Very curious, I asked for details because of the Consecration of Russia. This was 1917. 64 years after the first apparition (May 13, 1917), Pope John Paul II, on the exact anniversary, had an attempted assignation (May 13, 1981). He was the key driver in releasing the “Third Secret” on May 13, 2000. This rabbit hole runs deep. Lucia, the oldest of the three, became Sister Lucia, and died at the age of 97 on February 13, 2005. She got to see the 3rd Secret Released in 2000. In 1917, the last apparition Oct 17, 1917 was attended by 70,000 people, and reportedly a miracle of the sun dancing occurred for 10 minutes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_L%C3%BAcia
Our Lady of Fatima Apparitions:
- Number of Apparitions: There were six apparitions of the Virgin Mary to the three shepherd children at Fatima.
- Dates of Apparitions: The apparitions occurred on the 13th of each month from May to October in 1917. The exact dates are as follows:
- May 13, 1917
- June 13, 1917
- July 13, 1917
- August 19, 1917 (This apparition did not occur on the 13th because the children were detained by the local authorities on that day; Mary appeared to them on the 19th instead.)
- September 13, 1917
- October 13, 1917
Family Names of the Visionaries:
- Lucia dos Santos: Lucia’s full name was Lucia de Jesus dos Santos.
- Francisco and Jacinta Marto: Francisco and Jacinta were siblings, and their last name was Marto. They were cousins of Lucia dos Santos.
So, while Lucia’s last name was dos Santos, her cousins Francisco and Jacinta had the last name Marto.
Mary appeared to three shepherd children:
- Who: The Virgin Mary, also referred to as Our Lady of Fatima, appeared to three young shepherd children named Lucia dos Santos and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto.
- When: The apparitions took place between May 13 and October 13, 1917.
Giving them messages about prayer, repentance, and the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart:
- Prayer: Mary emphasized the importance of daily prayer, particularly the Rosary. She asked the children to pray the Rosary every day to bring peace to the world and to end World War I.
- Repentance: Mary called for repentance and conversion, urging people to turn away from sin and make sacrifices for the reparation of sins.
- Consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart: Mary revealed that Russia would spread its errors (understood as atheistic communism) throughout the world, causing wars and persecution of the Church. She requested the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart by the Pope and the bishops of the world. She promised that if her request was heeded, Russia would be converted, and there would be peace. If not, Russia would spread its errors, leading to further conflicts and suffering.
The messages delivered during these apparitions are collectively known as the “Secrets of Fatima,” which consist of three parts:
- Vision of Hell: The children were shown a vision of hell where the souls of sinners go.
- Prophecies about World War II: The second part included prophecies about the rise of communism in Russia and the outbreak of World War II.
- The Third Secret: This part was kept confidential by the Church for many years and was finally revealed in 2000. It described a vision of the suffering and martyrdom of the Pope and other religious figures.
The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima had a significant impact on the Catholic Church and the world, promoting the messages of prayer, penance, and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
———————————————————————————–
On August 13, 1917, the three shepherd children—Lucia dos Santos, Francisco Marto, and Jacinta Marto—were detained by the local authorities in the town of Vila Nova de Ourém. The reason for their detention was primarily due to the skepticism and opposition of the local authorities, particularly the civil administrator, Artur Santos (no relation to Lucia dos Santos), who was a known anti-clerical and Freemason. He doubted the authenticity of the apparitions and was concerned about the growing public attention and gatherings at Cova da Iria, where the apparitions were taking place.
Specific Reasons for Detention:
- Interrogation: The authorities wanted to interrogate the children to extract more information about the apparitions and possibly get them to confess that they were fabricating the stories. The administrator tried to intimidate and coerce the children into admitting that their visions were false.
- Public Order: The authorities were also concerned about maintaining public order. The apparitions were attracting large crowds of people, and the civil authorities feared that this could lead to public unrest or other issues.
- Suppression of Religious Influence: There was an underlying motive to suppress the religious influence and fervor that was spreading due to the reported apparitions. The anti-clerical stance of the local government aimed to reduce the Church’s influence over the population.
Despite the intense questioning and even threats of severe punishment, including threats of boiling them in oil, the children remained steadfast in their accounts of the apparitions and did not recant their statements. They were eventually released on August 15, 1917, and the Virgin Mary appeared to them on August 19, 1917, at Valinhos, a small village near Fatima.
Ages of the Children in 1917:
- Lucia dos Santos: Born on March 22, 1907, she was 10 years old during the apparitions.
- Francisco Marto: Born on June 11, 1908, he was 9 years old.
- Jacinta Marto: Born on March 11, 1910, she was 7 years old.
The courage and steadfastness of these young children in the face of intense pressure and threats made their testimony even more compelling to the faithful and added to the significance of the Fatima apparitions.