During the early spring of 1916 in the village of Fatima, Portugal, Lucia Santos, age 9, and her two cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, ages 6 and 8, took the family’s sheep out to pasture. While the sheep were grazing on Lucia’s family land near a hill known as the Cabeço, a strong wind suddenly arose that startled them. As they looked out across the distant valley, they were astounded to see a dazzling globe of light, like a miniature sun, coming slowly towards them. As it approached, the children could see the ball of light gradually change itself into the shape of a transparent young man. Lucia later described him in her memoirs as, “. . . more brilliant than crystal pierced by the rays of the sun.”

Standing before them in heavenly radiance he said, “Do not be afraid! I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me.” Then he knelt down, touching his forehead to the ground, and recited three times, “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love Thee. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love Thee.” As he rose, he said, “Pray this way. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.”

Having said this, he then faded into the morning air. The children were so overcome with a sense of the supernatural that they remained on their knees for many hours. Lucia and Jacinta, who were able to hear the angel’s words, repeated the prayer they had been taught by the angel over and over again. Francisco, who was only able to see the angel, learned this prayer from hearing Lucia and Jacinta recite it.

During the summer of that same year, the angel suddenly stood by them a second time. “What are you doing?” he asked in a gentle admonishing tone. “Pray, pray very much! The Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer up prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High. Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. You will thus draw down peace upon your country. I am its Guardian Angel, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, accept and bear with submission, all the sufferings which the Lord may send you.”

After the angel vanished, the children were overwhelmed by the same profound sense of the supernatural, which left them wholly absorbed in God. Once again, Francisco had to wait for Lucia and Jacinta to recount to him the words of the angel.

Three months later, while the children were grazing their sheep on the property belonging to Lucia’s family, the angel suddenly appeared to them a third time. Through the white radiance of his presence, the children could see that he held a chalice with a Host above it, from which drops of Blood fell into the cup. Leaving the chalice and Host suspended in midair, the angel prostrated himself on the ground before them and repeated three times, “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee 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 Himself is offended. And through the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.”

Then the angel arose and took the Host and chalice in his hands. He gave the Host to Lucia, and the chalice to Francisco and Jacinta to drink from, while saying, “Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men! Make reparation for their crimes and console your God.”

He prostrated himself once more on the ground and repeated the prayer “Most Holy Trinity . . .” slowly, with the children, three more times, before disappearing from their sight.

As usual, because Francisco was not able to hear the angel’s words, he was anxious to learn about what had taken place. “Lucia,” he said, “I know that the angel gave you Holy Communion. But what did he give to me and Jacinta?”

“The same; it was Holy Communion,” Jacinta replied joyfully, “did you not see that it was the Blood that dropped from the Host?”

“I felt that God was within me, but I did not know how,” replied Francisco.

Again, the three children remained kneeling on the ground for a long time, repeating over and over again the prayer the angel had taught them. Throughout the winter and spring of 1916-1917, the children spent much of their time in prayer and silent recollection of all that had transpired.

In another part of the world, many miles away from the peace and tranquillity of the shepherd children’s village, a war, which began in 1914, was raging across Europe. World War I brought destruction, bloodshed, and the deaths of countless innocent victims to the extent never before witnessed by mankind. From east to west, Europe was in upheaval.

During these tumultuous times, the czar of Russia was over-thrown in a bloody revolution. However, the new provisional government was unable to retain power. Vladimir Lenin, who had been living in exile in Switzerland, returned to Russia in April of 1917 to pursue his diabolical goal of abolishing democracy. Lenin installed himself as the head of a new socialist government. He immediately ended Russia’s involvement in the War, seized all private property, and took the first steps towards bringing the entire country under the rule of an atheistic system—communism. His ultimate ambition, however, was even more far-reaching than Russia itself. Lenin wanted to see the entire world united under a single communist government, one that established itself as an enemy of God.

Pope Benedict XV, the reigning Pontiff at the time, lamented the atrocities and horrors of this war. The Church remained neutral throughout the conflict and made numerous attempts at peace. On May 5, 1917, the Holy Father issued a plea to the leaders of the world to “stop the suicide of civilized Europe.” In a letter to his Secretary of State, he begged the world to turn with confidence to the Blessed Virgin Mary for an end to the war.

Eight days later, on May 13, 1917, the Mother of God came to earth with a message of peace. Our Lady appeared to the same three shepherd children; Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, while they were tending their flock in the Cova da Iria, in the village of Fatima, Portugal.

That afternoon, after reciting their Rosary, the children settled into their usual routine of tending their sheep when, suddenly, there was a flash of light. Startled, they looked up into the clear blue sky where there was no hint of a storm. Thinking that it might have been some distant lightning and that a storm was imminent, Lucia began to gather the flock to head for home. Halfway down the slope of the Cova da Iria, there was a second flash. Their attention was drawn to a small holmoak tree a few feet away which held a Lady of dazzling light. “It was a Lady dressed all in white, more brilliant than the sun, shedding rays of light clear and stronger than a crystal glass filled with the most sparkling water, pierced by the burning rays of the sun,” Lucia later described.

“Do not be afraid,” she said in a gentle voice, “I will not harm you.”

“Where are you from?” Lucia asked.

“I am from Heaven.”

“What do you want of me?” Lucia humbly asked the Lady.

“I have come to ask you to come here for six consecutive months, on the 13th day, at this same hour. Later, I will tell you who I am and what I want.”

“Will I go to Heaven too?” Lucia asked.

“Yes, you will.”

“And Jacinta?”

“She also.”

“And Francisco, will he go to heaven too?”

“He will go there too, but he must say many Rosaries.”

Unlike the apparition of the angel, whom Francisco could see but not hear, he was now unable to see or hear to whom Lucia was talking. His curiosity peaked when he heard his name mentioned. At Lucia’s urging, Francisco immediately began to pray the Rosary and the vision of the Lady became visible to him in a blinding light.

Lucia then asked about the fate of two girls from the nearby village of Aljustrel who had recently died. The Lady replied that one was already in Heaven and the other would be “in Purgatory until the end of the world.”

Then the Lady said to the children, “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings which He may send you as an act of reparation for the countless sins by which He is offended and as a supplication for the conversion of sinners?”

Lucia, speaking for all three children, consented.

The Lady nodded her approval and said, “Then you will have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort.”

Acting on impulse, the children threw themselves to the ground and cried out with passionate fervor, “Oh Most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee! My God, My God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament!” The Lady asked them to pray the Rosary every day, and with that she rose in a cloud of light and disappeared into the eastern sky.

On June 13, 1917, precisely at noon, the beautiful Lady from Heaven appeared again and asked them to come on the 13th of the next month and to pray the Rosary every day. She then said, “When you pray the Rosary, say after each Mystery: “Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those most in need of Thy Mercy.”

Lucia said, “I would like to ask you to take us to Heaven.”

Our Lady replied, “Yes, I will take Jacinta and Francisco soon, but you must remain on earth for some time. Jesus wishes to make use of you to make me known and loved. He wants to establish, in the world, devotion to my Immaculate Heart.” Our Lady then rose in a cloud and, once again, drifted out of sight into the eastern sky.

The following month, on the 13th of July, a large number of people were praying the Rosary when Our Lady appeared a third time.

“What do you want of me?” Lucia asked.

Our Lady answered, “I want you to come here on the 13th day of the next month and to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary in order to obtain peace for the world and an end to the war; for she alone can help it. In October I will tell you who I am and what I want, and I will perform a miracle for all to see and believe.”

Our Lady continued, “Sacrifice yourself for sinners, and say often especially when you make some sacrifice, “Oh my 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.”

As she finished these words, Our Lady opened her hands and an intense light came forth. It penetrated the earth, which seemed to vanish, and the children were then standing on the edge of a sea of fire. When the children looked down into this awful place, they saw large numbers of devils and damned souls. The devils could be distinguished by their hideous figures, like unknown animals, each shrieking in desperation. The damned souls were in human form, flailing about in the flames and screaming with horror. There was fire everywhere and neither the devils nor the damned souls seemed to be able to control their movements. It appeared that there was no end to their agony and pain.

The children cried out in fear to Our Lady who said to them with sadness, “You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wants to establish throughout the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not stop offending God, another and worse war will break out in the reign of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that is the great sign that God gives you, that He is going to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, hunger, persecution of the Church, and of the Holy Father.

“To prevent this, I shall come to ask the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If people heed my request, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace. If not, she shall spread her errors throughout the world promoting wars and persecutions of the Church; the good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated; in the end, my Immaculate Heart shall triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, which will be converted, and some time of peace will be given to the world. In Portugal the dogma of the faith will always be kept.”

The children were instructed not to reveal anything they had seen or heard to anyone except Francisco, who still could not hear the words of the Lady. The terrifying vision of hell and the foretelling of devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary were two parts of the secret Our Lady had shared with the children. Lucia was finally permitted to reveal them in 1941. The third part of the secret would not be revealed until much later.

Likewise, on the night of January 25, 1938, the “unknown light,” identified as the great sign given by God that the punishment of the world was about to begin, appeared in the northern hemisphere. The Aurora Borealis, as it appeared that night, was seen by millions of people as the foreboding messenger of imminent danger and even the end of the world. Sr. Lucia, having seen the unknown light and recalling the words of Our Lady, understood this as the harbinger of the beginning of the punishment of the world. She wrote, with great urgency to the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, “War is imminent. The sins of men will be washed in their own blood. Those nations will suffer most in the war which tried to destroy the kingdom of God.” Indeed, the revelation became fact in the same year when, under the Pontificate of Pius XI, the Second World War began with the invasion of Austria and the Anschluss in 1938.

The vision of hell, one of the revealed parts of the secret, had a very great impact on the three little shepherds. This vision caused them to perform severe penances for the salvation of sinners. Each wore a rope tightly around their waist, and gave their lunches to the poor. They did not drink water during the furnace-like heat of the summer of 1917. The shepherds also offered to Our Lord the suffering of ridicule from unbelievers, and they spent most of their days in prayer.

Little Jacinta was obsessed with the sight of the raging flames and the terrifying appearance and sounds of millions of shrieking demons and lost souls, and stopped at nothing to offer more sacrifices for the salvation of souls. “So many people falling into hell! So many people in hell! If men only knew what awaits them in eternity, they would do everything in their power to change their lives.”

The disturbance caused by the miraculous events in the village of Fatima was distressing to the atheistic government of Portugal. The administrator of the county of Ourém, where Fatima was located, was enraged to learn that his efforts to destroy all religion in his region were being hindered by three illiterate, peasant children. With the prediction of a miracle on October 13th, he was determined to put an end to the widening publicity of the apparitions. Late on the morning of August 13th, he apprehended the three children in an effort to prevent that day’s expected apparition. He threatened the children with imprisonment and even warned them of the horrible death that awaited them — being boiled alive — if they did not reveal the secret given them during the July 13th apparition. All of these threats proved to be fruitless. The three children were willing to die rather than betray the secret the beautiful Lady from Heaven had made known to them.

Because the children were detained on August 13th, Our Lady appeared to them on the afternoon of Sunday, August 19, 1917, in Valinhos, another town about one mile from Fatima. The Lady encouraged the children to continue going to the Cova da Iria on the 13th of each month and to pray the Rosary every day. She repeated her promise to perform a miracle on the 13th of October and she said, “Pray! Pray a great deal and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to Hell because they have no one to pray and make sacrifices for them.”

All of the roads leading into Fatima were blocked by the thousands of people who were gathering at the Cova da Iria for the expected apparition on the 13th of September. Shortly after the multitude began to pray the Rosary, Our Lady again appeared over the holmoak tree to the three shepherd children.

Lucia, as was her custom, asked the vision, “What do you want of me?”

“Continue to pray the Rosary every day in order to obtain the end of the war. In October, Our Lord will come, as will Our Lady of Sorrows and of Mount Carmel. St. Joseph with the Child Jesus will appear to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices, but He does not want you to sleep with the rope on; wear it only during the day.”

“People have begged me to ask you many things,” Lucia said, “the cure of some sick persons, of a deaf mute . . .”

“Some I will cure, others not. In October I shall perform a miracle so that everyone may believe.” Then the Queen of Heaven rose slowly and disappeared into the sky.

After each of the three previous apparitions in July, August, and September, the children said that the Lady had promised to perform a miracle on October 13, 1917. As a result, the whole country was waiting eagerly for the anticipated miracle. Despite the torrential rains that were plaguing Fatima, tens of thousands of people were making the pilgrimage to the remote village in Portugal.

Lucia’s mother, who did not believe in the apparitions, ordered her daughter to go to confession, “because if there is no miracle we will all be killed.”

Lucia replied, “I will go with you if you wish, but not because I am afraid. The Lady will keep her word.”

By the morning of October 13, a vast multitude of believers and unbelievers gathered in the Cova da Iria. Despite the driving winds and pouring rain, the spirits of the pilgrims were undaunted as they waited with excitement for the promised miracle in the swamped and muddy pasture. The crowd, which was so great that little Jacinta began to cry, pressed in on the seers from every direction. Impassioned cries for the children’s intercession followed them every step of the way. When they finally reached the holmoak tree, Lucia and Francisco placed Jacinta between them for her protection.

Lucia began to recite the Rosary and cried out suddenly, “Put down your umbrellas everyone.” She said to Jacinta and Francisco, “Kneel down, Our Lady is coming. I have seen the flash.”

Lucia again inquired of the Queen of Heaven, “What do you want of me?”

“I am the Lady of the Rosary. I would like a chapel built here in my honor. Continue to pray the Rosary everyday. The war will end soon and the soldiers will return to their homes.”

Then Lucia asked, “I have many petitions, will you grant them?”

“Some yes, others no. People must amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins.” As Our Lady continued, her face became very grave, “Offend not Our Lord anymore, for He is already much offended.”

Lucia asked, “Do you want anything else from me?”

Our Lady answered, “I desire nothing more.” As she left the three children, Our Lady opened her hands, which radiated a bright light. Then, as she rose from their sight, she pointed towards the sun and the light beaming from her hands made the sun appear even brighter.

Lucia then cried out, “There she goes, there she goes! Look at the sun!” As Lucia cried out these words the most incredible miracle ever imagined took place.

The sun had taken on a pale appearance, similar to the moon, but in an extraordinary color. “We could look at the sun with ease, it did not bother at all. It seemed to be continually fading and glowing in one fashion, then another. It threw shafts of light one way and another, painting everything in different colors, the people, the trees, the earth, and even the air. But the greatest proof of the miracle was the fact that the sun did not bother the eyes,” testified an eyewitness. “At a certain point, the sun stopped its play of light and then started dancing. It stopped once more and again started dancing until it seemed to loosen itself from the skies and fall upon the people. It was a moment of terrible suspense.”

Another eyewitness said, “The sun cast different colors, yellow, blue and white. It trembled constantly. It looked like a revolving ball of fire falling upon the people.”

As the sun seemed ready to crash into the earth, the throng of people gathered cried out in terror, “We shall all be killed! We shall all be killed!” Others cried out to Our Lady to save them and made Acts of Contrition. The Miracle had brought them to their knees, begging for God’s forgiveness and mercy.

At last the sun ascended back into the sky and returned to its normal position. After the frightening experience, the crowd was filled with relief. Despite the heavy rains and the muddy conditions, everyone noticed that their clothing, and the entire Cova da Iria, was completely dry.

The children, however, were unaware of all that had taken place. During the spectacular phenomenon of the sun, the three shepherd children had experienced a vision of the Holy Family. They saw St. Joseph holding the Child Jesus, as they were blessing the whole world by making the Sign of the Cross. As this occurred, Our Lady appeared in the blue and white robes of Our Lady of the Rosary. Lucia alone was granted another vision, that of seeing Our Lord as the Divine Redeemer, dressed in red, blessing the world. Our Lady was beside Him, now clothed in the purple robes of Our Lady of Sorrows. Finally, the Blessed Mother appeared again to Lucia wearing the brown robes of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, offering the Brown Scapular for the salvation of the world.

Afterward, the children were besieged by the mass of people who had witnessed the Miracle. Some had persistent questions, while others grabbed at their clothing in hopes of obtaining a relic.

The village of Fatima was located within the diocese of Leiria, Portugal. The Bishop of Leiria stated that those who witnessed the events of this great day were fortunate. “This phenomenon, which no astronomical observatory registered, was not natural. It was seen by people of all classes, members of the Church, and non-Catholics. It was seen by reporters of the principal newspapers and by people many miles away.”

This great supernatural event could not be mistaken for anything other than what it was. The Miracle of the Sun was proof of the Divine origin of the apparitions and reaffirmed the seriousness of God’s message of salvation for the world.

After October 13, 1917, the children attempted to return to their daily routine. However, their lives had been forever changed and they gradually gave up all thoughts of play. Lucia was anxious for her work to begin, that of spreading devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. At the same time, Francisco and Jacinta were eagerly anticipating the day when Our Lady would come and take them to heaven. Knowing that their deaths were imminent, they dedicated themselves unceasingly to constant prayer and sacrifice.

The shepherd children received an unending stream of requests for the intercession of their prayers. In many instances their prayers were answered with miracles, and the grateful people turned with thanksgiving to the Mother of God. These were a testament of the favor in which the children stood before the Queen of Heaven.

The Marto family became sick with influenza in late October 1918. Only the father remained healthy and was, therefore, able to care for the rest of his family. Francisco was very seriously ill and bedridden. It was then that Our Lady appeared to Francisco and Jacinta. She told them that Francisco would be coming to Heaven very soon and that Jacinta would follow after him later. From that time, their desire for Heaven increased and they happily awaited the moment they would be united with Our Lord and Our Lady forever.

“Lucia!” cried Jacinta happily, “Our Lady came to see us and said that she was coming soon for Francisco. She asked me if I still wanted to convert more sinners. I said yes. Our Lady wants me to go to two hospitals but it is not to cure me. It is to suffer more for the love of God, the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. She told me that you would not go with me. My mother will take me there and afterwards I am to be left alone.”

Francisco’s condition continued to worsen, and he realized that the time of his death was near. Francisco said to his father, “Father, before I die I want to receive Our Lord.” That day, his father asked the priest to hear Francisco’s confession so that he would be prepared to receive Our Lord the next morning. Francisco excitedly asked his mother to promise not to give him anything to eat or drink after midnight.

As the evening approached, his health steadily declined as his suffering and pain increased, but he uttered no complaint. Early the next morning Francisco received Our Lord in Holy Communion for the first time. This filled him with great joy and peace and he asked to receive Our Lord again in Holy Communion the next day. However, he would never receive the Sacrament again because he would soon be taken to Heaven. Then he said to Lucia and Jacinta, “I am going to heaven and I am going to ask Our Lord and Our Lady to take you there soon.”

Jacinta then said, “Tell Our Lord and Our Lady that I will suffer all that They want me to, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

After asking them to forgive him for his faults, he then asked for their prayers. In complete peace and without pain, Our Lady came for her little boy. Francisco, at the young age of 10, was taken to Heaven on the morning of April 4, 1919. Lucia and Jacinta were deeply saddened by Francisco’s death. Their grief was overwhelming, for the three children had shared a special closeness and now Lucia and Jacinta felt they had lost part of themselves.

Despite Jacinta’s own struggle with the influenza, she continued to pray and willingly offered up her sufferings for the conversion of sinners. Her illness worsened, which caused an abscess to develop on her chest. Jacinta’s parents were advised to take the little patient to a hospital in Ourém so that she might receive better medical treatment. Jacinta, knowing that this suffering was part of Our Lady’s plan, was well aware that there would be no cure for her, but obediently made the trip to Ourém. Before leaving, and with great sadness, Jacinta said good-bye to her loving Lucia. This separation was yet another hardship, which the children gladly offered to Our Lord for the conversion of sinners.

In spite of receiving the best medical care during her two-month stay in the hospital in Ourém, the abscess on Jacinta’s chest showed no sign of healing. After a visit by her mother and Lucia, Jacinta’s doctors, frustrated by the lack of improvement in her condition, released her to return to her home in the later part of August. Pneumonia, followed by tuberculosis and pleurisy, took a tremendous toll on her already frail body. Still Jacinta endured this time of agony silently and with joy gave it all to Our Lord.

After Jacinta’s return home, Lucia looked in on her little ailing cousin everyday on her way home from morning Mass. One morning she inquired of Lucia, “Did you receive Communion today?”

“Yes, Jacinta.”

“Then come very close to me for you have Our Lord in your heart,” said Jacinta.

Lucia then gave Jacinta a picture of a chalice and Host from her prayerbook. Jacinta took the picture and tenderly kissed it.

Jacinta then exclaimed, “It’s the Hidden Jesus. I love Him so much. How I’d love to receive Him in church.”

While at home, Our Lady came to visit Jacinta once again. Her request was that Jacinta visit yet another hospital in Lisbon. Jacinta excitedly shared this message with Lucia.

“Lucia, Our Lady told me that I am going to another hospital in Lisbon and that I will never see you again or my parents and that after suffering a great deal I shall die alone. She said that I should not be afraid since she will come to take me with her to Heaven.”

It was then time for Jacinta and Lucia to say good-bye. During their loving embrace, Jacinta said through her tears, “Never again shall we see each other. Pray a great deal for me for I am going to die alone. Never tell the secret to anyone, even if they kill you. Love Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary very much, and make many sacrifices for sinners.” She then promised to pray for Lucia in Heaven.

Jacinta would be going to Lisbon for a series of treatments before being admitted to the hospital. On February 2, 1920, she and her mother arrived at the house of a family in Lisbon with whom prior arrangements had been made for her to stay. However, upon seeing Jacinta’s condition, they felt that they would be unable to provide the care necessary for Jacinta while she was undergoing her treatments. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, she was without a place to stay.

Having exhausted all of their options, they finally found the orphanage of Our Lady of the Miracles. With open arms, Mother Godinho, the Superior, welcomed them as she had heard much about the little girl who had seen Our Lady.

Jacinta’s stay at the orphanage proved to be a great blessing. Mother Godinho became like a mother to Jacinta, whose own mother had to return to Fatima. As much as Jacinta grew to love Mother Godinho, she loved the chapel in the orphanage even more. Jacinta spent as much time as possible with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

While at the orphanage, Jacinta continued to be visited by Our Lady. Mother Godinho made a habit of recording much of what Jacinta would say. After visits from Our Lady, Jacinta spoke with the wisdom of someone many times her age. Mother Godinho marveled as Jacinta would explain what Our Lady had shared with her.

From their many conversations, the following statements were among those recorded by Mother Godinho:

“You must never tell a lie or be lazy, but be very obedient.” “Our Lady said that there are many wars and discords in the world. Wars are only punishments for the sins of the world. Our Lady cannot stay the arm of her beloved Son upon the world anymore. It is necessary to do penance. If the people amend themselves, Our Lord shall still come to the aid of the world. If they do not amend themselves, punishment will come.”

“My dear Mother the sins that bring the most souls to hell are the sins of the flesh. Certain fashions are going to be introduced which will offend Our Lord very much. Those who serve God should not follow these fashions. The Church has no fashions, Our Lord is always the same. The sins of the world are too great. People lose their souls because they do not think about the death of Our Lord and do not do penance.”

“Many marriages are not good; they do not please Our Lord and are not of God.”

“Pray a great deal for governments. Pity those governments which persecute the religion of Our Lord. If governments left the Church in peace and gave liberty to the Holy Religion they would be blessed by God.”

“My Good Mother do not give yourself to immodest clothes. Run away from riches. Love holy poverty and silence very much. Be very charitable even with those who are very unkind. Never criticize others and avoid those who do. Be very patient, for patience brings us to heaven. Mortifications and sacrifices please Our Lord a great deal.”

“Confession is a sacrament of mercy. That is why people should approach the confessional with confidence and joy. Without confession there is no salvation.”

When Jacinta’s treatments were finished, it was time for her to leave the orphanage and go to the hospital. It was another difficult parting for Jacinta, as she had to leave Mother Godinho. She was even more saddened at the thought of leaving the chapel, where she loved to visit Our Lord. She knew there would not be a chapel in the hospital.

While in the hospital, Jacinta was seen by many specialists of children’s diseases. Despite their efforts, she knew they were wasting their time. In fact, she was so certain she was going to die, she dictated a letter to Lucia telling her of the day and hour of her death.

Jacinta suffered greatly as the doctors continued their futile attempts to cure her. With the exception of a single moan, she never complained. She endured all of her unbearable afflictions with love of Jesus and for the conversion of sinners. Four days before her death, Jacinta was visited by Our Lady, at which time she was freed of her pain. This fact was confirmed by one of the physicians attending her.

On February 20, 1920, Jacinta asked to receive the last rites before dying. A priest came and heard her confession and assured her he would bring Holy Communion the next morning. Jacinta earnestly requested to receive Our Lord that night but was denied the privilege, as the priest thought she would live until the next day. But, at 10:30 PM, Jacinta was taken to Heaven to be reunited with Francisco and to live with Our Lord and Our Lady for all eternity.

The last words she spoke were, “Pray for priests.”

The news of Jacinta’s death brought many people to Lisbon to visit the little girl who had been called by the Mother of God. Despite the seriousness of her illness, and the amount of time that had passed since her death, the pleasant aroma that emanated from her body attested to the sanctity of this child. It was as sweet smelling as a bouquet of flowers.

Mother Godinho accompanied Jacinta’s body as it was returned to Fatima, where a kind-hearted man offered the use of his family vault for her burial. On September 12, 1935 the Bishop of Leiria asked that Jacinta’s body be removed from the vault and taken to a special tomb in the cemetery of Fatima. A tomb had been designed and built as the final earthly resting-place of Francisco and Jacinta. In honor of the Bishop’s request, Jacinta’s casket was removed from the vault and opened to allow for the transfer of her remains to their new location. More than fifteen years after her death, her frail body remained whole and incorrupt.

With the deaths of her cousins, Lucia felt alone in the world. She no longer had anyone to confide in and knew that only the Blessed Mother could console her. Thousands of pilgrims came to Fatima every year and all wanted a chance to speak to Lucia. It had been much easier for Lucia to deal with these intrusions when Francisco and Jacinta were with her. Now she suffered alone, and offered it as a sacrifice for love of Jesus and Our Lady, and the conversion of sinners.

The Bishop of Leiria, recognizing the need to remove Lucia from Fatima for her well being, and to facilitate the ongoing investigation of the apparitions, informed Lucia and her mother that he had made arrangements for her to attend a Convent School in Spain run by the Dorothean Sisters. There she would be unknown and able to continue her studies in anonymity.

Obediently, and with a heavy heart, Lucia followed the bishop’s request and secretly left Fatima on June 17, 1921, to begin her new life at the Convent School as a simple girl. Upon completion of her studies, Lucia asked to be accepted into the order of the Sisters of St. Dorothy. The Sisters were delighted to welcome Lucia, as they had grown quite fond of her.

Our Lady visited Lucia on numerous occasions while studying in the convent. One noteworthy visit was on December 10, 1925. While she was in her room at the convent, Our Lady appeared with the Child Jesus, who was seated on a cloud of light, at her side. Our Lady placed one hand on Lucia’s shoulder while revealing what she held in her other hand; a heart, surrounded by sharp thorns.

The Child Jesus was the first to speak, “Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation.”

His Mother then said, “My daughter, look at my Heart encircled with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and announce in my name that I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to confession and receive Holy Communion, recite the Rosary and keep me company for a quarter of an hour while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to me.”

This vision of Our Lady’s wounded heart left a lasting impression on Lucia. From that day forward, she dedicated the remainder of her life to spreading devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Lucia had not yet received permission to divulge the secret given to the children during the apparition on July 13, 1917. That all changed in 1927 while Lucia was stationed at the Dorothean convent in Tuy, Spain. There she was granted the necessary authorization from Heaven to disclose the first two parts of the secret; the vision of hell and the immediate task of spreading devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The third part of the secret was not to be revealed at this time. It was however, written down by Lucia and given to the Bishop of Leiria, who ordered it sealed and placed in his diocesan archives.

On June 13, 1929, again the Mother of God appeared to Lucia while she was praying in the convent chapel in Tuy, Spain. Lucia then received the great vision of the Most Holy Trinity. “Suddenly the whole chapel was illuminated by a supernatural light, and above the altar appeared a cross of light, reaching to the ceiling. In a brighter light on the upper part of the cross, could be seen the face of a man and his body as far as the waist; upon his breast was a dove of light; nailed to the cross was the body of another man. A little below the waist, I could see a chalice and a large host suspended in the air, onto which drops of blood were falling from the face of Jesus Crucified and from the wound in His side. These drops ran down onto the host and fell into the chalice. Beneath the right arm of the cross was Our Lady and in her hand was her Immaculate Heart. (It was Our Lady of Fatima, with her Immaculate Heart in her left hand, without sword or roses, but with a crown of thorns and flames.) Under the left arm of the cross, large letters, as if of crystal clear water which ran down upon the altar, formed these words: ‘Grace’ and ‘Mercy’.”

Our Lady now desired the fulfillment of her request from July, 1917, which was the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Queen of Heaven said, “The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father, in union with all the Bishops of the world, to make the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means. There are so many souls whom the Justice of God condemns for sins committed against me, that I have come to ask reparation: sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray.”

On October 13, 1930, Bishop Correia da Silva, issued a pastoral letter which summarized the findings of the commission investigating the apparitions in Fatima. The letter stated:

“In virtue of considerations made known, and others which for reasons of brevity we omit; humbly invoking the Divine Spirit and placing ourselves under the protection of the Most Holy Virgin, and after hearing the opinions of our Rev. advisors in this diocese, we hereby:

1. 1. Declare worthy of belief the visions of the shepherd children in the Cova da Iria, parish of Fatima, in this diocese, from the 13th May, to the 13th October, 1917.
2. 2. Permit officially the cult of Our Lady of Fatima.
3. Our Lady told Lucia during the apparition of July 13, 1917, that, “the Holy Father will have much to suffer.” From that day forward, the three seers were committed to offering as many sacrifices as possible for the Pope. Jacinta especially was dedicated to sacrificing for the Holy Father. She was granted two separate visions in which the Holy Father appeared as suffering terribly. She stated that her mission in Heaven would be to pray for the Holy Father.