Fatima
1917

Perhaps, the most well known apparition of Our Lady, in 1917 the Virgin Mary appeared to three children (Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco) in the tiny village of Fatima, Portugal.    Just like in the future apparition of Garabandal, Spain , an angel (St. Michael) appeared to the three children to prepare them for the visit of the Virgin Mary.  The angel announced himself as "the Angel of Peace" and taught them the following prayer:

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love you!  I beg pardon of you for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love you.

A few months later, while they were playing, they saw a flash of light and they were afraid that it was lighting.  They saw a light on top of a small evergreen tree which turned out to be a lady.  The Lady asked that they would come back on the 13th for the next six months.  At that time, she would tell them who she was and what she wanted.  

During the apparitions, Our Lady made some prophecies.  She told the children that if man did not stop offending God, a great war would begin during the reign of Pope Pius XI.   Twenty-Two years later, World War II broke out in Europe.   Our Lady had predicted World War II.   

She also asked for the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart.  If Russia would be consecrated, Our Lady would convert Russia and there would be peace.  In 1984, Pope John Paul II along with many bishops, consecrated Russia and the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  In 1989, Communism started to die throughout Eastern Europe.  In 1991, the Soviet Union was pronounced dead.

As promised by Mary, at the end of the apparitions, a great miracle occurred.  It was on October 13, 1917.  It had rained all day and everything was soaked.  Tens of thousands came to see the miracle that was to occur.  Lucia shouted "Look at the sun."  The sun had began to dance throughout the sky and shot off many colors.  The sun then started to plunge to the earth and as a result many people fell to their knees in repentence.  Just as people felt it was about to strike them, the sun returned to it's place in the sky and everything that was wet was dried.  The sick were cured and the crippled were healed.