On May 13 is the anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady to three shepherd children in the small village of Fatima in Portugal in 1917. She appeared six times to Lucia, 9, and her cousins Francisco, 8, and his sister Jacinta, 6 between May 13 and October 13, 1917. Mary asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of World War I, for sinners, and for the conversion of Russia.
Mary gave the children three secrets. Following the deaths of Francisco and Jacinta in 1919 and 1920 respectively, Lucia revealed the first secret in 1927. It concerned devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The second secret was a vision of hell. When Lucia grew up she became a Carmelite nun and died in 2005 at the age of 97.
Pope John Paul II directed the Holy See’s Secretary of State to reveal the third secret in 2000; it spoke of a “bishop in white” who was shot by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows into him. Many people linked this vision to the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981.
The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was approved by the local bishop in 1930; it was added to the Church’s worldwide calenda in 2002.
Our Lady of Fátima is one of the most beloved and powerful Marian apparitions in the Catholic Church — a message from Heaven calling the world to repentance, prayer, and conversion. 🌹
Here’s a complete summary of her story, messages, and meaning
🌟 Our Lady of Fátima
🕊️ Feast Day: May 13
📍 Place: Fátima, Portugal
👧 Visionaries:
- Lucia dos Santos (age 10)
- Francisco Marto (age 9)
- Jacinta Marto (age 7)
💫 The Apparitions (1917)
Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared six times to the three shepherd children in the Cova da Iria fields near Fátima, Portugal.
She came as “a Lady brighter than the sun”, holding a rosary, and bringing a message of hope, warning, and mercy.
🕊️ The Message of Fátima
1. Prayer, especially the Rosary
“Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.”
Our Lady insisted that the Rosary is the key to peace and conversion.
Each apparition ended with her request for daily Rosary prayer.
2. Conversion and Repentance
“Do not offend the Lord our God anymore, for He is already too much offended.”
She called for repentance, conversion of heart, and penance for sins — both personal and those of the world.
3. Devotion to Her Immaculate Heart
“My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”
Mary revealed that her Immaculate Heart would triumph and that God wished to establish in the world a devotion of reparation to her heart through prayer and sacrifices.
4. Consecration and Reparation
Mary asked for:
- The Consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart
- Communion of Reparation on First Saturdays
These were meant to bring peace and prevent further wars and persecution of the Church.
5. The Vision of Hell
During the July 13, 1917 apparition, Our Lady showed the children a vision of hell, where souls of poor sinners go, urging prayer for their salvation.
“You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world.”
6. The Three Secrets of Fátima
Our Lady revealed three secrets, later made public:
- The vision of Hell
- The prophecy of World War II and persecution of the Church
- A vision of a “bishop in white” (interpreted as the Pope) being martyred, symbolizing the suffering of the Church
7. The Miracle of the Sun (October 13, 1917)
Before 70,000 people, the sun appeared to dance, spin, and change colors in the sky.
It was witnessed by believers and skeptics alike — a powerful confirmation of the apparitions.
Newspapers, even secular ones, reported the event as “The Miracle of the Sun.”
🌹 The Fruits of Fátima
- Millions have embraced the Rosary and Marian devotion through the Fátima message.
- Francisco and Jacinta Marto were canonized by Pope Francis in 2017, the 100th anniversary of the apparitions.
- The World Apostolate of Fátima promotes her call to prayer, penance, and consecration.
✨ Central Message
“In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.
The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me,
and she will be converted,
and a period of peace will be granted to the world.”
0513 Our Lady of Fatima 4p SMC 8.5 x 11 R1R 20240311
Our Lady of Fatima
In 1917, three young shepherd children near Fátima, Portugal—Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto—reported six apparitions of the Virgin Mary between May and October. At the first apparition on May 13, Mary allegedly asked them to pray the Rosary daily for peace and to bring an end to war. During these visions, the children were said to have received three secrets, were urged toward devotion to her Immaculate Heart, and asked to perform acts of penance and consecration of nations (especially Russia). On October 13, a crowd estimated at about 70,000 witnessed what came to be known as the “Miracle of the Sun,” in which observers reported extraordinary solar phenomena, lending credence to the claims. After ecclesiastical investigation, the local bishop formally approved the apparitions as “worthy of belief” in 1930. Francisco and Jacinta died in their youth (during the 1918–19 influenza), were beatified in 2000, and canonized as saints in 2017. Lucia later entered religious life and, in 2023, was declared Venerable, as her cause for sainthood continues.
QUOTES:
“Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.”
“Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell because they have no one to pray and make sacrifices for them.”
“At Fatima, Our Lady has shown us the path to reach Christ: prayer, conversion, and penance.”
“My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”
“In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”
https://youtube.com/shorts/fNMrCEDcfFU
Quotes Our Lady of Fatima
“Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world!”
“Sacrifice yourselves for sinners and say often: ‘O Jesus, it is for love of You!'”
“Do not offend the Lord our God anymore, for He is already much offended!”
“I am the Lady of the Rosary; continue to pray it daily.”
“Many souls go to hell because they have no one to pray and sacrifice for them.”
Prayer to Our Lady of Fatima
O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of the most holy Rosary, you were pleased to appear to the children of Fatima and reveal a glorious message. We implore you, inspire in our hearts a fervent love for the recitation of the Rosary. By meditating on the mysteries of the redemption that are recalled therein may we obtain the graces and virtues that we ask, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer.
Amen.
Novena to Our Lady of Fatima Prayers
O Most Holy Virgin Mary, you came to Fatima to reveal the graces that come from praying the Holy Rosary to three little shepherd children. Inspire us with a sincere love of this devotion so that, like the shepherd children, it is not a burdensome task but a life-giving prayer. May our prayers and meditations on the mysteries of our redemption bring us closer to your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Like the children of Fatima, we want to bring God’s word to others. Give us the strength, O Lord, to overcome our doubts so that we may be messengers of the Gospel. We know that Jesus lives in our hearts and we receive Him in the Eucharist.
Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially… (Mention your intentions here…)
Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us!
Our Lady of the Rosary, Pray for us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us!
“From famine and war, deliver us.”
Amen.
The Pardon Prayer
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.
Angel’s Prayer
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.
The Eucharistic Prayer
Most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee! My God, my God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
The Sacrifice Prayer
O My Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The Rosary Decade Prayer
O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
Prayer to Our Lady of Fatima
Dearest Mother, Queen of the Holy Rosary, who came to Fatima to reveal to all mankind the Divine plan for true Christian peace, of prayer, penance, and consecration, grant an abundance of grace, strength, and guidance to the members of Thy Fatima Crusade, here present and throughout the world. Inspire us to great zeal, oh great Mediatrix of All Graces, that we may be effective instruments in spreading devotion to Thy Rosary; that we may be faithful in wearing Thy scapular; that we may inspire our brothers in Christ to a life of sacrifice, penance, and modesty, and finally, that we may help to bring about that wonderful day when all men, through consecration to Thy Immaculate Heart, shall be one in Christ.
Amen.
March 25th 2022 Pope Francis Consecration of Russia and Ukraine
https://saintmichaelusa.org/0325peace
Stay connected — subscribe today
https://www.youtube.com/@st.michaelusa
SIGN UP SO YOU CAN GET A BLESSING !
https://stmichaelcenter.flocknote.com/StMichaelCenter
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK !
https://www.facebook.com/StMichaelCenter/
MAKE A DONATION SUPPORT YOUTH & ACTIVITIES
https://saintmichaelusa.org/make-a-donation/
