Our Lady of Fatima

On 13 May 1917 while only ten years old, Lucia was out herding their sheep with two of her cousins. This was at her home Fatima, which is in Portugal. Lucia claimed of having seen an extra ordinary woman who shone more than the sun.

Requesting petitions for the following:

• Protection from evil.
• Help for periods of adversity.
• Freedom from feeling trapped
• Feast: 13-May
• Day: Tuesday
• Candle/ Emblem: White
• Matters concerning: Freedom from binding situations and protection against evil.

Later on, she further claimed to have seen the woman in 13th June and 13th July. This mysterious woman told the children to do acts of repentance and make other sacrifices that were to save the sinners. In response to her message, the children caused themselves great pain by wearing tight cords around their waists. They also self flagellated themselves by the use of the stinging nettles, avoided taking water in the hot weather and carried out punitive works. Lucia reveals that the woman revealed to the children three secrets which came to be known as Fatima’s three secrets.

A large number of people turned up at Fatima during the months that followed as they were drawn by the numerous reports of revelations and miracles. On 13th August 1917, Artur Santos, then the provincial administrator in the area held the belief that these events caused political tension and proceeded to intercept and arrest the children who were enroute Cova da Iria in a given day.

In the jail, the children led the prisoners in prayer sessions per the rosary. The provincial administrator them cross examined the children and asked them to disregard their Christian believes else he boils them in an oil pot but all was in vain.

The children refused to reveal the secrets but Lucia offered to narrate them to the administrator. On the 15th of that month(August), the children reported of having seen Virgin Mary instead of the usual Cova da Iria which used to take place on the 13th .

The miracle of the sun

In July 1917, there were rumors that the Virgin Mary was to perform a miracle to her last followers on 13th October the same year so that the non believers could believe. The outcome of that is what is called the Miracle of the sun.

It is said that a multitude of more than 70,000 people arrived at the Cova Da Ira , they included were the news reports and other media personnel who were to record the events. It was a weakly cloudy day that the sun could be visible without hurting the eyes, Lucia was the first to see the changes in the sky and she asked the crowd to look at the sun as it was changing colors and spinning like a wheel. The spectators claim to have made various observations but it is quite clear that something unique did happen.

Recognition of the spot where the miracle of the sun was witnessed

To commemorate the miracle of the sun, a chapel of Apparitions has been built on the spot where the miracle of the sun was witnessed from. There was some scientific confirmation that the miracle took place as the scientists of the time argued that the phenomena were spotted from a distance of up to 40 kilometers away.

However there have been arguments that there was no miracle spotted with some disregarding this as being just propaganda.

The three secrets of Fatima

In the first secret, Lucia Santos claims to have seen a revelation of hell, she claims to have seen a hell of fire in which various demons were cast into the fire and that the demons looked like humans but were quite unique and fearsome in appearance, later on, the heavenly mother took the holy to heaven. In her second vision, she say that the Holy Mother was giving out instructions on how to avoid going to hell, that is, how to get saved as well as get others form going to hell. In the third secret, she sees a vision about the death of the clergy who include the Pope.