the theology of apparitions

8/6/2019 The Theology of Apparitions

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The Theology of Apparitions

The appearances of God, the angels and the saints to human beings on the earth fall into two generalcategories, apparitions and mysticism.

A mystic is a person who having persevered in the Christian spiritual life, usually a notable length of time,receives by God's free choice the infused supernatural grace of contemplative prayer. Through this gracethey are granted a deeper knowledge and experience of God, beyond that which the ordinary ways of prayer and Christian life can give. This grace is usually granted after they have been faithful in avoidingsin, conquered themselves through mortification, and meditated faithfully on Christ and the truths of thefaith taught by the Church. Passing through a profound trial known as the Dark Night of the Senses theyenter upon the Illuminative Way, in which they make very notable progress in sanctity, as well as receivedivine communications, whether of interior words (locutions) or interior (intellectual) or exterior visions.They may also experience ecstasies, levitations, the stigmata, and other signs of their growing intimacywith God and the supernatural. If they persevere on this path they will pass through another Dark Night,of the Spirit, in which their purification is completed. Entering upon the Unitive Way, their union with Godis secured by a Mystical Marriage, prefiguring their union with God at death and the consummation of theunion of Christ and His Bride at the end of time.

An apparition, however, is a charismatic gift granted by God for some greater purpose of His than the benefit of the one receiving it.It says nothing necessary about the sanctity of the recipient(s);although God usually chooses simple and good Christians, oftenchildren, who will readily accept and do His Will. Generally, it can beunderstood as an external vision, created by some means of God,to represent the holy person depicted. It would not necessarily haveto be the person him or herself. Only Christ and Our Lady (possiblySt. Joseph, according to St. Francis de Sales and others who holdthat he was taken to heaven body and soul), could actually appear in their bodies. All others, and even they, could appear by some representation accessible to the humansenses. In such a way God appeared by means of angels to Abraham and to Moses. According to St.Thomas Aquinas, this manner is the ordinary cause of mysticism and apparitions.

In the case of Ftima it is clear that something more than an intellectual vision took place, an externalapparition accompanied by indications of the actual presence of Our Lady. This latter cannot beconclusively determined. However, it reasonably follows from the descriptions of the events andespecially from the sense of Her Presence continued to be felt there to this day.

As a fruit of the events, and of the fidelity of the three children to the message of Ftima, Lucia, Franciscoand Jacinta grew in holiness and became mystics in the proper sense. It is for their heroic virtue in thepursuit of God that the two youngest are being raised to the honor of the altar, not for being the recipientsof an apparition. This fact, more even than the miracle of the Sun, authenticates the message of Ftima.

Apparitions of the Angel

In rural Portugal of 1916 it would not have been unusual to see children leading their family flocks topasture. This is what the children of the Marto and Santos families,cousins all, did on many days. Often it was Lucia Santos, FranciscoMarto and his sister Jacinta, who gladly undertook this chore,grateful for the chance to be outdoors and to play as the sheepsilently grazed. They would take their families few sheep to graze onsmall plots of land owned by their parents in different parts of thesera, the mountainous plateau on which was located the village of Ftima (where the parish church was) and Aljustrel (where the


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This difference can perhaps be explained in this way. The angels of whatever choir share in common withGod a spiritual nature, unmixed with matter. The goodness of their being, filled with the divine justiceaccording to the degree of glory granted to each, radiates that holiness unmediated, though proportionedto the capacity of human beings to experience it. Not without reason Scripture shows how easily an angelappearing to men can be confused with God Himself (Rev 19:10, 22:9). When our Lady appears,however, although her glory is greater than that of the highest seraphim her human nature cloaks thatglory in the familiar, just as did Our Lord's human nature, even after the Resurrection.

Although the angels, too, can appear in more mundane fashion, it must have suited the divine purposesto reveal to the children something of the holiness of God. Lucia tells us of the lingering effect it had onthem.

His words sank so deeply into our minds that we never forgot them, and ever after we used to spend longperiods on our knees repeating them, sometimes until we fell down exhausted.

S econd Apparition of the Angel

Sometime during the summer of 1916 the three cousins were playing in the heat of the day in the gardennear the well behind the Santos home in Aljustrel. Lucia describes how the angel appeared to them oncemore, chastising them for their for their lack of spiritual seriousness.

V ideo Suddenly we saw the same angel near us.

W hat are you doing? You must pray! Pray! The hearts of Jesus and M ary have merciful designsfor you. You must offer your prayers and sacrifices to God, the M ost High.

"But how are we to sacrifice? " I asked.

In every way you can offer sacrifice to God in reparation for the sins by which He is offended, andin supplication for sinners. In this way you will bring peace to our country, for I am its guardian

angel, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, bear and accept with patience the sufferings God will sendyou.

This apparition renewed the same profound effect which the first one had on them. Francisco, whothroughout the appearances of the angel and Our Lady would see but not hear, was unsuccessful inprying from the girls the words which the angel had spoken until the following day. Lucia tells us,

The Angels' words sank deeply into our souls like a gleaming torch, showing us Who God is, what is Hislove for us, and how he wants us to love Him too; the value of sacrifice and how it pleases Him; how Hereceives it for the conversion of sinners. That is why from that moment we began to offer Him whatever mortified us.

Third Apparition of the Angel Lucia is uncertain when the third apparition of the angel occurred, sometime in late September or inOctober 1916 is her recollection. Having gone to the Cabeco with their flocks, and being more attentive tothe words of the angel, they immediately knelt down to pray the prayer taught them by the angel: My God,I believe, I adore etc...

V ideo After we had repeated this prayer I don't know how many time we saw the shining over us a strange light.


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graze as they played in the pasture land sprinkled with the occasional oak tree. After having had their lunch about noon they decided to pray a rosary, although in a somewhat truncated fashion, saying onlythe first words of each prayer. Shortly, they were startled by what they later described as "lightening in aclear sky. " Thinking that a storm might be approaching they debated whether they should take the sheepand go home. Preparing to do so they were again surprised by a strange light.

Video And we began to go down the slope driving the sheep towards the road. When we were half-way down,

near a holm oak there [the large tree which today is encircled with an iron fence], we saw another flash of lightening, and after a few steps we saw on a holm oak [a small onelower on the hillside] a lady dressed in white, shining brighter thanthe sun, giving out rays of clear and intense light, just like a crystalgoblet full of pure water when the fiery sun passes through it. Westopped astounded by the Apparition. We were so near that wewere in the light that encircled her, or which she radiated, perhaps ameter and a half away [4-5 feet].

Please don't be afraid of me, I'm not going to harm you.

Lucia responded for all three, as she would throughout the apparitions. "Where are you from? "

I come from heaven.

The Lady wore a pure white mantle, edged with gold and which fell to her feet. In her hands the beads of a rosary shone like stars, with its crucifix the most radiant gem of all. Still, Lucia felt no fear. The Lady'spresence produced in her only gladness and confident joy.

" And what do you want of me? "

I want you to return here on the thirteenth of each month for the next six months, and at the verysame hour. Later I shall tell you who I am, and what it is that I most desire. And I shall return hereyet a seventh time.

" And shall I go to heaven? "

Yes, you will.

" And Jacinta? "

S he will go too.

" And Francisco? "

F rancisco, too, my dear, but he will first have many Rosaries to say.

For a few moments the Lady looked at Francisco with compassion, tinged with a little sadness. Lucia thenremembered some friends who had died.

"Is Maria Neves in heaven? "


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Yes, she is.

" And Amelia? "

S he is in purgatory.

W ill you offer yourselves to God, and bear all the sufferings He sends you? In atonement for allthe sins that offend Him? And for the conversion of sinners?

"Oh, we will, we will! "

Then you will have a great deal to suffer, but the grace of God will be with you and will strengthenyou.

Lucia relates that as the Lady pronounced these words, she opened her hands, and

we were bathed in a heavenly light that appeared to come directly from her hands. The light's reality cutinto our hearts and our souls, and we knew somehow that this light was God, and we could see ourselves

embraced in it. By an interior impulse of grace we fell to our knees, repeating in our hearts:"Oh, HolyTrinity, we adore You. M y God, my God, I love You in the Blessed S acrament. "

The children remained kneeling in the flood of this wondrous light, until the Lady spoke again, mentioningthe war in Europe, of which they had little or no knowledge.

S ay the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war.

After that she began to rise slowly in the direction of the east, until she disappeared in the immensedistance. The light that encircles Her seemed to make a way amidst the stars, and that is why wesometimes said we had seen the heavens open.

The days that followed were filled with excitement, though they had not intended it that way. Lucia hadcautioned the others to keep their visitor a secret, correctly perceiving the difficulties they wouldexperience if the events became known. However, the joy of seven year old Jacinta could not becontained, and she rather promptly forgot her promise and revealed all to her mother, who patientlylistened but gave it little credence. Her brothers and sisters piped in with their questions and jokes.

Among the interrogators only her father, "Ti" Marto, was inclined immediately to accept the tale as true.He believed in the honesty of his children, and had a simple appreciation of the workings of God, suchthat he became the first believer in the apparitions of Ftima.

Lucia's mother, on the other hand, when at last she heard what hadtranspired, believed her own daughter to be the instigator of a fraud,if not a blasphemy. Lucia would quickly learn what the Lady meantwhen she said they would suffer a great deal. Maria Rosa wasunable to get Lucia to recant, event under threats. Finally shehauled her before the parish priest, Fr. Ferreira, with no better success. On the other hand, Lucia's father, who was not especiallyreligious, was practically indifferent, attributing all of it to the fanciesof women. The next few weeks, as the children awaited their scheduled appointment with the lady in June, would reveal that theyhad few believers, and many detractors, in Aljustrel and Ftima.

Apparition of 13 June 1917


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In Portugal the 13th of June is a great feast, the feast of St. Anthony of Lisbon, known to most Catholicsas St. Anthony of Padua. This Franciscan miracle-worker was born in Lisbon and had entered religiouslife as a Canon Regular of the Holy Cross, residing first in Lisbon and then Coimbra, before leaving thePortuguese order for the new Order of Friars Minor and a hope of martyrdom. It was, and is, THEchildren's feast in Portugal, so the parents of Lucia naturally thought that the festivities at the parishchurch in Ftima would distract her from the appointment at the Cova. However, undismayed by thistactic Lucia and the Marto children proceeded to the apparition site to keep their noon day rendezvous.

When they arrived they found a small crowd awaiting them.

After having said the rosary with Jacinta and Francisco and other people who were present, we sawagain the reflection of light nearing us, (we used to say it was lightening), and following, Our Lady on theholm oak as in May.

"Please tell me, Madam, what it is that you want of me? "

I want you to come here on the thirteenth of next month. I want you to continue saying the Rosaryevery day. And after each one of the mysteries, my children, I want you to pray in this way: O myJesus, forgive us our sins , save us from the fire of hell. Take all souls to heaven, especially thosewho are most in need. I want you to learn to read and write, and later I will tell you what else I wantof you.

"Will you take us to heaven? "

Yes, I shall take Jacinta and F rancisco soon, but you willremain a little longer, since Jesus wishes you to make meknown and loved on earth. He wishes also for you to establishdevotion in the world to my Immaculate Heart.

"Must I remain in the world alone? "

Not alone, my child, and you must not be sad. I will be with youalways, and my Immaculate Heart will be your comfort and theway which will lead you to God.

The moment she said the last words, opening her hands, She transmitted to us, for the second time, thereflection of that intense light. In it we felt we were submerged in God. Jacinta and Francisco seemed tobe in that part of the light which was rising to Heaven, and I in the part spreading over the earth. In frontof the palm of Our Lady's right hand was a heart encircled with thorns which appeared to pierce it. Weunderstood it was the Immaculate Heart of Mary offended by the sins of mankind, craving reparation.

The apparition then concluded as on the first occasion, with the Lady going off toward the east anddisappearing in the "immensity of heaven. "

Despite the joy of those precious moments the sorrows of the children continued in the following weeks,moderated by the belief of very many at the Cova that day. They knew that something unusual hadoccurred - they saw the "lightening, " some perceived a certain dimming of the sun, others a little graycloud that came and went as the apparition did and they believed. However, the difficulties with their families did not abate, especially with their mothers, who became genuinely alarmed that the events werenot just continuing but expanding. To this was added the painful caution of the parish priest, that after all itmight be real but of demonic origin.

Apparition of 13 July 1917


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As the July date approached Lucia continued to be troubled by the words of her pastor that the devilmight be behind the apparitions. Finally, she confided to Jacinta that she intended not to go. When theday finally dawned, however, her fears and anxieties disappeared, so that the noon hour found her in theCova with Jacinta and Francisco, awaiting the arrival of the beautifulLady.

The apparition of July 13th would prove to be in many ways themost controversial aspect of the message of Ftima, providing asecret in three parts which the children guarded zealously. The firsttwo parts, the vision of hell and the prophecy of the future role of Russia and how to prevent it, would not be revealed until Sr. Luciawrote them down in her third memoir, at the request of the bishop,in 1941. The third part, usually called the Third Secret, was onlylater communicated to the bishop, who sent it unread to Pope PiusXII.

V ideo A few moments after arriving at the Cova da Iria, near the holmoak, where a large number of people werepraying the Rosary, we saw the flah of light once more, and a moment later Our Lady appeared on the

holmoak. "Lucia, " Jacinta said, "speak. Our Lady is talking to you.

"Y es? " said Lucia. She spoke humbly, asking pardon for her doubts with every gesture, and to the Lady:"What do you want of me? "

I want you to come back here on the thirteenth of next month. Continue to say the Rosary everyday in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, to obtain the peace of the world and the end of the war,because only she can obtain it.

"Y es, "yes. "

"I would like to ask who you are, and if you will do a miracle so thateveryone will know for certain that you have appeared to us. "

You must come here every month, and in October I will tell youwho I am and what I want. I will then perform a miracle so thatall may believe.

Thus assured, Lucia began to place before the Lady the petitions for help that so many had entrusted to her. The Lady said gently thatshe would cure some, but others she would not cure.

" And the crippled son of Maria da Capelinha? "

No, neither of his infirmity nor of his poverty would he be cured, and he must be certain to say theRosary with his family every day.

Another case recommended by Lucia to the Lady's assistance was a sick woman from Atougia whoasked to be taken to heaven.

Tell her not to be in a hurry. Tell her I know very well when I shall come to fetch her. "


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M ake sacrifices for sinners, and say often, especially while making a sacrifice: O Jesus, this is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for offences committed against theImmaculate Heart of M ary.

As Our lady spoke these words she opened her hands once more, as had during the two previousmonths. The rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw as it were a sea of fire. Plunged in

this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issuedfrom within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now following back on every side like sparksin huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrifiedus and made us tremble with fear. (it must have been this sight which caused me to cry out, as peoplesay they heard me do). The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying nad repellant likeness tofrightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. terrified and as if to plead for succor, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us, so kindly and so sadly:

You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. It is to save them that God wants toestablish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If you do what I tell you, many souls willbe saved, and there will be peace. This war will end, but if men do not refrain from offending God,another and more terrible war will begin during the pontificate of Pius XI. W hen you see a night

that is lit by a strange and unknown light [this occurred on January 28, 1938], you will know it isthe sign God gives you that He is about to punish the world with war and with hunger, and by thepersecution of the Church and the Holy F ather.

To prevent this, I shall come to the world to ask that Russia be consecrated to my ImmaculateHeart, and I shall ask that on the F irst S aturday of every month Communions of reparation bemade in atonement for the sins-of the world. If my wishes are fulfilled, Russia will be convertedand there will be peace; if not, then Russia will spread her errors throughout the world, bringingnew wars and persecution of the Church; the good will be martyred and the Holy F ather will havemuch to suffer; certain nations will be annihilated. But in the end my Immaculate Heart willtriumph. The Holy F ather will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and the worldwill enjoy a period of peace. In Portugal the faith will always be preserved... [Here belongs the partof the Secret of which Cardinal Sodano spoke at the Mass of Beatification, and which the Congregationfor Doctrine of the Faith will publish, with commentary.] Remember, you must not tell this to anyoneexcept F rancisco.

W hen you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fireof hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need.

"Is there anything more that you want of me? "

No, I do not want anything more of you today.

Then as before Our Lady began to ascend towards the east, until she finally disappeared in the immensedarkness of the firmament.

The possession of the Secret proved to be very great trial for the three young ones. Family, neighbors,followers of the apparitions, even the clergy, tried unsuccessfully to get them to reveal it. Finally, as theday of the August apparition approached even the civil government, which was secular and virulently anti-clerical, alarmed by the numbers of people taking an interest in the Ftima events, attempted to wrest itfrom them and in the process expose the Church as a collaborator in a fraud.

Apparition of 19 August 1917


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Under the pretext of providing his personal automobile, so that the children could travel safely through thecrowds pressing around their homes, the civil Administrator or Mayor of the district in which Ftima was

located, arrived in Aljustrel on the morning of August 13th. Aprevious attempt on August 11th to obtain the "truth " from thechildren having been unsuccessful, Artur Santos, an apostateCatholic and high Mason, had devised a scheme by which he wouldtake them into custody and force them to reveal all. With a show of good will he now offered to take the three and their parents to seethe parish priest, whom he claimed wished to see them, and then tothe Cova. At the parish house he abandoned this ruse, and theparents, taking the children alone from there to the districtheadquarters in Vila Nova de Ourem, some 9 miles away. Here hetried bribes, threats of death and locking them in a cell with other

"criminals " in order to get them to recant their story. It was to no avail. Despite their ages, their belief inthe Lady and their courage was unshakeable.

Meanwhile, in the Cova at noon on the 13th the characteristicexternal signs of the Apparition appeared for the benefit of thecrowd, the greatest crowd to that time. After they ended the crowddispersed, as yet unaware of the trickery of the government.

The "trial " of the children, however, continued for two days, to theconsternation of their families. Finally, on the Feast of the

Assumption, August 15, the Administrator had them driven back toFtima and deposited on the steps of the rectory. Here they wereseen as the people, who had just come from Mass, were trying todetermined from Ti Marto where the children were. Their anger was poured out on the driver, and on theMayor when he arrived a little later, both of whom were no doubt glad to be rid of their little charges andto escape unscathed. It would effectively be the only serious effort of the civil authorities to interfere withthe Lady of Ftima.

As it was the Lady's plans were delayed slightly. On Sunday the 19th Lucia, her brother John, and

Francisco, were grazing the sheep at a place known as Valinhos. It was located on the side of the samehillock opposite Aljustrel where the angel appeared twice, though a little farther north. At apout 4 o'clock,sensing that Our Lady was about to appear, Lucia tried unsuccessfully to get John to fetch Jacinta, untilshe offered him a couple pennies for the errand. As she and Francisco waited they saw the characteristiclight. The moment Jacinta arrived the Lady appeared.

"What do you want of me? "

Come again to the Cova da Iria on the thirteenth of next month, my child, and continue to say theRosary every day. In the last month I will perform a miracle so that all may believe.

"What are we to do with the offerings of money that people leave atthe Cova da Iria? "

I want you to have two ardors [litters to carry statues] made,for the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. I want you and Jacintato carry one of them with two other girls. You will both dress inwhite. And then I want F rancisco, with three boys helping him,to carry the other one. The boys, too, will be dressed in white.W hat is left over will help towards the construction of a chapelthat is to be built here.


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Lucia then asked for the cure of some sick people.

S ome I will cure during the year."

(looking sadly at them) Pray, pray very much. M ake sacrifices for sinners. M any souls go to hell,because no one is willing to help them with sacrifice.

Having said that she departed as she had on the other occasions.

Apparition of 13 S eptember 1917

Despite the ridicule and jokes of the secular, atheistic press, morethan 30,000 people gathered in the Cova for the September apparition. Whether drawn by devotion or curiosity, they prayed therosary while awaiting the arrival of the visionaries and their vision.When at least the time came they could hear Lucia say,

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"What do you want of me? "

Continue the Rosary, my children. S ay it every day that the war may end. In October Our Lord willcome, as well as Our Lady of S orrows and Our Lady of M t. Carmel. S aint Joseph will appear withthe Child Jesus to bless the world.

God is pleased with your sacrifices, but He does not want you to wear the cords to bed. Keepthem on during the day.

"I have the petitions of many for your help. Will you assist a little girl who is deaf and dumb? "

S he will improve within the year.

" And the conversions that some have asked to have brought about? The cures of the sick ones? "

S ome I will cure, and some I will not. In October I will perform a miracle so that all may believe.

With these last words still ringing in their ears, the Lady rose and disappeared in the heavens, as Luciacalled to the crowd, "If you wish to see her --- look! Look! "

Letter of M onsignor Joo Quaresma (1932)

In this letter, written in 1932, Monsignor John describes what he saw and heard on September 13th,1917. At that time he was Vicar General of the Diocese of Leiria, to which Ftima belonged, and would

later serve on the canonical commission of inquiry.

Fifteen years have passed since the extraordinary events of Ftima. Heavy clouds hung over Portugaland her people, while sadness and despair reigned in our country. In the midst of this darknessinnumerable prayers were offered to God, asking for help and for mercy.

Men hoped for a ray of light in the storm which human passions had provoked. The Lord heard the prayer of His servants, and in the sky of Ftima there appeared, like the rainbow after the flood, a vision of Peace. The vision spoke to three children, and at once the terrible clouds began to disperse and souls


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breathed again as the burden of sadness was laid aside. Eyes, longing for the light, searched the skieswhere the morning star shone.

Now, may it not be that these simple children were mistaken? May they not have been victims of anillusion? Y et it is always possible that our Lady may come to earth to bring us a message. Could there besome truth in what the children said? How explain these ever-growing multitudes that filled the Cova

every thirteenth day of the month declaring that they witnessed extraordinary phenomena?

So on a beautiful September morning we left Leiria in a rickety carriage drawn by an old horse, for thespot where the much-discussed apparitions were said to take place. Father Gois found the dominatingpoint of the vast amphitheatre from which we could observe events, without approaching too nearly theplace where the children were awaiting the apparition.

At midday there was complete silence. One only heard the murmur of prayers. Suddenly there weresounds of jubilation and voices praising the Blessed Virgin. Arms were raised pointing to something in thesky. "Look, don't you see? "

"Y es, yes, I do... ! " Much satisfaction on the part of those who do. There had not been a cloud in the deepblue of the sky and I, too, raised my eyes and scrutinised it in case I should be able to distinguish whatthe others, more fortunate than I, had already claimed to have seen.

With great astonishment I saw, clearly and distinctly, a luminousglobe, which moved from the east to the west, gliding slowly andmajestically through space. My friend also looked, and had the goodfortune to enjoy the same unexpected and delightful vision.Suddenly the globe, with its extraordinary light, disappeared.

Near us was a little girl dressed like Lucia, and more or less thesame age. She continued to cry out happily: "I still see it! I still seeit! Now it's coming down... ! "

After a few minutes, about the duration of the apparitions, the child began to exclaim again, pointing tothe sky: "Now it's going up again! "---and she followed the globe with her eyes until it disappeared in thedirection of the sun. "What do you think of that globe? " I asked my companion, who seemed enthusiasticat what he had seen. "That it was our Lady, " he replied without hesitation.

It was my undoubted conviction also. The children had contemplated the very Mother of God, while to usit had been given to see the means of transport---if one may so express it---which brought her fromheaven to the inhospitable waste of the Serra da Aire. I must emphasize that all those around usappeared to have seen the same thing, for one heard manifestations of joy and praises of our Lady. Butsome saw nothing. Near us was a simple devout creature, crying bitterly because she had seen nothing.

We felt remarkably happy. My companion went from group to group in the Cova and afterwards on theroad, gathering information. Those he questioned -were of all sorts and kinds, and of different social

standing, but one and all affirmed the reality of the phenomena which we ourselves had witnessed.

With immense satisfaction we set off for home after this pilgrimage to Ftima, firmly resolved to return onthe 13th of October for further confirmation of these facts.

E xaminations by Rev. D r. F ormigao

The first systematic questioning of the children, with a view towards discovering the truth, took place onSeptember 27 by seminary professor Father Manuel Formigao of Santander. This prudent priest had


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observed the apparition of 13 September from a distance, but did not see the phenomenon that thosenear the children did. He had witnessed a certain dimming of the sunlight, which he attributed to naturalcauses. From this time Fr. Formigao would prove himself a good and protective friend of the children, andbecome later one of the foremost scholars of the events.

Francisco Jacinta Lucia Manuel Goncalves

E xamination of F rancisco

"What have you seen in the Cova da Iria during these months? "

"I have seen Our Lady. "

"Where does she appear? "

The top of an oak tree. "

"Does she appear suddenly, or do you see her coming from anywhere? "

"I see her coming from the side where the sun rises and stops on the oak tree. "

"Does she come slowly or quickly? "

"She always comes quickly. "

"Do you hear what she says to Lucia? "

"No. "

"Do you ever speak to the Lady? Has she ever spoken to you? "

"No, I have never asked her anything. She only speaks to Lucia. "

"Who does she look at? At you and Jacinta or only at Lucia? "

"She looks at all three of us, but she looks longer at Lucia. "

"Did she ever cry or smile? "

"Neither, she is always serious. "

"How is she dressed? "

"She has a long dress, and over it a mantle which covers her head and falls to the edge of her dress. "

"What is the color of the dress and the mantle? "

"It is white, and the dress has gold lines. "


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"What is her attitude? "

"Like someone praying. She has her hands joined at the height of her breast. "

"Does she carry anything in her hands? "

"Round the palm and the back of her right hand she carries a rosary. "

" And what does she wear on her ears? "

"Y ou cannot see her ears, because they are covered by the mantle. "

"Is the Lady beautiful? "

"Y es, she is. "

"More beautiful than that girl over there? "

"Y es. "

"But there are ladies who are much more beautiful than that girl? "

"She was more beautiful than anyone I have ever seen. "

Later on, just before the October apparition he questioned Francisco a second time.

"How old are you? "

"Nine years old. "

"Do you only see our Lady, or do you also hear what she says? "

"I only see her. I can't hear anything she says. "

"Has she light round her head? "

"Y es. "

"Can you look well at her face? "

"I can look, but only a little because of the light. "

"Has her dress some decoration? "

"It has some cords of gold. "

"What colour is the crucifix? "

"White. "


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" And the chain of the rosary? "

"White, too. "

"Would the people be sad if they knew the secret? "

"Y es. "


E xamination of Jacinta

After I had finished questioning Francisco, I called Jacinta, who was playing in the road with some other children, and sitting her on a little stool at my side, I subjected her to a similar interrogation, andsucceeded in obtaining complete and detailed replies as in the case of her brother:

"Have you seen our Lady on the 13th of each month since May? "

"Y es. "

"Where does she come from? "

"She comes from the sky from the side of the sun. "


"She has a white dress, decorated with gold, and on her head a mantle. also white. "

"What color is her hair? "

"Y ou cannot see her hair, because it is covered by the mantle. "

"Does she wear earrings? "

"I don't know, because you cannot see her ears. "

"How does she hold her hands? "

"Her hands are joined at the height of her breast, with the fingers pointing upwards. "

" Are the beads in the right or the left hand? "

To this question the child replied at first that they were in the right hand, but just after, owing to apurposely captious insistence on my part, she became perplexed and confused and was not able toindicate with certainty the hand in which the Vision had held the rosary.

"What was the chief thing that our Lady told Lucia? "

"She said that we were to say the Rosary every day. "


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" And do you say it? "

"I say it every day with Francisco and Lucia. " '

Second Examination in October.

After hearing Lucia, Dr. Formigao went to Senhor Marto's house, and in his presence, and before some of his daughters, he questioned Jacinta.

"Did the Lady tell you to say the Rosary? "

"Y es. "

"When? "

"When she appeared the first time. "

"Did you hear the secret or was it only Lucia who heard? "

"I heard too. "

"When? "

" At the second apparition on St. Anthony's day. "

"Is the secret that you will be rich? "

"No. "

"That you will be good and happy? "

"Y es, it is for the good of all three of us. "

"Is it that you will go to heaven? "

"No. "

"Can you tell the secret? "

"I can't.

"Why? "

"Because the Lady said we were not to tell it to anyone. "

"If the people knew it, would they be sad? "

"Y es. "

"How did the Lady have her hands? "


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"She had them stretched out. "

" Always? "

"Sometimes she turned the palms up to heaven. "

"In May did the Lady say she wanted you to go to the Cova da Iria again? "

"She said she wanted us to go there each month until October, when she would say what she wanted. "

"Has she light round her head? "

"Y es. "

"Can you look easily at her face? "

"No, because it hurts my eyes. "

"Do you always hear well, what the Lady says? "

"Last time I couldn't hear everything, because of the noise the people were making. "


E xamination of Lucia

Half an hour after this interrogation Lucia appeared. She came from a little property belonging to her family where she had been helping with the vintage.

Taller and better nourished than the other two, with a clearer skin and a more robust, healthier appearance, she presented herself before me with an unselfconciousness which contrasted in a markedmanner with the shyness and timidity of Jacinta. Simply dressed, like the latter, neither her attitude nor her expression denoted a sign of vanity, still less of confusion.

Seating herself on a chair at my side, in response to my gesture, she willingly consented to be questionedon the events in which she was the principal protagonist, in spite of the fact that she was visibly fatiguedand depressed by the incessant visits and the repeated and lengthy questionings to which she wassubjected.

"Is it true that our Lady has appeared in a place called the Cova da Iria? "

"Y es, it is true. "

"How many times has she appeared to you? "

"Five times, once each month. "

"On what day of the month? "


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" Always on the 13th, except in the month of August, when I was taken to Ourem by the mayor. In thatmonth I only saw her a few days afterwards, on the 19th, at Valinhos. "

"People say that our Lady also appeared to you last year? Is there any truth in this? "

"She never appeared to me last year, never before May of this year; nor did I ever say so to anybody,

because it is not true. "

"Where does she come from? From the east? "

"I don't know because I don't see her come from anywhere. She appears over the oak tree and when shegoes away she goes into the sky in the direction where the sun rises. "

"How long does she stay? A long or a short time? "

" A short time. "

"Enough to be able to recite an Our Father and Hail Mary, or more? "

" A good deal more, but it is not always the same time; perhaps it would not be long enough to say aRosary. "

"The first time you saw her were you frightened? "

'I was, so much so that I wanted to run away with Jacinta and Francisco, but she told us not to be afraidbecause she would not hurt us. "


"She has a white dress, which reaches to her feet, and her head was covered with a mantle, the samecolor and the same length. "

"Has the dress anything on it? "

"Y ou can see, in the front, two gold cords which fall from the neck and are joined at the waist by a tassel,also gold. "

"Is there any belt or ribbon? "

"No. "

"Her earrings? "

"They are little rings. "

"In which hand does she hold the rosary? "

"In the right hand. "

"Is it a rosary of five or fifteen decades? "


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"I didn't notice. "

"Had it a cross? "

"Y es, a white cross and the beads, too, were white; so was the chain. "

"Did you ever ask who she was? "

"I did, but she said she would only tell us on the 13th of October. "

"Did you ask her where she came from? "

"I did, and she told me that she came from heaven. "

"When did you ask her this? "

"The second time, on the 13th of June. "

"Did she smile sometimes, or was she sad? "

"She neither smiled, nor was she sad; she was always serious. "

"Did she tell you and your cousins to say certain prayers? "

"She told us to say the Rosary in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, to obtain the peace of the world. "

"Did she say that many people were to be present in the Cova da Iria during the apparitions of the 13th? "

"She said nothing about that. "

"Is it true that she told you a secret that you were not to tell to anybody at all? "

"Y es. "

"Does it only concern you or your cousins also? "

"It concerns all three of us. "

"Could you not tell it even to your confessor? "

At this question Lucia was silent and appeared confused. I judged it better not to insist by repeating thequestion.

"In order to free yourself from the mayor on the day he imprisoned you, did you tell him something as if itwere the secret, thus deceiving him and boasting of it afterwards? "

"That is not true. Senhor Santos really did want me to reveal the secret, but I could not, and did not do so,although he tried in every way to make me do what he wanted. I told the mayor everything that the Ladyhad said to me except the secret. Perhaps it was because of this that he thought I had told him the secrettoo. I never wanted to deceive him. "


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"Did the Lady tell you to learn to read? "

"Y es, the second time she appeared. "

"But if she told you that she would take you to heaven in October next, what would be the good of learning to read? "

"That is not true. The Lady never said that she would take me to heaven in October, and I never toldanyone that she had said such a thing. "

"What did the Lady say was to be done with the money which the people left under the oak tree in theCova da Iria? "

"She said that we were to make two andores and that I and Jacinta and two more girls were to carry one,and Francisco with three more boys the other, to the parish church. Part of this money was to be for theFeast of Our Lady of the Rosary and the rest to help to build a new chapel. "

"Where does the Lady want the chapel built? In the Cova da Iria? "

"I don't know; she didn't say. "

" Are you glad that our Lady appeared to you? "

"Y es. "

"On the 13th of October will our Lady come alone? "

"St. Joseph and the Holy Child will come, and a little time afterwards the world will have peace. "

"Did our Lady reveal anything more? "

"She said that on the 13th of October she would perform a miracle so that the people can believe that sheappeared. "

"Why do you often lower your eyes, instead of keeping them on the Lady? "

"Because she sometimes blinds me. "

"Did she teach you any prayer? "

"Y es, and she wants us to recite it after each mystery of the Rosary. "

"Do you know this prayer by heart?

"

"Y es. "

"Say it. "

"O my Jesus, forgive us and deliver us from the fire of hell. Take all souls to heaven, especially those whoare most in need. "


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Dr. Formigao returned to his seminary at Santarem, pondering seriously and prayerfully the strange caseof the children of Aljustrel. For better or worse he believed them. He was convinced they told the truth, at least as they saw the truth, which did not exclude a possibility that in all their honesty, they were yet thevictims of hallucination.

In October he returned and conducted a second examination of Lucia.

"Y ou told me some days ago that our Lady wanted the money given by the people to be used for theparish church for two andors. How are these to be obtained, and when are they to be taken to thechurch? "

"They must be bought with the money which is given on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. "

"Do you know for certain where our Lady wants the chapel in her honour to be built? "

"I don't know for certain, but I think she wants the chapel in the Cova da Iria. "

"What did she say that she would do in order that people might believe? "

"She said that she would perform a miracle. "

"When did she say this? "

"She said it several times, but once, during the first apparition, I asked her. " " Are you not afraid of whatthe people will do if nothing extraordinary happens on that day? " "I am not at all afraid. " "Do you feelsomething inside you, some force which draws you to the Cova da Iria on the 13th of each month? " "I feelI want to go there, and I should be sad if I didn't. " "Did you ever see the Lady make the sign of the cross,pray, or tell the beads? " "No. " "Did she tell you to pray? " "She told me to pray several times. "

"Did you see the signs which-other people said they saw, such as a star, or roses falling from the Lady'sdress? "

"I didn't see a star nor any other signs. "

"Did you hear any noise or an earthquake? "

"No, I heard nothing. "

"Can you read? "

"No "

" Are you learning? "

"No. "

"Then you are not doing what our Lady wants?... " Lucia did not reply to this. "When you tell the people tokneel and pray is it the Lady who tells you to? " "No, it is not the Lady. I tell them to. "

"Do you always kneel when she appears? "

"Sometimes I kneel, sometimes I stand. "


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"When she speaks is her voice sweet and agreeable? "

"Y es. "

"How old is the Lady? "

"She looks about fifteen years old. "

"What colour is the rosary chain? "

"White. "

" And the crucifix? "

"White too. "

"Does the veil cover the forehead of the Lady? "

"It does not cover it; you can see her forehead. "

"Is the light which surrounds her very beautiful? "

"More beautiful than the most brilliant light of the sun. "

"Did the Lady ever greet you with her head or with her hands? "

"Never. "

"Did she ever laugh? "

"Never. "

"Does she usually look at the people? "

"I never saw her look at them, "

"Do you hear the voices and the cries of the people while you are talking to the Lady? "

"No. "

"Did the Lady ask you in May to come back every month until October to the Cova-da Iria? "

"She said we were to come back from month to month on the 13th for six months. "

"Do you remember your mother reading a book called Short Mission, where there is a story of anapparition of our Lady to a girl? "

"Y es. "

"Did you think much about this story, or speak about it to other children? "


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"I never thought about this story, and I never talked about it to anyone. "


Examination of Manuel Goncalves, witness

At the time of his second examination of Lucia, just prior to October 13, Fr. Formigao also examined theeldest son of the family he was staying with, who was a witness of the apparitions.

"Have the parents of these children a good name? Are they respectable, decent living people? "

"The parents of Jacinta and Francisco are very good people, profoundly religious and well thought of byeverybody. Lucia's father is not a churchgoer, but he is not at all a bad man. On the thirteenth of Junesome of his more disreputable friends succeeded in making him drunk in the hope of getting him tocommit some folly or other in the place of the apparitions, and although he had allowed his daughter to goto the place as usual, he ordered the other people off, as proprietor of the ground where the oak tree

grows. When the people saw that he was drunk, they took no notice of his order, but a man pushed himso that he fell to the ground. The mother is a pious hard-working woman. "

"What do the inhabitants of Ftima think of the children's affirmations? Do they believe them? Do theythink they are lying, or perhaps victims of a hallucination? "

" At first the people did not want to go to the Cova. No one believed the children. On the 13th of June, theday of the second apparition, there was a feast in the parish in honor of St. Anthony. In the Cova therewere only about seventy people at the time of the apparition. The parents of Jacinta and Francisco hadgone in the morning to Porto de Mos for the so-called 'Fair of the thirteenth,' with the intention of buyingoxen and returning at night. In their absence the house filled up with people who wanted to see thechildren and question them. At present a large proportion of the people think that the children arespeaking the truth. For my own part I am convinced of this. "

"On the days of the apparitions are there extraordinary signs? Many people claim to have seen them. "

"The signs are very numerous. In August almost everyone who was present saw them. A cloud camedown on the oak tree. In July the same thing was seen, and there was no dust. The cloud seemed tosweep the air clean. "

"Were there any other signs? "

"In the sky, near the sun, there were some white clouds which turned successively bright red (the color of blood), pink and yellow. The people themselves turned this last color. The light of the sun sensiblydiminished in intensity, and in July and August a noise was heard. "

"Is it possible that anyone could have induced the children to play a hoax? "

"That would be impossible! "

"Have many people come from outside to talk to the children? "

"Innumerable people from all parts. "


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"Do they accept the money which is offered them? "

They have accepted something from people who insist, but they do not' accept it willingly. "

" Are there people in Ftima who have been close to the children during the apparitions? "

"In July, Jacinto Lopes da Amoreira and Manual de Oliveira from this village of Montelo, were near them.'

"What does Lucia do during the apparitions? "

"She says the Rosary. When she speaks to the Lady she speaks loudly. I myself heard her in June,because I was near her. Some people say that they heard the sound of the reply. "

"Is the place of the apparitions much frequented on the other days? "

"Y es, many people go there, especially on Sundays, and mostly at night. People come from far and near,even more from outside the parish. They say the Rosary and sing hymns in honor of our Lady. "

Apparition of 13 October 1917

During the night of 12-13 October it had rained throughout, soakingthe ground and the pilgrims who make their way to Ftima from alldirections by the thousands. By foot, by cart and even by car theycame, entering the bowl of the Cova from the Ftima-Leiria road,which today still passes in front of the large square of the Basilica.From there they made their way down the gently slope to the placewhere a trestle had been erected over the little holm oak of theapparitions. Today on the site is the modern glass and steelCapelhina (little chapel), enclosing the first chapel built there andthe statue of Our Lady of the Rosary of Ftima where the holm oak had stood.

As for the children, they made their way to the Cova amid the adulation and skepticism which hadfollowed them since May. When they arrived they found critics who questioned their veracity and thepunctuality of the Lady, who had promised to arrive at noon. It was well passed noon by the official timeof the country. However, when the sun arrived at its zenith the Lady appeared as she had said she would.

V ideo "What do you want of me? "

I want a chapel built here in my honor. I want you to continue saying the Rosary every day. Thewar will end soon, and the soldiers will return to their homes.

"Y es. Y es. "

"Will you tell me your name? "

I am the Lady of the Rosary.

"I have many petitions from many people. Will you grant them? "

S ome I shall grant, and others I must deny. People must amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend our Lord any more, for He is already too much offended!


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" And is that all you have to ask? "

There is nothing more.

As the Lady of the Rosary rises toward the east she turns the palms of her hands toward the dark sky.While the rain had stopped, dark clouds continued to obscure the sun, which suddenly bursts through

them and is seen to be a soft spinning disk of silver.

"Look at the sun! "

From this point two distinct apparitions were seen, that of thephenomenon of the sun seen by the 70,000 or so spectators andthat beheld by the children alone. Lucia describes the latter in her memoirs.

After our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of thefirmament, we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Ladyrobed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph andthe Child Jesus seemed to bless the world, for they traced the Signof the Cross with their hands. When, a little later, this apparition

disappeared, I saw Our Lord and Our lady; it seemed to me to that it was Our Lady of Sorrows (Dolors).Our Lord appeared to bless the world in the same manner as St. Joseph had done. This apparition alsovanished, and I saw Our Lady once more, this time resembling Our Lady of Carmel. [Only Lucia wouldsee the later, presaging her entrance into Carmel some years later.]

This would be the last of the apparitions of Ftima for Jacinta and Francisco. However, for Lucia Our Lady would return a seventh time, in 1920, as she had promised the previous May. At that time Luciawould be praying in the Cova before leaving Ftima for a girls boarding school. The Lady would come tourge her to dedicate herself wholly to God.

As the children viewed the various apparitions of Jesus, Mary and Joseph the crowd witnessed a differentprodigy, the now famous miracle of the sun. Among the witnesses there were the following:

O S eculo (a pro-government, anti-clerical, Lisbon paper):

From the road, where the vehicles were parked and where hundreds of people who had not dared tobrave the mud were congregated, one could see the immense multitude turn toward the sun, whichappeared free from clouds and in its zenith. It looked like a plaque of dull silver, and it was possible tolook at it without the least discomfort. It might have been an eclipse which was taking place. But at thatmoment a great shout went up, and one could hear the spectators nearest at hand shouting: " A miracle! Amiracle!

Before the astonished eyes of the crowd, whose aspect was biblical as they stood bareheaded, eagerlysearching the sky, the sun trembled, made sudden incredible movements outside all cosmic laws---the

sun "danced " according to the typical expression of the people.

Standing at the step of an omnibus was an old man. With his face turned to the sun, he recited the Credoin a loud voice. I asked who he was and was told Senhor Joao da Cunha Vasconcelos. I saw himafterwards going up to those around him who still had their hats on, and vehemently imploring them touncover before such an extraordinary demonstration of the existence of God.

Identical scenes were repeated elsewhere, and in one place a woman cried out: "How terrible! There areeven men who do not uncover before such a stupendous miracle! "


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People then began to ask each other what they had seen. The great majority admitted to having seen thetrembling and the dancing of the sun; others affirmed that they saw the face of the Blessed Virgin; others,again, swore that the sun whirled on itself like a giant Catherine wheel and that it lowered itself to theearth as if to burn it in its rays. Some said they saw it change colors successively....

O D ia (another Lisbon daily, edition of 17 October 1917):

" At one o'clock in the afternoon, midday by the sun, the rain stopped. The sky, pearly grey in colour,illuminated the vast arid landscape with a strange light. The sun had a transparent gauzy veil so that theeyes could easily be fixed upon it. The grey mother-of-pearl tone turned into a sheet of silver which brokeup as the clouds were torn apart and the silver sun, enveloped in the same gauzy grey light, was seen towhirl and turn in the circle of broken clouds. A cry went up from every mouth and people fell on their knees on the muddy ground....

The light turned a beautiful blue, as if it had come through the stained-glass windows of a cathedral, andspread itself over the people who knelt with outstretched hands. The blue faded slowly, and then the lightseemed to pass through yellow glass. Y ellow stains fell against white handkerchiefs, against the darkskirts of the women. They were repeated on the trees, on the stones and on the serra. People wept andprayed with uncovered heads, in the presence of a miracle they had awaited. The seconds seemed likehours, so vivid were they.

Ti M arto (father of Jacinta and Francisco)

We looked easily at the sun, which for some reason did not blind us. It seemed to flicker on and off, firstone way, then another. It cast its rays in many directions and painted everything in different colors--- thetrees, the people, the air and the ground. But what was most extraordinary, I thought, was that the sun didnot hurt our eyes. Everything was still and quiet, and everyone was looking up. Then at a certain moment,the sun appeared to stop spinning. It then began to move and to dance in the sky until it seemed todetach itself from its place and fall upon us. It was a terrible moment.

M aria de Capelinha (one of the earliest believers):

The sun turned everything to different colours---yellow, blue and white. Then it shook and trembled. Itlooked like a wheel of fire that was going to fall on the people. They began to cry out, "We shall all bekilled! " Others called to our Lady to save them. They recited acts of contrition. One woman began toconfess her sins aloud, advertising that she had done this and that.... When at last the sun stoppedleaping and moving, we all breathed our relief. We were still alive, and the miracle which the children hadforetold, had been seen by everyone.

I was looking at the place of the apparitions, in a serene, if cold, expectation of something happening, andwith diminishing curiosity, because a long time had passed without anything to excite my attention. Then Iheard a shout from thousands of voices and saw the multitude suddenly turn its back and shoulders awayfrom the point toward which up to now it had directed its attention, and turn to look at the sky on theopposite side.


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28/43

from the point toward which up to now it had directed its attention, and turn to look at the sky on theopposite side.

It must have been nearly two o'clock by the legal time, and about midday by the sun. The sun, a fewmoments before, had broken through the thick layer of clouds which hid it, and shone clearly andintensely. I veered to the magnet which seemed to be drawing all eyes, and saw it as a disc with a clean-

cut rim, luminous and shining, but which did not hurt the eyes. I do not agree with the comparison which Ihave heard made in Ftima---that of a dull silver disc. It was a clearer, richer, brighter color, havingsomething of the luster of a pearl. It did not in the least resemble the moon on a clear night because onesaw it and felt it to be a living body. It was not spheric like the moon, nor did it have the same color, tone,or shading. It looked like a glazed wheel made of mother-of-pearl. It could not be confused, either, withthe sun seen through fog (for there was no fog at the time), because it was not opaque, diffused or veiled.In Ftima it gave light and heat and appeared clear-cut with a well-defined rim.

The sky was mottled with light cirrus clouds with the blue coming through here and there, but sometimesthe sun stood out in patches of clear sky. The clouds passed from west to east and did not obscure thelight of the sun, giving the impression of passing behind it, though sometimes these flecks of white tookon tones of pink or diaphanous blue as they passed before the sun.

It was a remarkable fact that one could fix one's eyes on this brazier of heat and light without any pain inthe eyes or blinding of the retina. The phenomenon, except for two interruptions when the sun seemed tosend out rays of refulgent heat which obliged us to look away, must have lasted about ten minutes.

The sun's disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a, heavenly body, for it spun roundon itself in a mad whirl. Then, suddenly, one heard a clamor, a cry of anguish breaking from all thepeople. The sun, whirling wildly, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateninglyupon the earth as if to crush us with its huge and fiery weight. The sensation during those moments wasterrible.

During the solar phenomenon, which I have just described in detail, there were changes of color in theatmosphere. Looking at the sun, I noticed that everything around was becoming darkened. I looked first atthe nearest objects and then extended my glance further afield as far as the horizon. I saw everything an

amethyst color. Objects around me, the sky and the atmosphere, were of the same color. An oak treenearby threw a shadow of this color on the ground.

Fearing that I was suffering from an affection of the retina, an improbable explanation because in thatcase one could not see things purple-colored, I turned away and shut my eyes, keeping my hands beforethem to intercept the light. With my back still turned, I opened my eyes and saw that the landscape wasthe same purple color as before.

The impression was not that of an eclipse, and while looking at the sun I noticed that the atmosphere hadcleared. Soon after I heard a peasant who was near me shout out in tones of astonishment: "Look, thatlady is all yellow! "

And in fact everything, both near and far, had changed, taking on the color of old yellow damask. Peoplelooked as if they were suffering from jaundice, and I recall a sensation of amusement at seeing them lookso ugly and unattractive. My own hand was the same color. All the phenomena which I have describedwere observed by me in a calm and serene state of mind, and without any emotional disturbance. It is for others to interpret and explain them.

D r. D omingos Coelho (reported in the newspaper Ordem):


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The sun, at one moment surrounded with scarlet flame, at another aureoled in yellow and deep purple,seemed to be in an exceedingly fast and whirling movement, at times appearing to be loosened from thesky and to be approaching the earth, strongly radiating heat.

F r. M anuel Pereira da S ilva (in a letter to a friend)

The sun appeared with its circumference well defined. It came down as if to the height of the clouds andbegan to whirl giddily upon itself like a captive ball of fire. With some interruptions, this lasted about eightminutes. The atmosphere darkened and the features of each became yellow. Everyone knelt even in themud....

S enhor Alfredo da S ilva S antos (Lisbon):

We made our arrangements, and went in three motor cars on the early morning of the 13th. There was a

thick mist, and the car which went in front mistook the way so that we were all lost for a time and onlyarrived at the Cova da Iria at midday by the sun. It was absolutely full of people, but for my part I feltdevoid of any religious feeling. When Lucia called out: "Look at the sun! " the whole multitude repeated:" Attention to the sun! " It was a day of incessant drizzle but a few moments before the miracle it stoppedraining. I can hardly find words to describe what followed. The sun began to move, and at a certainmoment appeared to be detached from the sky and about to hurtle upon us like a wheel of flame. Mywife---we had been married only a short time- -- fainted, and I was too upset to attend to her, and mybrother-in- law, Joao Vassalo, supported her on his arm. I fell on my knees, oblivious of everything, andwhen I got up I don't know what I said. I think I began to cry out like the others. An old man with a whitebeard began to attack the atheists aloud and challenged them to say whether or not somethingsupernatural had occurred.

There may have been many former atheists in Ftima that day, but there were plenty in Portugal,nonetheless, to charge hallucination. For those the Lady provided witnesses who were not at the sceneand could not have been subject to collective suggestion.

Alfonso Lopes V ieira (observed the display from a distance of nearly 25 miles):

On that day of October 13, 1917, without remembering the predictions of the children, I was enchantedby a remarkable spectacle in the sky of a kind I had never seen before. I saw it from this veranda....

Fr. Ignacio Lorenco (Alburitel, 11 miles away):

I was only nine years old at this time, and I went to the local village school. At about midday we weresurprised by the shouts and cries of some men and women who were passing in the street in front of theschool. The teacher, a good, pious woman, though nervous and impressionable, was the first to run intothe road, with the children after her.


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Outside, the people were shouting and weeping and pointing to the sun, ignoring the agitated questionsof the schoolmistress. It was the great Miracle, which one could see quite distinctly from the top of the hillwhere my village was situated---the Miracle of the sun, accompanied by all its extraordinary phenomena.

I feel incapable of describing what I saw and felt. I looked fixedly at the sun, which seemed pale and didnot hurt the eyes. Looking like a ball of snow revolving on itself, it suddenly seemed to come down in a

zigzag, menacing the earth. Terrified, I ran and hid myself among the people, who were weeping andexpecting the end of the world at any moment.

Near us was an unbeliever who had spent the morning mocking at the simpletons who had gone off toFtima just to see an ordinary girl. He now seemed to be paralyzed, his eyes fixed on the sun. Afterwardshe trembled from head to foot and lifting up his arms fell on his knees in the mud, crying out to our Lady.

Meanwhile the people continued to cry out and to weep, asking God to pardon their sins. We all ran to thetwo chapels in the village, which were soon filled to overflowing. During those long moments of the solar prodigy, objects around us turned all the colors of the rainbow. We saw ourselves blue, yellow, red, etc.

All these strange phenomena increased the fears of the people. After about ten minutes the sun, now dulland pallid, returned to its place. When the people realized that the danger was over, there was anexplosion of joy, and everyone joined in thanksgiving and praise to our Lady.

E xaminations by Rev. D r. F ormigao13 October 1917

Seminary professor Father Manuel Formigao of Santander examined the children after the apparition of October 13th, as he had done on two previous occasions. Later on he would conduct further examinations, covering most of the same territory as those of September and October 1917.

Lucia Jacinta F rancisco

E xamination of Lucia

'Did our Lady appear again today in the Cova da Iria? "

"Y es "

"Was she dressed as on the other occasions? "

"She was dressed in the same way. "

"Did St. Joseph and the Holy Child appear? "

"Y es. "

"Did anyone else appear? "

"Our Lord appeared and blessed the people and our Lady of the two cards. "

"What do you mean by our Lady of the two cards? "


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"Our Lady appeared dressed like Our Lady of Sorrows but without the sword in her heart, and our Ladydressed---I don't quite know how, but I think it was Our Lady of Mount Carmel. "

"They all came at the same time, did they not? "

"No. First I saw Our Lady of the Rosary, then St. Joseph and the Holy Child. After that I saw our Lord,

then Our Lady of Sorrows and at the end what I think was Our Lady of Mount Carmel. "

"Was the Holy Child standing or being carried by St. Joseph? "

"He was being carried by St. Joseph. "

"Was He already a big child? "

"No. He was little. "

"How old would He have been? "

" About a year. "

"Why did you say that the Lady at one moment seemed to be dressed like Our Lady of Mount Carmel? "

"Because she had two things hanging from her hand. "

"Did they appear on the oak tree? "

"No, they appeared near the sun, after the Lady had disappeared from the oak tree. "

"Was our Lord standing? "

"I only saw Him from the waist. "

"How long did the apparition on the oak tree last? Long enough to say the Rosary? "

"I don't think it was as long as that. "

"Did the figures you saw in the sun last long? "

"No, only a short time. "

"Did the Lady say who she was? "

"She said that she was the Lady of the Rosary. "

"Did you ask what she wanted? "

"Y es. "

"What did she say? "


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"She said that we were to amend our lives and not offend our Lord any more because He was too muchoffended already, and that we were to say the Rosary and ask pardon for our sins. "

"Did she say anything else? "

"She said that a chapel was to be built in the Cova da Iria. "

"Where was the money to come from? "

"I think it would be what was left there. "

"Did she say anything about our soldiers who were killed in the war? "

"No, she said nothing about them. "

"Did she tell you to tell the people to look at the sun? "

"No. "

"Did she say that the people were to do penance? "

"Y es. "

"Did she use the word penance? "

"No. She said we were to say the Rosary and amend our lives and ask pardon of our Lord, but she didnot use the word penance. "

"When did the sign in the sun begin? Was it after the Lady disappeared? "

"Y es. "

"Did you see the Lady come? "

"Y es. "

"Where did she come from? "

"From the east. "

" And the other times? "

"I didn't look the other times. "

"Did you see her go? "

"Y es. "

"In which direction? "

"To the east. "


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"How did she disappear? "

"Little by little. "

"What disappeared first? "

"Her head. Then her body, and the last thing I saw was her feet. "

"When she went did she go with her back toward or away from the people? "

"With her back toward the people. "

"Did she take long to go? "

"Only a short time. "

"Was she surrounded by any light? "

"I saw her in the middle of brilliant light. This time, too, she was blinding. Sometimes I had to rub myeyes. "

"Will our Lady appear again? "

"I don't think so; she said nothing about it. "

"Will you return to the Cova da Iria on the 13th? "

"No. "

"Will our Lady do any miracles? Cure any sick people? "

"I don't know. "

"Didn't you ask her anything? "

"I told her today that I had various petitions to give and she said she would grant some and not others. "

"Did she say when she would grant them? "

"No. "

"Under what title is the chapel of the Cova da Iria to be? "

"She said today that she was the Lady of the Rosary. "

"Did she say that many people were to go there from all parts? "

"She didn't say that anybody was to go. "

"Did you see the signs in the sun? "


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"I saw it going round. "

"Did you see signs on the oak tree? "

"No. "

"When was the Lady the most beautiful, this time or on other occasions? "

"She was the same. "

"How long was her dress? "

"It fell below the middle of her legs. "

"What color was our Lady's dress when she was near the sun? "

"The mantle was blue and the dress white. "

" And our Lord and St. Joseph and the Holy Child? "

"St. Joseph's was red and I think our Lord and the Child wore red too. "

"When did you ask our Lady to make the people believe in her apparitions? "

"I asked her several times. I think the first time I asked was in June. "

"When did she tell you the secret? "

"I think it was the second time. "


E xamination of Jacinta

" Apart from our Lady, whom did you see today when you were in the Cova da Iria? "

"I saw St. Joseph and the Holy, Child. "

"Where did you see them? "

"I saw them near the sun. "

"What did the Lady say? "

"She said that we were to say the Rosary every day and that the war would end today. "

"To whom did she say this? "


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"To Lucia and to me. Francisco didn't hear. "

"Did you hear her say when our soldiers would come back? "

"No. "

"What else did she say? "

"She said that a chapel was to be built in the Cova da Iria. "

"Where did the Lady come from? "

"From the east. "

" And where did she go when she disappeared? "

"She went to the east. "

"Did she go away backward facing the people? "

"No, she turned her back to the people. "

"Did she say that she would come back to the Cova da Iria? "

"She said before that it was the last time she would come, and today, too, she said it was the last time. "

"Did the Lady say anything else? "

"She said today that we were to say the Rosary every day to Our Lady of the Rosary. "

"Where did she say that people were to say the Rosary? "

"She did not say where. "

"Did she say that they were to go to the church? "

"She never said that. "

"Where do you like to say the Rosary best; here, at home, or in the Cova da Iria, "

"In the, Cova da Iria. "

"Why do you like to say it there? "

"I don't know. "

"With what money did, the Lady say the chapel was to be built? "

"She said a chapel was to be built, but I don't know about the money. "


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"Did you look at the sun? "

"Y es. "

"Did you see the signs? "

"Y es. "

"Did the Lady tell you to look at the sun? "

"No. "

"Then how did you see the signs? "

"I turned my eyes to the side. "

"Was the Holy Child on the right or the left of St. Joseph? "

"On the right. "

"Was he standing or being carried? "

"He was standing.'

"Did you see St. Joseph's right arm? "

"No, "

"How tall was the Child? Did His head come up to St. Joseph's chest? "

"He didn't reach St. Joseph's waist. "

"How old do you think the Child was? "

"The age of Deolinda Neves. " ( A child of about two years.)


E xamination of F rancisco

"Did you see our Lady this time? "

"Y es. "

"What Lady was she? "

"She was the Lady of the Rosary. "


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"How was she dressed? "

"She was dressed in white with a rosary in her hand. "

"Did you see St. Joseph and the Holy Child? "

"Y es. "

"Where did you see them? "

"By the sun. "

"Was the Child being carried by St. Joseph or was He standing? Was He big or little? "

"He was little. "

"Was He the size of Deolinda Neves? "

"Y es, He was just her size. "

"Did the Lady hold her hands? "

"She had them joined. "

"Did you only see her on the oak tree or by the sun as well? "

"I saw her near the sun too. "

"Which was the brighter, the sun or the face of the Lady? "

"The Lady's face was brighter; she was white. "

"Did you hear what the Lady said? "

"I heard nothing that she said. "

"Who told you the secret; was it the Lady? "

"No, it was Lucia. "

"Will you tell it? "

"No. "

"Y ou are afraid of being beaten by Lucia if you tell it, aren't you? "

"No. "

"Then why don't you tell it? Is it a sin? "


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"Perhaps it is a sin to tell the secret. "

"Is the secret for the good of your soul, and Jacinta's and Lucia's soul? "

"Y es. "

"Is it for the good of Father Ferreira's soul? "

"I don't know. "

"Would the people be sad if they knew? "

"Y es. "

"From which side did the Lady come? "

"From the east. "

" And did she disappear in the same direction? "

"Y es, she went to the east. "

"Did she go backward? "

"She turned her back to us. "

"Did she go slowly or quickly? "

"Slowly. "

"Did she walk as we do? "

"She didn't walk. She just went without moving her feet. "

"What part of the Lady disappeared first? "

"The head. "

"Did you see her easily this time? "

"I saw her better than last month. "

"When was she most beautiful, now or the other times? "

" As beautiful now as last month. "

The M essage of F tima

The most important dimension of the Ftima event was not the supernatural and preternaturalphenomena but the content and the meaning of the message communicated to the children. By following


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this message their spiritual lives were elevated to the heights of sanctity, to which the beatification of Jacinta and Francisco testifies, and the hope and possibility of the conversion of the world from itsruinous course was offered to mankind.

This message can be seen as comprising two essential elements, towhich all others can be related in some way. The first of these

elements is the singular role of the Immaculate One in the economyof salvation, a dogmatic fact. God does not have whims, and so therequest of the Almighty that devotion to the Immaculate Heart beestablished in the world must be founded on reality and presumesthat such devotion is justly given to the Mother of God.

The second of these elements involves the practical order, the valueof devotion to the Immaculate Heart for the individual life and for thefuture of the human race. To this element are connected the various spiritual practices encouraged by the

Angel and by the Lady, as well as the prophetic content of the message, upon which the fate of the worlddepends. Without the first element, the dogmatic, the practical dimension of the message of Ftima wouldbe entirely arbitrary.

D evotion to the Immaculate Heart

The intimate association of the Immaculate Heart of the Mother with the Sacred Heart of the Son, indeedtheir unity in the Plan of the Father, is the essential doctrinal feature of the Message of Ftima. From thefirst message of the Angel we are pointed to it.

Pray with me. " M y God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you, and I ask pardon for those who donot believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love you." The Hearts of Jesus and M ary areattentive to your prayers.

Here we see that it is the Hearts of Jesus and Mary which await, and mediate, the prayer of reparation toGod requested by the Angel. This can only be understood by a profound reflection on the doctrines of theTrinity, the Incarnation and the Redemption. By such a reflection the objective reality of Mary's role withinthe economy of salvation can be understood.

We must first start with the Trinity as it exists within Itself, apart from its works. The doctrine of the DivineProcessions tells us that Life and Love, Truth and Goodness, all that the Persons of the Trinity are bytheir sharing of the one Divine nature, proceeds from the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit (theSpirit of the Father and the Son). From all eternity these eternal processions of the Son and the HolySpirit take place, with the Eternal Father as their ultimate Source.

This Order of Procession within God establishes the Order of the Missions of the Divine Persons, that isof their external works - Creation, Redemption, Sanctification/Glorification. God who is the same"yesterday, today and forever " acts outside Himself according to the reality of His own interior life,stamping His works with the image of that Life. Thus, these works proceed from the Father, through the

Son and are effected by the power of their Love, the Holy Spirit. This Order is why all formal liturgicalprayer is directed "to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit, " as that is how all good things cometo us.

After the Fall of Adam and Eve, the Father promised a new Woman from whom would come a new Adam,the Redeemer to undo the sin of the old Adam (Genesis 3:15). In the fullness of time the Father effectedthe Incarnation of the Son by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). This Divine Spirit brought about the union of thehuman nature, taken from Mary alone, and the Divine nature, in the Second Person of the Trinity, theWord. It was thus from Mary's Immaculate flesh, preserved from original and person sin by the foreseenmerits of her Son and "full of grace " (Luke 1:28), that the New Adam was created. The renewal of the


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universe was begun in the new Adam and the New Eve, the Woman and her Seed, as all the Fathers of the Church testify.

We thus begin to see the intrinsic connection of Jesus and Mary, a connection that transcends naturalmotherhood, since its purpose from the beginning is a supernatural one, the Redemption of the humanrace. Thus, there is nothing merely natural about the conception of the Mother or the generation of the

Son. Both are supernatural, as was the creation of Adam and Eve in Divine Justice. Mary, therefore,immediately assumes the supernatural role assigned her, to accompany her Son at every step of theRedemption as the first redeemed (pre-redeemed, as has been said) and His most faithful disciple(Matthew 12:48-50, Luke 1:48, John 2:5). Her motherhood is not a natural one, nor are her sons naturalsons, but supernatural one (Isaiah 7:14, 1 Samuel 2:1-10, Luke 1:46-55), subjects of the supernaturalKingdom in which she is the Queen Mother, since she is Mother of the King. For this reason from thethrone of the Cross the King confided the beloved disciple, and every disciple (we are all beloved), to themotherhood of the Woman, the New Eve (John 19:27).

The mysterious role of the New Eve also has an eschatological dimension. This is the branch of theologydealing with the Last Things (Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell), and thus also with the destiny of thecreation as a whole, the New Heavens and the New Earth (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21). The Church, theBride of Christ, is not yet fully formed, all the redeemed have not yet come into her. At the End the

numbers of the just will be complete and the Marriage Feast of the Lamb will take place, when God will be"all in all " (1 Corinthians 15:28, Revelation 19:9). We can only faintly conceive the degree of union withGod and participation in His own Divine Life that this will entail. The Lord reveals this union as nuptial, likethe complete sharing of Bridegroom and Bride. This is why the Sacrament of Matrimony is a this-worldlysign pointing to the union of love between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:21-33).

This eschatological dimension of the relationship of Christ and the Church is already fully realized in theunion of Jesus and Mary in Heaven. Mary has achieved (including bodily glory) what the rest of theChurch is moving toward. The New Adam and the New Eve have gone before us and already holdeverything in common which will be shared with all the just in the Wedding Feast. This no more devaluesChrist's unique role as the God-man who alone can merit infinitely, then does the common goods of husband and wife devalues the role of the breadwinner. They are of one heart and one mind, a bond of love which is not possessive. This nuptial reality is beautifully shown by the symbolism of the Two Hearts

associated with the message of Ftima.

The rest of the messages which touch upon the role of the Immaculate Heart reinforce the sense alreadyimplicit in the first message of the Angel. In the second apparition he would say, associating Maryexplicitly with the Plan of Salvation,

Pray. Pray. the Hearts of Jesus and M ary have merciful designs upon you.

Finally, in the third apparition he will teach the children a prayer of reparation that implores of the Trinitythe conversion of poor sinners,

through the infinite merits of His S acred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of M ary ...

This prayer, much clearer in the Portuguese and without the equivocation of some English translations("intercession " of the Immaculate Heart), suggests the prefect union of the two Hearts described above.What are Christ's by divinity and redemptive purchase are Mary's by grace and cooperation. Nothing islacking to their union, save the absorption of the creature into the creator. Just as in the union of Christ'shuman and divine natures each nature remains what it is, the human sweetly subject to the divine. SoMary remains ever the creature subject to her Divine Spouse. We will likewise remain creatures when wecome to share in this ineffable union of Bridegroom and Bride in eternity.

The Practice of D evotion to the Immaculate Heart


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My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love Y ou. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do notadore, do not hope, and do not love Y ou.

Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Y ou profoundly, and I offer Y ou the Most PreciousBody, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. And by the infinite merits of His most

Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners. Requests and Admonitions of the Angel:

Pray, pray!

Y ou must offer your prayers and sacrifices to God, the Most High.

In every way you can offer sacrifice to God in reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and insup

the theology of apparitions

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