Our Lady of Fatima facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fátima as described and personally approved by Sister Lúcia.
Location	Fátima, Portugal
Date	13 May - 13 October 1917
Witness	Lúcia Santos Jacinta and Francisco Marto
Type	Marian apparition
Approval	1930, during the pontificate of Pope Pius XI
Shrine	Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, Fátima, Portugal

Our Lady of Fátima is a special name given to the Virgin Mary by the Catholic Church. This name comes from a series of times she is believed to have appeared to three young shepherd children in Fátima, Portugal. These appearances happened on the 13th day of six months in a row during 1917, starting on May 13.

The three children were Lúcia Santos and her two cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto. In Portuguese, her name is Nossa Senhora de Fátima. She is also known as Our Lady of the Rosary or Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima.

History
The Miracle of the Sun
The Three Secrets of Fátima
Pontevedra Apparitions
Images for kids
See also

History

On May 13, 1917, Lúcia and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco, were looking after sheep. They were in a place called Cova da Iria, near their village of Fátima. Lúcia said she saw a woman who was "brighter than the sun." She seemed to shine with light.

The children were amazed. They quickly ran back to their village and told everyone what they had seen. The Virgin Mary was reported to appear again on the 13th day of June and July. During these visits, she asked the children to do special acts of kindness and make small sacrifices. This was meant to help others and show love. The children then tried to do these things.

According to Lúcia, the woman shared three important messages with them. These are now known as the Three Secrets of Fátima.

Page from Ilustração Portuguesa, 29 October 1917, showing the people looking at the miracle of the sun during the Fátima apparitions attributed to the Virgin Mary.

The Miracle of the Sun

In July 1917, it was said that the Virgin Mary promised a special event for her last appearance. This event was supposed to happen on October 13, so that everyone would believe. What happened that day became known as "The Miracle of the Sun."

A very large crowd of about 70,000 people gathered to see this promised event. Many people who were there said they saw the "Sun dance." They also reported that they could look directly at the sun without any problems.

While the crowd watched the sun, Lúcia, Jacinta, and Francisco said they saw beautiful images. They described seeing the Holy Family, Our Lady of Sorrows with Jesus Christ, and then Our Lady of Mount Carmel. They also said they saw Saint Joseph and Jesus giving a blessing to the people.

Lúcia Santos (left) with her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto, 1917.

The Three Secrets of Fátima

The Virgin Mary shared three special messages, or "secrets," with the children.

The First Secret

The first secret was a vision of a difficult place. Lúcia described it as a "great sea of fire" that seemed to be under the earth. She saw spirits there that looked like burning embers. They were making sounds of pain and sadness. Lúcia said this vision lasted only a moment. She felt very grateful to the Virgin Mary for promising to take them to heaven. Otherwise, she thought they would have been too scared.

The Second Secret

The second secret included Mary's advice on how to help people and bring peace to the world. Lúcia wrote about it:

"I have seen a difficult place where the spirits of people who do wrong go. To help them, God wants people to show devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If you do what I ask, many will be helped, and there will be peace. The war is going to end. But if people do not stop doing wrong, a worse war will begin during the time of Pope Pius XI."

She continued, "When you see a night lit up by a strange light, know that this is a big sign from God. It means he is about to bring challenges to the world because of its wrongs. These challenges could be through war, famine, and hard times for the Church and the Holy Father."

"To stop this, I will come to ask for Russia to be dedicated to my Immaculate Heart. Also, I will ask for acts of kindness on the First Saturdays of the month. If my requests are followed, Russia will change, and there will be peace. If not, Russia will spread its mistakes around the world, causing wars and difficulties for the Church. Good people will suffer. The Holy Father will have much pain. Different countries will be destroyed."

"In the end, my Immaculate Heart will win. The Holy Father will dedicate Russia to me, and it will change. Then, a time of peace will be given to the world."

The Third Secret

The Third Secret was kept private by the Holy See (the Pope's main office) until June 26, 2000. This secret was a vision of a Bishop dressed in white, who the children thought was the Pope. It also showed other religious figures facing challenges.

Lúcia described seeing an Angel with a flaming sword. The sword looked like it could set the world on fire. But its flames faded when they touched the bright light from the Virgin Mary. The Angel pointed to the earth and cried out loudly: "Penance, Penance, Penance!" This means "Repent" or "Change your ways."

Then, they saw a vision of God's light. In this light, they saw a Bishop in white, who they felt was the Pope. Other Bishops, Priests, and religious men and women were climbing a steep mountain. At the top was a large Christian cross. Before reaching the top, the Holy Father walked through a city that was partly in ruins. He was sad and in pain, praying for the people who had died.

When he reached the top of the mountain, he knelt at the foot of the Cross. He was then harmed by soldiers. In the same way, other Bishops, Priests, religious people, and many others also suffered. Beneath the arms of the Cross, two Angels collected the blood of these Martyrs (people who suffer for their beliefs). They then sprinkled this blood on souls who were going to God.

The Chapel of Apparitions, built at the place where the apparitions were reported.

Pontevedra Apparitions

Eight years after the events in Fátima, Sister Lúcia was living in a convent in Pontevedra, Spain. She said that on December 10, 1925, she had another vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sister Lúcia said that the Virgin Mary returned as she had promised in Fátima. She came to explain what was needed for the "Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays."

The statue of Our Lady of Fatima inside the Chapel of Apparitions.

Sister Lúcia described this appearance: "The Most Holy Virgin appeared to me. Next to her, on a bright cloud, was the Child Jesus. The Most Holy Virgin put her hand on my shoulder. As she did, she showed me a heart surrounded by thorns, which she held in her other hand."

During this vision, the Child Jesus asked Sister Lúcia to have compassion for His Mother. He called her Sister Lúcia's heavenly mother. Later, on February 15, 1926, Lúcia said she saw the Child Jesus again. He told Lúcia not to promote the First Saturdays devotion anymore.

At this point, the Virgin Mary is said to have explained the rules for the Five First Saturdays devotion. If someone followed these rules on the First Saturday of five months in a row, the Virgin Mary promised special help at the time of their death.

Many believe that this devotion, mentioned by the Virgin in Fátima and then explained in Pontevedra, is a very important part of the Message of Fátima.

Images for kids

Lúcia dos Santos (left) with her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, 1917
Monument of the Guardian Angel of Portugal apparition to the three little shepherd children of Fátima.
The Parish Church of Fátima where the three children who saw the apparition were baptized.
Page from Ilustração Portuguesa, 29 October 1917, showing the people looking at the Sun during the Fátima apparitions attributed to the Virgin Mary
Lúcia dos Santos (standing) with her cousin, Jacinta Marto, 1917
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima is one of the largest Marian shrines in the world.
Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Image of Our Lady of Fátima in the Chapel of the Apparitions.
Birthplace of Sister Lúcia in Aljustrel.
Birthplace of Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto in Aljustrel.
Lúcia with Francisco and Jacinta in 1917
Statue of Pope Pius XII in Fátima, Portugal.
Statue of Our Lady of Fátima in the Church of Santa Maria Madalena, Madalena, the Azores, 2007. The devotion is especially popular among Catholics in Lusophone countries and the Portuguese diaspora.
Pope Pius XII dedicated the human race to the “Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary” in 1942. He also granted a special honor to the statue of Our Lady of Fátima in 1946 and later made her shrine a Basilica in 1954.
Pope Paul VI with Sister Lúcia in Fátima on 13 May 1967.
The International Pilgrim image of Our Lady of Fátima has traveled the world since the 1950s
Statue by Amélia Carvalheira dedicated to the apparition of Our Lady which occurred exceptionally on 19 August 1917, in Valinhos, near Cova da Iria.