FIRST FATIMA APPARITION - - - MAY 13, 1917

            The children subsequently described the Lady to be more brilliant than the sun and that she "Radiated a light more clear and intense than a crystal glass filled with sparkling water when the burning sun shine through it."  They were only a few feet away from the lady.

            She then spoke to them in these words:

"Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm."

"Where is your ladyship from?"

"I am from heaven."

"What does your ladyship want of me?"

"I have come to ask you to come here for six months in succession, on the 13th at the same hour.  Later on I will tell you who I am and what I want."

"Can your ladyship tell me if the war is going to last a long time or if it will end shortly?"

"I cannot tell you yet, while I have not told you also what I am here for."

"Can you tell me if I am going to heaven."

"Yes, you are."

"And my cousin, Jacinta?"

"She will go also."

"And Francisco?"

"He will go there too, but he must say many rosaries."

            Then, Lucia, says that she remembered about two girls who had died recently.  They were her friends who used to come to Lucia's home to learn how to weave with her eldest sister.

"Is Maria das Neves in heaven?"

"Yes, she is." (I think that she was about sixteen years old).

"And Amelia?"

"She will be in purgatory until the end of the world." (It seems to me that she was about 18 or 20 years of age).

            "Are you willing to offer yourselves to god and bear all the  sufferings he wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which he is offended, and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?"

"Yes, we are willing."

"Then you will have much to suffer, but the grace of god will be your comfort."

            As our lady pronounced these words " . . . the grace of god will be your comfort", she opened her hands for the first time, communicating to the children a light so intense that, as it streamed from her hands, its rays penetrated their hearts and the  innermost depths of their souls, making them see themselves in god.  Then, moved by an interior impulse that was communicated to them, the children fell on their knees saying: "O most Holy Trinity, I adore you!  My god, my god, I love you in the most blessed sacrament!"

            Then our lady spoke again:

"Pray the rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war."

            Then, she began to rise serenely, going up towards the east until she disappeared in the immensity of space.

Given on First Saturday May, 1996, Santa Cruz Parish.  Also at 6:30 & 1:30 Masses.

JUNE 13TH APPARITIONS

            Fiesta of Saint Anthony - - - Lucia's mother, who put no stock in the apparitions at all, thought that the diversion of the fiesta would be the cause of the children's forgetting about the alleged apparitions.

            As scheduled, Our Lady appeared at the Cova de Iria.

Lucia, as always was the spokes girl:

"What do you want of me!"  (These were the words with which Lucia always greeted Our Lady.)

"I want you to come here on the 13th of next month, to pray the Rosary every day and to learn to read.  Later, I will tell you what I want."

            Lucia asked for the cure of a sick person.  Our Lady answered:

"If he is converted he will be cured during the next year."

Lucia: "I would like to ask you to take us to heaven."

Yes, I will take Jacinta and Francisco soon, but you must stay longer.  Jesus wants to use you to make me known and loved.  He wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart."

I PROMISE SALVATION TO THOSE WHO EMBRACE IT, AND THOSE SOULS WILL BE LOVED BY GOD LIKE FLOWERS PLACED BY ME TO ADORE HIS THRONE."

Lucia asked sadly: "Shall I stay here alone?"

No, daughter.  Are you suffering a great deal?  Do not be downhearted.  I shall never leave you.  My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God."

As she opened her hands, the children saw themselves immersed in God.  Jacinta and Francisco were seen in that part of the light which radiated towards heaven, while Lucia was seen in the part which radiated toward the earth.  In front of the right hand of Our Lady appeared a heart encircled by thorns which seemed to pierce it.  The children understood that the Heart was the Immaculate Heart of Mary, outraged by the sins of humanity and seeking reparation.

            This is what we are doing here this morning.  We are making reparation for ourselves and others.  For the abortions, for the great sins against faith, for the lust, especially the sins against nature which so many excuse today as merely genetic.  We make reparation for the priests and sisters that wound the Immaculate Heart of Mary by there rejection of Catholic faith.

July 13th APPARITIONS

            To inquirers about the apparitions, the children would only say: She is a very beautiful Lady, unequaled.  There were fifty witness to the June apparition.  By July, the number had grown to  two or three thousand.  But this time Lucia herself had decided not to go.

            Lucia, the oldest of the three, was suffering the most.  Her mother refused to believe her.  The parish priest was openly hostile toward her.  Her mother took her to the priest and they  tried to persuade Lucia to admit that she was lying.  Finally, the priest sad that he believed that she was seeing something.  It may well be the devil!  This frightened Lucia out of her wits and she decided never to return to the Cova di Iria.

            However, when the day of the apparition arrived, some inner urge compelled her to go.  As the time for the vision approached, the sun darkened and a gentle breeze blew.  Some people saw a little gray cloud hover over the oak tree on which the children said that Our Lady appeared.  As usual, only Lucia spoke to Our Lady.  Jacinta saw and heard.  Francisco saw only.

"What do want of me?"

"I want you to come here on the 13th of next month, to continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary to obtain peace in the world and the end of the war.  Only she can help."

Lucia: "I want to ask you to tell me who you are and to perform a miracle so that every one will believe that you appear to us."

"Continue to come here every month.  In October I will tell you who I am and what I want.  Then, I will perform a miracle for all to see and believe."

Here Lucia made some requests for people.  Our Lady said that it was necessary for these people to pray the Rosary to gain the graces that they sought.  The she said:  "Sacrifice yourselves for sinners and whenever you make a sacrifice, say: `O my Jesus, it is for love of Thee, in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for the conversion of poor sinners.'"

            On saying these words Our Lady opened her arms. The rays coming from her arms seemed to penetrate the earth. The children saw Hell!  This is what they saw in Lucia's own words: "The rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth and we saw a sea of fire.  Plunged in this fire were demons.  We saw souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze floating about in this inferno.  They were raised in the air by flames that came from within themselves with great clouds of smoke.  They were falling about on every side like sparks in huge fires without weight or egualibrium.  There were shrieks and cries of pain and despair which horrified us and made us tremble with fear.  (It must have been this sight that caused me to cry out, as people say they heard me do.)

            The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent, like burning coals.  Terrified, we looked to Our Lady who said so kindly and gently but sadly: "You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go.  To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.  If what I say is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace in the world.  The war is going to end.  But if people do not cease offending God, a worse war will break out during the Pontificate of Pius XI.  When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes.  There will be war, famine and persecutions of the Church and the Holy Father.

            "To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.  If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted and there will be peace.  If not, she will spread her errors throughout the world causing wars and persecution of the Church.  The good will be martyred and the Holy Father will have to suffer much.  Various nations will be annihilated.  In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.  The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, she will be converted and a period of peace will be granted to the world.  In Portugal, the dogma of Catholic faith will be preserved.  Do not tell this to anyone except Francisco.  You may tell him.

            "When you say the Rosary, say after each mystery" O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell.  Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need."

After a moment of silence, Lucia asked: "is there anything more you want of me today?"

"No, I do not ask anything more of you today."

            Then Our Lady ascended into the heavens. (Inform the people of the three secrets of the July apparitions.