In 1917, the world was in the throes of profound upheaval, the First World War was raging, and Russia was in the midst of revolution. In Fatima, a small Portuguese village, three young shepherds, Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, reported having had apparitions of the Virgin Mary.
Our Lady of the Rosary:
On 13 May 1917, the three children were out in the fields when they saw a beautiful lady dressed in white, brighter than the sun. The lady told them she came from heaven and asked them to return to this spot on the 13th of every month for six consecutive months. She also entrusted them with three secrets.
During the following months, the children returned to the place designated by the lady and were joined by more and more curious people. At the apparition on 13 October 1917, thousands of people were present. On that day, the Virgin Mary revealed her name to them as Our Lady of the Rosary and performed a miracle in front of the crowd.
The miracle of the sun is one of the most famous aspects of the story of Our Lady of Fatima. Eyewitnesses reported that the sun seemed to dance across the sky, projecting bright colours and appearing to come dangerously close to the Earth before returning to its usual place. This miracle was widely reported and attracted worldwide attention.
The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima:
These apparitions had a profound impact on the children and on the Catholic faith in general. They experienced persecution from the local authorities, but their faith remained unshaken. The secrets entrusted by the Virgin Mary to the children were later revealed, referring to future events, including the end of the First World War and the rise of communism in Russia.
The devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary has spread throughout the world, and the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima has become an important place of pilgrimage for Catholics. May 13 became the anniversary of the first apparition, and is celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
Thus, the story of Our Lady of the Rosary is one of faith, Marian apparitions and miracles, which has had a lasting impact on Catholic spirituality and continues to attract pilgrims from all over the world to Fatima, Portugal.
