In this article, discover the story of the three children who witnessed the apparition of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, as well as the testimony of Father Jean-Luc Blanchette, who accompanied a group of pilgrims to this sanctuary.
Since my earliest childhood, I have heard about this major Marian pilgrimage site in Portugal, one of the most visited in the world. I knew very little about the history of this place and the three young children who were the seers during the apparitions. The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima was set by the Holy See on May 13th, the anniversary of the first apparition, May 13, 1917.
What has always intrigued my curiosity and fueled my fascination are the three famous secrets revealed by Mary to the children, kept hidden for nearly a century. Who has not heard the rumor of a Pope reading the third secret and uttering a long sigh: “Poor Canada!”? Enough to captivate the imagination… All of this took on a different meaning as I prepared to accompany a group of pilgrims there in September 2018, one year after the centenary of the apparitions.
The story of the 3 children who witnessed the apparition in Fatima
What personally drew my interest during my preparation was the story of the three children: Lucia (10) Dos Santos, Francisco (9), and Jacinta (7) Marto. The latter two were canonized by Pope Francis on May 13, 2017, the centenary of the first apparition. What touches me most is their very simple life. In 1917, Fatima was a rural parish of 200 inhabitants, scattered among about forty hamlets. The inhabitants were peasants constantly working poor soil. Everyone contributed to the daily labor. Children were generally tasked with tending the flocks.
In the hamlet of Aljustrel, which had 25 houses, lived the Dos Santos and Marto families. To help their parents, the children took part in the family work by herding sheep around the hamlet. I have fond memories of visiting this little hamlet, the two family homes of the seers, and the walk from the hamlet to the great Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. I felt as though I was walking in the footsteps of the little shepherds…
The Virgin Mary addressed her message to these simple, barely educated children. When she spoke to them about Russia, they thought it was the name of a wicked woman! Their hearts, however, had been prepared to meet the Virgin. In the spring of 1916, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta encountered the Angel of Portugal who told them: “Do not be afraid! I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me!” Kneeling, the angel bowed his head and taught them a prayer:
“My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You. I ask Your pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You.”
He repeated this prayer three times, then, raising his head, he said: “Pray in this way. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.”
The apparitions of the Virgin occurred on May 13, June 13, July 13, August 13, September 13, and October 13, 1917. At each apparition, the Virgin Mary invited the children to recite the Rosary every day to obtain peace in the world and the end of the war. The final apparition on October 13, 1917, culminated in a crowd of 50,000 people and the famous “Miracle of the Sun.”
Visiting the Sanctuary of Fatima in Portugal
When we arrived at the esplanade of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, we were struck by the grandeur and scale of the place. It was so vast, it was almost overwhelming. The Basilica can hold several hundred people and houses the remains of the three seers. Facing it, on the other side of the esplanade, stands the Basilica of the Holy Trinity, which can accommodate 9,000 people, making it the fourth largest church in the world…
These places are truly impressive—especially during the nightly candlelight processions with hundreds of pilgrims. Members of our group even had the privilege of leading a decade of the Rosary in French during one procession. What a beautiful moment of faith, allowing us to pray to Mary in different languages, in a spirit of solidarity that was both moving and powerful.
The Virgin Mary calls us to simplicity
What touched me most was the privilege of presiding over Mass in front of the first chapel built on the site of the Virgin Mary’s apparitions. It is a small chapel made of stone and lime, covered with tiles, built by pilgrims in 1919. This simple place, like the children who saw the apparitions, moved me deeply. I felt, deep within my being, an invitation to rediscover an inner simplicity in order to fully enter into relationship with the Lord.
It is, in a sense, a path of the heart that the Virgin Mary invites me to follow to encounter her Son Jesus. I was struck by her choice of these simple, illiterate children to become her messengers. When we are connected to Christ, we all become his spokespersons in our daily lives. Our prayer for peace in the world is heard in the heart of God.
Living a pilgrimage to Fatima to rekindle one’s faith
While presiding over the Eucharist in French for our group, but in the presence of people from many different countries and languages, I saw in their attentive listening and deep faith at Communion the power of the witness we can give to others. I saw embodied the opening lines of the First Letter of Saint John:
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.”
During this Eucharist in front of the first chapel, I was also moved by the faith of people walking around the chapel several times on their knees, some with a lit candle in hand, others reciting the Rosary. This popular devotion reminded me of the simplicity of the language of the heart. There is nothing simplistic when a heart opens in trust to the Lord’s love and mercy. Many paths and ways can lead to the light of Christ, and the Virgin Mary is one of those paths.
Here, then, are some of the things I wanted to share following my experience accompanying a group of pilgrims to the great shrine of Fatima. What I experienced there lies between simplicity and splendor, smallness and grandeur, human humility and greatness of soul, youth and maturity, intimacy and radiance. I hope to return someday. After being overwhelmed during my first visit, I hope to return to deepen the great revelation of the Virgin Mary for our world today. For our prayer for peace can truly make a difference. The simple words of our hearts can always counterbalance the wars and acts of violence that humanity is still capable of…
You, Angel of Portugal, accompany us. You, Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us and with us…
Hail, Queen,
Blessed Virgin of Fatima, Lady of the Immaculate Heart, refuge and path that leads to God!
Pilgrim of the Light that comes from your hands, I give thanks to God the Father who, at all times and in all places, acts in human history;
Pilgrim of the Peace you proclaim in this place, I praise Christ, our peace, and for the world I ask for harmony among all peoples;
Pilgrim of the Hope inspired by the Spirit, I wish to be a prophet and messenger, to wash the feet of all men and women, at the one table that unites us.
By Father Jean-Luc Blanchette
Note: Discover our next pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Fatima (click here), as well as the next pilgrimage accompanied by Father Jean-Luc Blanchette (click here).
