Our Lady of Fatima and the Miracle of the Sun

The Angel of Peace: In the year 1916 three shepherd children, Lucia, Francesco and Jacinta who were ages nine, eight and six respectively were pasturing their sheep on the mountains near Fatima, Portugal. Suddenly the children were visited by an angel of God from heaven. He called himself the Angel of Peace. This was the first time the children had experienced something of this nature. They went back home and decided to keep it a secret. Again few months later the children were visited by the same angel. This time the angel called himself the Guardian Angel of Portugal. He asked the children to pray offer all they do as a reparation for the conversion of sinners and to pray for Portugal. The angel visited the children a third time and this time he came with a golden chalice and a Host from which blood was dripping into the chalice. The angel prostrated before the suspended Chalice and Host in adoration.
The Lady brighter than the Sun: After these three visions in the cave near the mountains of Fatima, on May 13th 1917 the children were visited by beautiful lady from heaven while they were pasturing their sheep. She appeared on top of a tree and was enveloped in light. She was more beautiful than the angel, wore a white dress and had a mantle that covered her head and shoulders. She held a beautiful rosary made of white pearls on one hand. The lady was none other than the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary. The lady asked them to return to the same place in Cova da Iria every month on the 13th. She asked them to pray the rosary daily.
People in the village of Fatima came on June 13th along with the children but only the children could see her and many disbelieved the children's vision including Lucia's own mother. This was a form of penance for the children. Our Lady told the children during her visit that Jacinta and Francesco would be taken to heaven soon but Lucia will remain on earth for a long time to bear witness to the message of these visions to the world.
On July 13th Our Lady showed them the vision of hell where the souls of poor sinners go. She then told them that in order to save them God wishes to establish the devotion to her Immaculate Heart. In this vision Our Lady told the children that the first world war would end but a worse war would begin and also told Lucia that there will be an unknown light in the sky that will signal the starting of this terrible war. Our Lady also told the children that war was a punishment allowed by God for the sins committed by people to offend God. She also told the children that Russia would spread a grave error in the world -Communism - which would bring about great persecution of the Church and the Pope. Also that these errors will bring more wars and suffering for people around the world. At the end of 1917 communism seized power under the leadership of Lenin and ended the era of Czar's in Russia. Our Lady asked for the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart for the conversion of Russia and for an era of peace to be granted to the world. Our Lady also promised Lucia that there will be a spectacular miracle in October so that people will believe the message.
The August apparition on 13th did not occur because the local civil authorities imprisoned the children and threatened them with severe persecution if they refused to cooperate with them. However the children did not break the promise of secrecy which Our Lady had asked of them. The children were released after a few days and the vision occurred on August 19th.
By this time the news had spread throughout Portugal and on September 13th 30,000 people were present for the apparition. There was mysterious shower of white petals that dissolved as it was reaching the ground and everyone was able to see it. Also many people were able to see a light above the tree when Our Lady appeared and conversed with the children.
The Miracle of the Sun: Finally the day on which the miracle promised by Our Lady arrived and there were 70,000 people gathered to witness this event. And many were reporters and atheists who came to discredit the phenomena. It was raining heavily but that did not deter the people. On October 13th 1917 after she spoke to the children, Our Lady pointed her finger to the Sun and Lucia did the same. Immediately the people looked at the sky. As they watched the rain stopped, the clouds parted and the sun shone like a silver disc, almost like a moon. Suddenly the Sun began to spin wildly in the sky and emitted rainbow colors. This phenomena occurred three times and was observed by all the people present and also people who were several miles away. Then suddenly the sun hurled itself towards the earth at a high speed. People were terrified and began to plead for mercy and prayed for protection and many thought it was the end of the world. Then just as suddenly as it began everything went back to the way it was before the miracle began. The ground was dry and many who were sick were healed. During the miracle of the sun the children saw a vision of St. Joseph with the holy family, then Our Lady appeared as the Mother of Sorrows, and finally she appeared as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth and holding a brown scapular in her hand.
Call to Action: Here are some ways we can fulfill the request of Our Lady of Fatima: live a life of pray, penance, and reparation; pray the rosary daily; go to confession and receive the Eucharist on five consecutive first Saturdays; Consecrate ourselves and our families to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Reference: Our Lady of Fatima Peace Plan from Heaven - Tan Books