter the course of their lives and the hearts of millions worldwide. As the children—Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta—gathered their sheep, a sudden flash of light caught their attention. They turned to see a radiant figure hovering above a small holm oak tree.

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The figure was a woman, clothed in white, more brilliant than the sun, and she spoke to them with a voice that was both gentle and commanding. She identified herself as ‘from heaven’ and asked the children to return to the same spot on the 13th of each month for the next six months. Her message was one of prayer and repentance, urging the children to pray for sinners and accept sufferings for their conversion.

Initially, only a few villagers believed the children, and skepticism was high. However, as the months passed, the crowds grew, especially after the June 13 apparition, when Lucia’s father and others witnessed unusual phenomena, like a dimming of the sun. The apparitions continued, each accompanied by messages of hope and warnings of future trials, with the explicit request to pray the rosary daily for peace and the end of World War I coming in the June and July apparitions.

The first apparition at Fátima was a turning point, not only for the children but for the world. It sparked a movement of faith and devotion that transcended borders and generations, leading to the Miracle of the Sun witnessed by thousands on October 13th, 1917.

The legacy of Fátima endures, a testament to the power of faith and the enduring mystery of the divine.

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Would you have believed the children’s story if you were there in 1917?