In May 1917, over a hundred years ago, a significant event occurred near the small town of Fatima, Portugal, leaving a profound mark on the Catholic Church. Three young children—Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco—were watching over their families’ sheep on a hillside when they witnessed an apparition of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus. She spoke to them, delivering a message that served as both guidance and warning.
These visions of “the Lady more brilliant than the sun,” as the Blessed Virgin Mary was referred to, were merely a minor episode amid two major upheavals in Europe at the time: World War I, which was then in its fourth year, wreaking havoc and devastation across the continent, and the impending Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, which would have far-reaching consequences for decades.
Pope Francis, who has faced criticism for his open stance towards refugees and his environmental encyclical, Laudato Si’, is well aware of the current global crises, particularly the violent conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, which echo the turmoil of the Great War.
Marian apparitions, such as those at Fatima, form an essential part of contemporary Catholicism and evoke a spectrum of emotions among the faithful. Should these “private revelations” be regarded seriously? Vatican authorities often tread cautiously, taking their time to comment on the authenticity of such occurrences. In contrast, popular piety among the laity is fervent and unreserved. The renowned Marian shrines we know today—Fatima, Lourdes, Guadalupe, Velankanni, and Aparecida—owe their prominence to widespread devotion and enthusiasm. For many ordinary Catholics, the experience is one of genuine emotional connection.
The messages from “the Lady” of Fatima were direct: she implored the children to “pray abundantly for sinners, as many souls perish in hell because no one prays or makes sacrifices for them.” Over the months from May to October 1917, this message unfolded through what became known as “the three secrets”:
The first secret was a vision of hell, which the children received in July 1917. The second emphasized the need for devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, promising conversion and peace but warning of dire consequences if humanity continued to offend God, including the conversion of Russia, a term the children initially misunderstood as a name of a person, unaware of the revolution on the horizon.
The third secret, meticulously documented by Lucia and sealed for revelation in 1960 at the Virgin’s request, described a vision of a bishops in white, interpreted as the Pope, accompanied by clergy traveling up a treacherous mountain to a cross, where the Pope is ultimately martyred by soldiers. This vision later drew connections to the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in 1981. The Vatican did not disclose this third secret until June 26, 2000.
So, how does Fatima shape our faith? The devotion to Our Lady of Fatima has significantly influenced the spiritual lives of Catholics. It has fostered a greater devotion to the rosary, emphasized the importance of “reparative suffering,” and for many years included the recitation of “three Hail Mary’s” at the end of Mass for the conversion of Russia, until shifts in liturgical practice post-Vatican II.
More broadly, one might wonder why so many Marian apparitions are directed towards women and children rather than men. Various theories abound, but a key factor may be that for centuries, women and children have often been regarded as “the least in the kingdom,” marginalized from positions of power and influence, which in the Church has traditionally been dominated by men, particularly celibate ones. Despite the prominence of women in worship, their roles have often been subordinate, complying with the directives of male authority.
However, when obedience is the only route, those who receive these apparitions find an unexpected empowerment, realizing their worth regardless of their lower status within a male-dominated hierarchy. Mary appears to women with the same welcoming message as the angel did to her: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.”
This divine engagement reaches the humble—not only Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, but also figures like Bernadette, Juan Diego, and the shepherd boy from Velankanni. These manifestations and miracles are granted not to the “insiders” but to the “outsiders.”
A century later, what resonates profoundly with Catholics is not abstract theological debates or papal declarations, but the heartfelt experiences of Marian apparitions to ordinary women and children, often marked by “signs and wonders,” especially physical and spiritual healings.
The overarching message remains one of perseverance in prayer and sacrifice for global wrongs, encouraging the faithful to not become too fixated on secrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francists but to always be open to the good surprises that God continues to provide.
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