Lesser Known Facts about the Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima

Most of us know the basics about the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, such as Mary appearing six times, once a month from May to October, to three little shepherd children. We may know she told us to pray the rosary, and that she showed a vision of hell to the children, showing them the necessity of prayer, but here are a few things you may not know about the apparitions...

1. In every single apparition, Mary said we should pray the rosary daily for peace in the world.

2. The miracle of the sun, which happened on October 13th, was witnessed by over 70,000 people, including atheist doctors and scientists who went to disprove the apparitions and left unable to explain what they had seen and experienced.

3. Jacinta, who died at 9 years old, shortly after the apparitions, is incorrupt. They exhumed her body September 13, 1935 and found her preserved without corruption.

4. Mary prophesied that world war I would end (which was happening at the time), but she told the children that is people don't cease offending God that a worse war would break out during the pontificate of Pius XI. There was no Pope Pius XI at the time... A few years later Pope Pius XI was elected and just several years after that World War II broke out.

5. At the climax of the miracle of the sun on October 13, Mary appeared in the sky a final time as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, with the brown scapular. Lucia later said that the brown scapular, a sign of consecration to Mary’s Immaculate Heart, and the rosary are equally part of the message of our lady of Fatima.

   
   
   
   

   There is so much more to the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, but here are just a few simple ones. On this feast of Our Lady, let us reflect on the importance of intercessory prayer and Mary's call to pray the Rosary daily, and wear her Scapular.