Our Lady of Fátima – Portugal
Some saints, their shrines and the miracles associated with them are centuries old. There is no time line however, no point during which such miracles must occur. Faith has no calendar, no physical barriers, even if we do. Miracles can occur whenever, wherever we see them, and whenever the beholder is inclined to believe in such things. Take for instance, Our Lady of Fátima, or, in Portuguese, Nossa Senhora de Fátima.
On May 13, 1917, three cousins were out herding their sheep in an area known as Cova da Iria near their hometown of Fátima. The three cousins, ten year old Lúcia Santos and siblings Jacinta and Francisco Marto, reported seeing an image of the Virgin Mary, who then spoke to them and told them prophetic and enlightening truths. Two more sightings were reported on the 13th of June and July as well. Following these visions, the children were compelled by their faith and the vision to perform daily acts of penance and sacrifice in order to save the souls of sinners around them. As the fervor grew, more and more people came from all over in the hopes of witnessing a miracle of their own.
In response to the fervor, secular authorities jailed the cousins, though it wasn’t long before the children gained the support of their fellow inmates. Claiming that the entire affair was a political disruption, the local administrator demanded that the children tell him what the vision revealed to them. However, even under pain of torture and death, the brave cousins refused. What was it that the vision told to these three would-be prophets?
Lúcia Santos (left) with her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto.
She gave them Three Secrets. The first was of a vision of Hell and what waited for those who committed sin. The second was a vision of how the three children could work to save the faithful from the fires of damnation. The last and most telling was a vision depicting the death of the Pope and of various religious figures. More than anything, this last vision had the Vatican in a tizzy. Despite Lúcia’s insistent request that the information be made public by 1960 or as he phrased it, “At which time it would be better understood”, the Church kept the controversial third secret under wraps until 2000. Even so, there is speculation that what the Vatican released was a deception brought about by various Catholic notables, attempting to cover up the true Secret that the three cousins witnessed. Perhaps we might never know.
Conspiracy and intrigues aside, many pilgrims were drawn to Fátima to witness the last of the miracles, which, as the children were informed, would take place on October 13, 1917. In the years that followed, the town grew as the tale spread. First a simple shrine was erected, along with a hostel for the sick and infirmed. Later, in 1928, the modern basilica was erected on the site of the children’s visions. Now officially declared by the Papacy as “worthy of belief”, the miracles of Our Lady of Fátima are the impetus behind multiple festivals that last from May 13th to the October 13th, the greatest of which take place on those days in particular – marked as the anniversaries of the original miracles.
Fátima is now a thriving town about 76 miles north of Lisbon. Perhaps as is appropriate, the majority of the once poverty-stricken Fátima’s trade comes from religious tourism. Pilgrims will flock to the area for as long as the legend of the Marian visions persists, and on festival days, vendors and booths abound with holy trinkets and baubles to sell. Noted as the most important pilgrimage in its region, the town sees well over a million faithful every year. The basilica, where two of the three cousins are interred is a wondrous sight to behold, though entrance to the sacred house of worship is denied to all but the most pious. Hotels, hostels and restaurants have sprung up to serve the masses, providing great comfort as well as affordable and tasty authentic Portuguese cuisine.
For the faithful or the simply curious, the town of Fátima offers a unique view into the church, its beliefs and its worshipers. More than anything Fátima, and its immense cultural attraction, is proof that a hope for peace (the original message behind the purported visions) remains a worldly ideal.
August 23 2010 11:06 am | Uncategorized