At the time of Our Lady’s apparitions in Fatima, Lucy, Francisco, and Jacinta were ten, nine, and seven years old. As mentioned in the previous post, the three children lived in Aljustrel, a hamlet of the parish of Fatima. The apparitions took place on a small piece of property that belonged to Lucy’s parents. The property was called Cova da Iria, and it was located around two and a half kilometers from the town of Fatima on the way to Leiria. Our Lady appeared over an ilex or holm-oak tree that was about a meter or so in height. Although Francisco barely saw and didn’t hear Our Lady, Jacinta saw and heard her, while Lucy saw, heard, and talked with her. The apparitions occurred some time in the middle part of the day.
First Apparition: May 13, 1917
Lucy, Francisco, and Jacinta were playing at the Cova da Iria on May 13, 1917 when they saw two flashes that were like lightning. After the flashes, the Virgin Mary appeared to them over a holm-oak tree. According to Lucy’s description, the sighting was “a Lady dressed in white, more brilliant than the sun, dispensing light clearer and more intense than a crystal cup full of crystalline water penetrated by the rays of the most glaring sun.” Lucy said Our Lady’s face, that was indescribably beautiful, was “neither sad, nor happy, but serious,” and it had an air of soft reproach. Our Lady’s hands were folded, as if in prayer, and they were resting on her breast and turned upward. A rosary hung from her right hand. Her clothes seemed to be made only of light. Her tunic was white, and her veil, which was white and edged with gold, covered her head and descended to her feet. Her hair and ears were not visible. It was impossible for Lucy to describe Our Lady’s physical features because she was unable to fix her gaze on her dazzling heavenly face. The children were at a distance of only around one and half meters from Our Lady, and therefore they stood within the radiance that surrounded her. This is the conversation that developed between Lucy and Our Lady:
OUR LADY: “Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.”
LUCY: “Where does Your Excellency come from?”
OUR LADY: “I am from Heaven.” (She then raised her hand and pointed to the sky.)
LUCY: “And what is it that you want of me?”
OUR LADY: “I have come to ask you to come here for six months in succession, on the thirteenth day at this same hour. Then I will tell you who I am and what I want. Afterwards, I will return here a seventh time.”
LUCY: “And shall I go to Heaven, too?”
OUR LADY: “Yes, you will.”
LUCY: “And Jacinta?”
OUR LADY: “Also.”
LUCY: “And Francisco?”
OUR LADY: “Also, but he will have to say many Rosaries.”
LUCY: “Is Maria das Neves now in Heaven?”
OUR LADY: “Yes, she is.”
LUCY: “And Amelia?”
OUR LADY: “She will be in purgatory until the end of the world. Do you wish to offer yourselves to God, to endure all the sufferings that He may be pleased to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and to ask for the conversion of sinners?”
LUCY: “Yes, we do.”
OUR LADY: “Then you will have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort.”
Many years later, Sister Lucy wrote these words to describe what came next:
As she spoke these last words (the grace of God, etc.), she opened her hands for the first time, and from the palms came two streams of light, so intense that they penetrated our breasts and reached the most intimate parts of our souls, making us see ourselves in God, Who is that light, more clearly than in the best of mirrors. Then, forced by an intimate impulse in us, we went down on our knees and repeated intimately: ‘O most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee! My God, my God, I love Thee in the most Blessed Sacrament.’ Some moments later, Our Lady added: ‘Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of war.’ Immediately she began to rise serenely, going up toward the east until she disappeared in the immensity of the distance. The light which surrounded her was going ahead of her as if it was in charge of making way for her through the massive stars. (Cf. Memoirs, II, p. 126; IV, pp. 330 and 336; de Marchi, pp. 58-60; Walsh, pp. 52-53; Ayres da Fonseca, pp. 23-26; Galamba de Oliveira, pp. 63-64).
Second Apparition: June 13, 1917
Before the second apparition, the seers once again noticed a flash, which they called lightning. (It wasn’t really lightning, but the flash of an approaching light.) There were around fifty spectators who had come to the place, and some of them noticed that the sun’s light grew darker during the moments that followed the beginning of the conversation. Other people said that the top of the holm-oak tree, which was covered with buds, bent, as if under the weight of something, a moment before Lucy began to talk. During Lucy’s and Our Lady’s conversation, some of the spectators heard a whispering sound, like the humming of a bee.
LUCY: “What does Your Excellency want of me?”
OUR LADY: “I want you to come here on the thirteenth day of the coming month, to recite the Rosary every day, and to learn to read. I will tell you later what I want.”
Lucy then asked for the cure of a certain sick person.
OUR LADY: “If he is converted, he will be cured during the year.”
LUCY: “I would like to ask you to take us to Heaven.”
OUR LADY: “Yes, I will take Jacinta and Francisco soon, but you will remain here yet for some time. Jesus wishes to make use of you to have me acknowledged and loved. He wishes to establish devotion to My Immaculate Heart in the world. To those who embrace it, I promise salvation; and these souls will be beloved by God, like flowers disposed by me to adorn His throne.”
LUCY: “I stay here alone?”
OUR LADY: “No, daughter. Do you suffer a great deal? Don’t be discouraged. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the road that will lead you to God.”
Regarding the end of the apparition, Sister Lucy wrote this:
With these last words, she opened her hands and for the second time she communicated to us the immense light that streamed from them. In it we saw ourselves as if submerged in God. Jacinta and Francisco seemed to be in the part of this light which went up toward Heaven, and I in that part which spread itself over the ground. Before the palm of the right hand of Our Lady was a heart encircled by thorns which seemed to have pierced it. We understood that it was the Immaculate Heart of Mary, outraged by the sins of humanity, who wishes reparation.
2 thoughts on “Our Lady of Fatima – First Two Apparitions of the Virgin Mary”
Thank you. This is so great. I love how you include the actual wording. Looking forward to the next Pass. Claudia
Claudia, thank you for your comment! I find that I can never read enough about Our Lady of Fatima, so I’m very happy you enjoyed the post!