The Fatima Story ~ Part 1 of 4
June 1, 2025
Jesus Christ: Yesterday, Today, and Forever~
I ran this pastor’s column seven years ago on the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Fatima (I can’t believe it’s been seven years). It’s a good series of columns that most of you didn’t read seven years ago, and for the rest, a great re-read. So, I’m running it here again in four parts.
The miracle of the sun on October 13, 1917 was the greatest public miracle since Jesus Christ ascended into heaven nearly two thousand years ago (more on this in part three). Beyond the astonishing spectacle, the apparitions raise the question: “why did God choose to send the Blessed Virgin Mary in such a public way, at that time in history, with the messages she brought?”
The Fatima story developed in two parts: that which was reported in 1917; and information later mentioned in Sr. Lucia’s memoirs which she wrote years later. This column is the first of a four-part series that will explore what happened at Fatima and subsequently. There is so much information about the story of Fatima that it takes a book to cover it all. The following abbreviated account is based on the booklet, “Lucia Speaks – The Message of Fatima,” – a condensed version of Sister Lucia’s Memoirs – published by The World Apostolate of Fatima-USA: and can be found at https://wafusa.org/the-story-of-fatima. Enjoy.
In the Love of Christ and His Mother,
Father Thomas Nathe
The Story of Fatima
During World War I (1914-1918), Pope Benedict XV made repeated but forlorn pleas for peace, and finally in May 1917, he made a direct appeal to the Blessed Mother to intercede for peace in the world. Just over a week later, Our Lady began to appear at Fatima, Portugal (about 70 miles north of Lisbon) to three shepherd children, Lucia dos Santos, age 10, and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto (siblings), ages 8 and 7.
The Angel of Portugal
It all began in 1915 when an Angel appeared three times to Lucia and two other girls (not Francisco & Jacinta). In these apparitions of 1915, the Angel was silent, not transmitting any message.
In the spring of 1916, Lucia and her two cousins, Francisco and Jacinta, were herding sheep one day when they saw a dazzlingly beautiful young man, seemingly made of light, who told them he was the Angel of Peace. He invited them to pray with him.
Of special note: throughout the apparitions of the Angel of Portugal in 1916, and the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1917, Francisco could see the Angel and Blessed Virgin Mary but could not hear them. When an apparition ended, he would immediately ask the girls what the Angel or Mary said.
Later in the summer of 1916, the Angel appeared again to the children and encouraged them to pray and make sacrifices as a way of drawing down peace on their country.
In the autumn the children again saw the Angel as they were looking after the sheep. He appeared before them holding a chalice in his hands, above which was suspended a host from which drops of blood were falling into the chalice. The Angel left the chalice suspended in the air and prostrated himself before it in prayer. He then gave the host to Lucia to eat, and then let Francisco and Jacinta drink from the chalice while saying: “Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Repair their crimes and console your God.” Then he prostrated himself again in prayer before disappearing. The children did not tell anyone about these visits of the Angel, feeling an interior necessity to keep quiet about these events.
To be continued…
