The Miracle of Fatima

The Miracle of Fátima, also known as the Miracle of the Sun; The Final Apparition. The sixth and final miracle occurred on the 13th of October, 1917. A large crowd of over 70,000 attended the event gathered in Fátima, Portugal, in response to a prophecy given to the three shepherd children, Lúcia Santos and Francisco and Jacinta Marto by the Virgin Mary who appeared as Our Lady of Fatima. The children told the people in the village to come out and witness the event.

Witness accounts confirm that it had rained all of the previous day and as the Miracle of the sun began, the rain stopped, and instantly the ground was totally dry and the people were dry. Villagers in attendance recall the sun emerged among the clouds and danced around “zig-zagging” in the sky. Some recollect that the dancing sun seemed to fly down closer to the earth and then quickly jump back into its place in the sky. Others remember multicolored light and radiant colors all over the sky. This miraculous event was viewed by all of the people present as well as others who were not present at a distance of almost twenty kilometers away.  This celestial event is often referred to as the Miracle of the Sun.

The Miracle of the Sun lasted for at least 10 minutes, and the children were then finally believed by their people.

The local bishop investigated the event in November to review the reports and analyze whether they were congruent with Catholic theology. The Miracle of the Sun was declared “worthy of belief” and a supernatural character by Bishop Jose da Silva in 1930.

In 1940, Pope Pius XII endorsed the miracle, and after that, he declared he had witnessed the same miracle on the 30th of October 1950 while walking through the Vatican gardens near the sculpture of Our Lady of Lourdes. Pope Pius XII also stated he saw the same miracle on the 31st of October, the 1st of November, and the 8th of November.

In 2017, Pope Francis officially acknowledged the Miracle of the Sun. He canonized the two children, Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto, over 100 years after their death, making them saints. Their cousin Lucia passed away in 2005 and is being considered for beatification.

It is interesting to note that Eugenio Pacelli was elevated to the position of Arch Bishop in the Sistine Chapel on the 13th of May 1917 which was the First Apperition of Our Lady of Fatima to the three children of Fatima.