THE VISIONS OF HELL

THE APPROVED VISIONARIES OF FATIMA, PORTUGAL

Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto, along with their cousin Lúcia dos Santos, were shown a terrifying vision of Hell by the Virgin Mary during the third Fatima apparition on July 13, 1917. The children saw a sea of fire under the earth, with demons and human souls, the latter appearing as transparent burning embers, shrieking in pain and despair. This profound experience, described in detail by Lúcia in her memoirs, drove the young saints to offer intense sacrifices, penances, and prayers for the conversion of sinners and to save souls.

The Vision of Hell

A “Sea of Fire”: Lúcia recounted seeing a vast fire beneath the earth.
Souls and Demons: Human souls were suspended in the flames, looking like transparent burning embers, blackened or bronze.
Demons: The demons appeared as terrifying and unknown animals, black and transparent, resembling red-hot coals.
Despair: The vision was accompanied by screams and groans of pain and despair.
Duration: The vision was described as lasting only an instant, which the children believed they only survived because of the Virgin Mary’s promise to take them to heaven.

Impact on Saint Jacinta Marto

Deep Devotion: Jacinta was profoundly moved by the vision, often exclaiming, “Oh, Hell! Hell!” and thinking about the poor sinners.
Sacrifice for Sinners: She dedicated her life to offering prayers, penances, and mortifications to save souls from that fate.
“Little Victim Soul”: Pope John Paul II described her as a “little victim soul” due to her intense desire to sacrifice herself for the conversion of sinners.
Impurity Warning: Jacinta is noted for stating that more souls go to hell because of sins of impurity than for any other reason.

Impact on Saint Francisco Marto

Contemplative Nature: Known as a “little mystic,” Francisco was more focused on consoling God for the offences caused by sinners.
Prayer: His reaction to the vision was to spend time in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament to “console the Hidden Jesus,”

Context and Aftermath

The Three Secrets: The vision of hell is known as the first part of the Secrets of Fatima.
Significance: The vision was intended to show the reality of hell and the need for reparation for sins against God.
Canonization: Both children were canonized as saints by Pope Francis on May 13, 2017, marking the centennial of the apparitions.
Artistic Representation: Salvador Dali painted a version of this vision for the Blue Army to highlight its reality.
Divine Intervention: Lúcia emphasized that the vision was given by God, despite its terrifying nature, to urge the world to turn away from sin, notes
LINK TO OUR LADY OF FATIMA

https://saintmichaelusa.org/our-lady-fatima/

LINK TO ST. JACINTA AND ST. FRANCISCO

https://saintmichaelusa.org/0220jacintaandfrancisco/