Our Lady of Fátima is a Catholic title for the Virgin Mary, based on a series of apparitions reported by three shepherd children in Fátima, Portugal, in 1917. These apparitions led to the construction of the Sanctuary of Fátima, a major pilgrimage site for Catholics worldwide.
Key aspects of the Fátima apparitions:
The Children:
Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, who were tending sheep near the village of Fátima, reported seeing the Virgin Mary.
Apparitions:
The children claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary appear on the 13th day of each month from May to October 1917, with the final apparition on October 13th being accompanied by what was called the “Miracle of the Sun”.
Messages and Secrets:
The Virgin Mary, known as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fátima, entrusted the children with three secrets, two of which were later revealed. The third secret, initially sealed until 1960, was officially released by Pope John Paul II in 2000.
- The Miracle of the Sun:
On October 13, 1917, a crowd of over 70,000 witnessed a miraculous solar phenomenon where the sun appeared to fall towards Earth. - Catholic Church Recognition:
The Roman Catholic Church officially recognized the Fátima apparitions as worthy of belief in 1930. - The Sanctuary:
The site of the apparitions, Cova da Iria, now houses the Sanctuary of Fátima, a complex of churches, shrines, and monuments dedicated to the event.
