Days 02, 03 of 14 . Sun, Mon Oct 06, 07.

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"I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue always to pray the Rosary every day"

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LIFE and TIME of the 3 Seers FRANCISCO & JACINTA MARTO, LUCY DOS SANTOS

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______________________BACKGROUND_____________________

Portugal so mysteriously fit into the picture.

There reputedly was supernatural activity centuries before the Fatima apparitions. As far back as the 1100s, an impoverished young girl from the nearby hamlet of Reguengo do Fetal reported an apparition of what historians record as the Blessed Mother, and in the 14th century another woman in the vicinity encountered Mary in a vision that won the bishop's approval -- 600 years before Lucia and her two cousins, Francisco and Jacinta, saw the Blessed Mother at the Cova da Iria.

In the same area around the same time a third marvel was recorded as a knight named Nuno and his men claimed to see angels, and a deaf girl claimed a vision of the Madonna just a mile and a half from where Lucia would see Mary centuries later.

The apparitions at Cova da Iris occurred during Portugal's First Republic (1911-1926) during which time the church had lost many of its properties and anticlerical feelings were festering around the country. In 1911 the head of state, Alfonso Costa, had even promised to wipe out Catholicism 'within two generations'. The apparitions were therefore was to counter the twin threats of secularization and the decline of religious piety, a resistance to communist political movements. In the later years of the 20th century, the Vatican and Pope John Paul II, who particularly loves Marian shrines, have continued to accentuate the popularity of Fatima and other Marian shrines in the growing secular European culture.

The great fame of Fatima, with more than 2 million pilgrims arriving a year, not however due to the dogma and support or church, by rather that Fatima holds in the hearts and minds of the common people of Portugal, Spain, France and the world. On May 13, commemorating the day of the first apparition, and on October 13, the day of the final apparition, 500,000 pilgrims will crowd into the great square in front of the basilica. During these times there is an atmosphere of extremely passionate religious devotion. In addition to the basilica and its plaza, pilgrims will visit the Chapel of the Apparitions (Capelinha das Aparicoes), the shrine of Valinhos, where Mary appeared for the fourth time and, two kilometers distant, the house of the 'little shepherds'.

On May 12, 1982 Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to Fatima and expressed thanks to Mary for saving his life during an assassination attempt the previous year. Incorporated into the crown of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima is the bullet removed from the Pope after he had been shot. On May 13th of 2000, the Pope again visited Fatima and this time revealed that part of the so-called "third secret of Fatima" was that Mary had prophesized the1981 assassination attempt and revealed this in her apparition to Lucia in 1917.


___________________FULLFILLMENT of FATIMA MESSAGE________________

1. The Miracle of the Sun: Occurred at precisely the moment Lucia said it would. More than 70,000 people, including Masons, communists and atheists, saw the sun, contrary to all cosmic laws, twirl in the sky, throw off colors and descend to earth. The event was reported in newspapers around the world, including the New York Times.

2. All of the Popes since the Fatima Miracle have recognized that the Message is authentic. Several Popes have gone to Fatima in person, including Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II. John Paul II said at Fatima in 1982 that "the Message of Fatima imposes an obligation on the Church."

3. Many other miracles have been performed by God authenticating the Fatima Message as coming from Him, not only at the time of the Miracle of the Sun, October 13, 1917, but down the years to the present day, miracles of conversions and cures which science cannot explain by natural means.

4. The Message of Fatima accurately predicted world events, which proves that it is a true prophecy.

_____________________THE FATIMA PROPHESY______________

The Message of Fatima accurately predicted in 1917 all of the following events which came to pass:
1. The end of World War I.

2. The emergence of Russia as a world power which would "spread its errors (including Communism) throughout the world ... raising up wars and persecutions against the Church";

3. The election of a Pope who would be named Pius XI;

4. The waging of a World War II following a strange light in the night sky.

The Message of Fatima also predicted that if the requests of the Virgin Mary at Fatima are not honored, many souls will be lost, "the Holy Father will have much to suffer", there will be further wars and persecutions of the Church and "various nations will be annihilated." The annihilation of nations predicted at Fatima has not yet occurred, but many fear that it will soon happen, given the growing immorality and corruption of the world.

____________________________MESSAGE___________________________

The Message of Fatima consists of a number of precise predictions, requests, warnings and promises concerning the Faith and the world which were conveyed first by the Angel Apparition precluding to the messages of the Blessed Virgin Mary later to three shepherd children--Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco--in a series of apparitions at Fatima, Portugal from May to October 1917.

The Message of Fatima in no way differs from that proclaimed by Christ in the Gospel:
O Unless you repent, you will all likewise perished (Luke 13,3).
O Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation (Matt. 26,41).
In Fatima, we have the same exhortation: Prayer and Penance.


___________________THE APPARITIONS OF THE ANGEL____________________

The appirations of the Angel did prepare the children of unforseen, and untold summon with the Blessed Mother 6 months later after the third and last apparition, very much like John the Baptist as the forerunner to make straight the way for the Lord. The appiration locations were in the backyard of the Lucia's and on the walkway to the Fatima hill as the children herded their sheeps through the area.

_____First Apparition, Spring of 1916_____
"I am the Angel of Peace"

The Angel said to the little shepherds: 'Do not be afraid. I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me: My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You'. This prayer was recited-three times. 'Pray thus, the Angel added, 'The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications...'

_____Second Apparition, Summer of 1916_____
"Pray very much!"

The Angel drew near to the little shepherds and said: 'What are you doing? Pray! Pray very much! Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High'.

_____Third Apparition, Autumn of 1916_____
"The Angel taught the little shepherds the prayer..."
"....At the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world."

The Angel taught the little shepherds the prayer to the Most Holy Trinity, and recited it with them six times during the apparition.


___________________THE APPIRATIONS OF OUR LADY_____________________

_____First Apparition, 13th May 1917_____
"Pray the Rosary every day."

When Lucia asked Our Lady if Francisco would go to heaven, she replied: 'He will go there too, but he must say many Rosaries.' And the Mother of the Saviour also insisted: 'Pray the Rosary every day'.

The three children were tending their sheep in a place called Cova da Iria when a flash of lightning drew their attention to a Lady standing on the top of a small holm oak tree. She was all dressed in white and more brilliant than a crystal glass filled with sparkling water, when the rays of the burning sun shine through it. The Lady told them that she was from heaven and that she would appear there on six successive months, on the 13 th day of each month at the same hour. Lucia asked our Lady if they would go to heaven and the Lady replied that all three of them would go to heaven, but that Francisco had to say many Rosaries. Then, Our Lady asked the children: �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? 'When the three little Shepherds respond that they were willing to follow her request, she said: 'Then you are going to have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort'.

The Ladys message for the children on that day was to pray the rosary every day during the war. Then she began to rise serenely, going towards the east, until she disappeared in the immensity of space.


_____Second Apparition, 13th June 1917_____
"I will take Jacinta and Francisco soon. But you are to stay here some time longer."

Our Lady urged them once more: 'Pray the Rosary every day'. The children were again present with a number of other people and had finished praying the Rosary when the Lady, once again, appeared. She told Lucia should learn to read in order to fulfil her mission to do Jesus work on earth. When Lucia asked her if she would take them to heaven, Our Lady replied: I will take Jacinta and Francisco soon. But you are to stay here some time longer. Jesus wishes to make use of you to make me known and loved. He wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart_s. She consoled Lucia with the thought that she would be forsaken and that the Ladys Immaculate Heart would always be there for her. Then she opened Her hands and communicated to the little children some rays of light. The children saw themselves in this light, as it were, immersed in God. Jacinta and Francisco seemed to be in that part of the light which rose towards heaven and Lucia in that which was poured out on the earth. In front of the palm of Our Ladys right hand was a heart encircled by thorns which pierced it. It was the Immaculate Heart of Mary, outraged by sins of humanity, and seeking reparation.


_____Third Apparition, 13th July 1917_____
'You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them,..."

The word of the apparitions has caused a crowd to gather and about 4000 people were present when the Lady appeared with the words. The Lady promised to make known her identity and to perform a miracle for all to see in the future. She told the children: Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say many times, especially whenever you make some sacrifices: O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Marys. Then, she opened Her hands and gave the children a vision of hell which awaited unrepentant sinners. The three little shepherds saw a sea of fire and plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified the children and made them terrible fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. That vision was captured, much later, by the celebrated artist Salvatore Dali in his famous painting "Vision of Hell". The Lady told the children: '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'.

She also said: 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, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated. At the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world. Our Lady finished Her speech with the following request: "When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need". Then she disappeared.


_____Fourth Apparition, 19th August 1917_____
"At Valinhos, Our Lady promised to make a miracle in the last month, so that all may believe."

The news of the apparitions had reached the civil authorities and the children were under arrest by the regional administrator. This was in the context of the banishment of the Catholic Church by the civil authorities and followed an intensive effort by the Church authorities to suppress the children's story. At one point the children were threatened by the civil authorities with being boiled in oil if they did not recant. They refused and offered to suffer the proffered punishment. The children were released after August 13 th, and on August 19 th, they, once again, saw the Lady at a place called Valinhos. At this time, Our Lady promised to make a miracle in the last month, so that all may believe. She told the children to take the money being left in the Cova da Iria by the people and to build a chapel. They were also instructed to continue praying for the conversion of sinners with the following words:
'Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them'.


_____Fifth Apparition, 13th September 1917_____
'In October I will perform a miracle so that all may believe'.
'Continue to pray the Rosary in order to obtain the end of the war (WWI)'.

A crowd of about 30.000 people had gathered. Many people tried to reach the children, throwing themselves on their knees and begging the little shepherds to place their petitions before Our Lady. During the praying of the Rosary, Our Lady appeared and left the following message:
'Continue to pray the Rosary in order to obtain the end of the war. In October, Our Lord will come, as well as Our Lady of Dolors and Our Lady of Carmel. Saint Joseph will appear with the child Jesus to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices. He does not want you to sleep with the rope on, but only wear it during the daytime'. She also promised: 'In October I will perform a miracle so that all may believe'.
'Continue to pray the Rosary in order to obtain the end of the war'.


_____Sixth Apparition, 13th October 1917_____
"Do not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is already so much offended."
"During the miracle of the sun, many present fell in the mud and water, believing..."

An estimated crowd of 70,000 people gathered in a rainstorm for the promised apparition. Among the crowd were many who did not believe and the members of the secular press who were there to report on the event. During the praying of the Rosary, Our Lady appeared and made Herself known as the Lady of the Rosary. She instructed the children to pray the Rosary every day and to build there a chapel in Her honour. She also said: 'Do not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is already so much offended'. Then, She opened her hands and made them reflect on the sun, and as she ascended, the reflection of her own light continued to be projected on the sun itself. During the miracle of the sun, many present fell in the mud and water, believing that the end of the world was taking place. Many later reported that despite being covered in mud, they were dry and free of mud when they arose. Rose petals fell from the sky only to dissipate upon being touched by those present. After Our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of the firmament, the children beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus appeared to bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the Cross with their hands. When this apparition disappeared, the children saw Our Lord and Our Lady of Dolors. Our Lord appeared to bless the world in the same manner as St. Joseph had done. This vision also vanished, making place for the vision of our Lady of Carmel.
'I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue always to pray the Rosary every day'.

___________________The Apparitions at Pontevedra and Tuy_____________________
"Our Lady informed Lucia ...of her desire for the Consecration of Russia.", Secret Fatima

Afterwards, when Lucia was a Religious Sister of Saint Dorothy, Our Lady appeared to her again in Spain, in the Convent of Pontevedra, on the 10 th December 1925. By her side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was a Child. The most holy Virgin rested her hand on Lucias shoulder, and as she did so, she showed her a heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand. At the same time, the Child said: Have compassion on the Heart of your most holy Mother, covered with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to make an act of reparation to remove them. Then the most holy Virgin requested the devotion of the Five First Saturdays. The request consisted in: praying the Rosary, meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, confessing and receiving Holy Communion, in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

On February 15, 1926, the Infant Jesus appeared to Lucia again, asking her if she had already spread the devotion to his most holy Mother. Lucia placed before Jesus the difficulty that some people had about confessing on Saturday, and asked that it might be valid to go to Confession within eight days. Jesus answered: Yes, and it could be longer still, provided that, when they receive Me, they are in the state of grace and have intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Asked about those who forget to make this intention, Jesus replied: They can do so at their next Confession, taking advantage of the first opportunity to go to Confession.

The last vision was granted to Sister Lucia on June 13, 1929 in the Convent of Tuy, Spain. Sister Lucia was alone in the Chapel, at night, praying the Prayers of the Angel, when suddenly the whole chapel was illumined by a supernatural light, and above the altar appeared a cross of light, reaching to the ceiling. In a brighter light on the upper part of the cross, the face of a man and his body as far as the waist could be seen. Upon his breast was a dove of light and nailed to the cross was the body of another man. A little below the waist, Sister Lucia saw a chalice and a large host suspended in the air, on to which drops of blood were falling from the face of Jesus Crucified and from the wound in his side. These drops ran down on to the host and fell into the chalice. Beneath the right arm of the cross was Our Lady and in her hand was her Immaculate Heart. (It was Our Lady of Fatima, with her Immaculate Heart in her left hand, without sword or roses, but with a crown of thorns and flames). Under the left arm of the cross, large letters, as if of crystal clear water which ran down upon the altar, formed these words: Grace and Mercy. Sister Lucia understood that it was the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity which was shown to her. It was at that time that Our Lady informed Lucia that the moment had come in which she wished Sister Lucia to make known to Holy Church her desire for the Consecration of Russia, and her promise to convert it. This request had been announced by the Apparition on 13 July 1917, in what is called the "Secret of Fatima".



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