|
|
|
The Virgin Mary Appears in America | Bayside and the Fatima Message | Home |
|
DURING WORLD WAR 1, on May 13,1917, in the first of six apparitions, a beautiful Lady who said She came from Heaven appeared to three shepherd children, Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucy in Fatima, Portugal.
Two months later, the Lady gave the heart of Her message to the three children, in what is known as the great Secret of Fatima. This Secret is composed of three distinct parts. The first two parts have been released by the Church as related by Lucy: "As Our Lady spoke these last words, She opened Her hands once more, as She had done during the two previous months. The rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw as it were a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form. . . . Terrified and as if to plead for succor, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us, so kindly and so 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 to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end, but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out in the reign of Pius XI. "When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that it is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of 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 persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated.
"In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be (The Third Secret enters here.) "In the end, My Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to Me, and she will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world." However, it is the never-released Third part, commonly referred to as the Third Secret of Fatima* which has long been the subject of great intrigue, wonderment, and speculation . . . until now. The Lady had promised that on October 13, She would perform a great public miracle so all would believe. Secular newspapers from around the world reported that while 70,000 people stood in the pouring rain, what appeared to be the sun suddenly came out, whirled madly like a pinwheel, casting all shades of color on land and people. It then plunged three separate times directly over the astonished crowd, many of whom threw them selves on their knees pleading for God's mercy. After about twelve minutes of this phenomenon, the sun returned to its natural place and appearance in a clear sky. The people were completely dry, as well as the ground around them. During this miracle, the beautiful Lady identified Herself: "I AM THE LADY OF THE ROSARY."
The apparitions, which are now formally approved by the Catholic Church,
were an appeal for prayer, sacrifice, reparation, consecration, and
especially the daily recitation of the Rosary. |
