The message from Our Lady of Fátima comes from a visitation from the Virgin Mary to three young shepherd children, Lucia dos Santos (9), Francisco Marto (8), and Jacinta Marto (6), in Fátima, Portugal in 1916. The Virgin Mary appeared to them six times from May to October and gave them a message of warning and promise. She said to the children that God’s punishment to the sinning on earth was war, hunger, and persecution of the Catholic church, and that his punishment would become more severe as sinning and unfaithful misconduct become more prevalent. Although her messaged seemed grave, she promised the children that if they prayed everyday, said rosaries, and followed the path of God, they would attain peace. Further, that the same message of peace held true for the population of the world. Specifically, if Catholics had faith and prayed and devoted themselves regularly, following the correct way of God, that they should find peace and be allowed into Heaven.
With her fifth apparition, the Virgin Mary continued to give the children her important message of sinners and sacrifice. It was during this particular visit that she told them and namely Lucia, the oldest child, that she would perform a miracle in October. She said that Saint Joseph will appear with the child Jesus to bless the world. She also said that she would appear as Our Lady of Dolours and Our Lady of Carmel to bless the world separately.
During her sixth and final visit on October 17, Lucia asked the Virgin for favors. Lucia hoped that the sick may be cured from illness, and that sinners may be converted. The Virgin Mary then told her that she would cure some, but many sinners needed to change the way of their lives and ask forgiveness. When she left, she reflected light as bright as the sun.
In her recollection of the events from the last apparition, Lucia wrote that she was internally inspired to call out to the people of her town. She called upon everyone to gather at Fátima to observe the miracle Mary said she would produce. While 70 to 100 thousand people gathered, believers and doubters alike, Saint Joseph appeared with Jesus; they blessed the world by making signs of the cross. After that apparition had faded, they were followed by images of Our Lady of Dolours and Our Lady of Carmel, respectively, and they both made signs of the cross as Saint Joseph and Jesus had done. As the apparition of the Virgin Mary faded, the sun became a pale spectacle resembling more silver that normal light. The citizens were able to look directly at it, and while they were observing in awe, bright rays shot from the sun as appeared to rotate on an axis, touching earth’s surface with powerful multicolored rays of light. These horrifying light bursts gave the citizens a direct look at the fire ridden vision of hell. Upon seeing hell, the people of the town collapsed to their knees in absolute fear of God’s power. Seeing their fate, the sinning citizens realized that they truly did not want to die in ways of sin, and many begged for mercy. Lucia and the other two children later wrote that the vision of hell was so powerful, they would have been frightened to death, had they not known that they not known of their promised path to heaven.
The days prior to the final miracle were filled with torrential downpours that soaked the earth and the citizens. The pit where the apparition site was turned to puddled mud. The mantle and garments that were put forth for Mary were soaked with water. After the miracle was performed, it was documented that the pit had completely dried, along with the garments.
The people of Fátima collapse to the ground in awe at the Lord’s power.
Jacinta Marto, Lucia Santos, and Francisco Marto holding rosaries.
Newspaper account of the miracle run by a socialist government, and a journalist who did not believe in God. Even he found the miracle undeniable and unexplainable.
Sources:
http://www.medjugorjeusa.org/fatima.htm
http://www.fatima.org/essentials/facts/story1.asp
http://www.fatima.org/essentials/facts/default.asp...
http://www.fatima.org/crusader/truestory/pdf/tspg5...
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