Secrets of Fatima
The Third Secret is Revealed

The apparitions of the Blessed Mother at Fatima were preceded by three apparitions by an angel to three peasant children in 1916. In 1917 the Blessed Mother appeared six times to the three young peasant children. At the time of the apparitions, the devastating First World War was still being fought in Europe. On May 13th of 1917 in Fatima, Portugal, the Blessed Mother appeared and spoke to the three children as they tended their sheep. The three children were: Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta who were 10, 9 and 7 years old respectively (see photograph).

Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta (1916-17)

The Blessed Mother returned again each month on the 13th from June to October. The children endured disbelief from their family and pastor, were ridiculed and even spat upon by some neighbors and were jailed and threaten with death by the atheistic, socialistic, civil authorities. Lucia was sternly treated by her strict, unbelieving mother. Yet, in spite of an overwhelming and intimidating situation, they did not change their testimony of the apparitions of the Blessed Mother.

Each month, increasing numbers of people came to be with the children. At the July apparition the children asked the Blessed Mother to give a sign to make people believe the apparitions. The Blessed Mother promised to them a great public miracle in October.

On October 13, 1917, the crowds had increased to 70,000. Many newspaper reporters and photographers were there to record the miracle or prove the children were lying. The crowd was standing in the relentless, pouring rain with mud up to their ankles. Many were praying the Rosary as the Blessed Mother made her final appearance to the children and told them: "I am the Lady of the Rosary, I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask for pardon for their sins. They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is already too grievously offended by the sins of men. People must say the Rosary. Let them continue saying it everyday.”

As Our Lady was about to leave she pointed to the sun. The rain had stopped and the clouds parted and the sun began to whirl in the sky, scattering rays of multicolored light lighting up the entire countryside. The sun whirled for three minutes, stopped and, then, resumed again a second and third time lasting a total of twelve minutes. The sun spun faster each time and at the end seemed to tear itself from the sky and began plunging to earth. Many in the crowd thought that it was the end of the world!

The crowd was on their knees, terrified, asking pardon for their sins. Just then the miracle ended, the sun returned to its normal position and the rain soaked earth and people's clothes were now dry. There were many reported healings. The Portugal newspaper reporters gave long and detailed accounts but newspapers in most other countries ignored the story (see photograph of some of the many witnesses to the miracle of the sun).

To underscore the urgency and truth of her messages, in July of 1917, Our Lady foretold the following future worldwide events that would occur if people do not stop offending God:

World War II

"The war ... [World War I was still raging] ... is going to end. But if people do not stop offending God, another and worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI... [the Pope from 1922 to 1939] ... When you shall see a night illuminated by an unknown light” [on January 25-26, 1938 from 9 PM to 2 AM there appeared over the Northern Hemisphere a very unusual light that scared many people. The New York Times devoted almost an entire page to the event. Scientists attributed it to an exceptional aurora borealis], "know that this is the great sign that God gives you that He is going to punish the world for its many crimes by means of war, hunger and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father.” [Within two months of the sign, in March of 1938, Hitler invaded his first country, Austria].

The Future of Russia

In July of 1917, Russia was a poor, militarily weak and war devastated nation. The Communists took power by surprise in November of 1917 yet the Blessed Mother told the children: "If my requests are.....not granted, she [Russia] will scatter her errors throughout the world, provoking wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, and various nations will be destroyed.” Our Lady later said, "Russia will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world.”

The Third Secret

There was an unknown part of the Fatima message, referred to as the "Third Secret” that had never been revealed until June 2000. It was given for the Pope to open in 1960. Pope John XXIII did read the message but ecclesiastical authorities decided not to reveal it to the general public. On May 13, 2000, Pope John Paul II announced that the secret would be released along with a commentary by the Vatican. This was done in June 2000 and the secret and commentary can be found at the Vatican Web site and at the Web Site of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN).

The Messages of Fatima:

In the following paragraphs, the angel's and Our Lady's messages at Fatima are presented in chronological order.

The Angel's Visits of 1916

Spring of 1916:

An angel appeared to the three children as they were pasturing their sheep. The angel said, "Fear not, I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me.” The angel knelt on the ground and recited this prayer three times as the children repeated it after him, "O my God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee.”

Summer of 1916:

The angel appeared again and said, "Pray, Pray a great deal. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices continually to the Most High. Make everything you do a sacrifice, and offer it as an act of reparation for the sins by which God is offended, and as a petition for the conversion of sinners. Bring peace to our country in this way ... I am the Guardian Angel of Portugal. Accept and bear with submission all the sufferings the Lord will send you.”

Fall of 1916:

The angel appeared to the children and prostrated himself on the ground before a vision of a chalice and host and said, "Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.”

The Messages of 1917

Sunday, May 13, 1917:

Accompanied by two bright flashes of light, Our Lady appeared in a radiant light to the children and said, "Do not be afraid. I will do you no harm.”

Lucia asked, "Where are you from?”

Our Lady responded, "I am from Heaven.”

Lucia asked, "What do you want of us?”

Our Lady responded, "I came to ask you to come here on the thirteenth day for six months at this same time, and then I will tell you who I am and what I want. And afterwards, I will return here a seventh time.”

Lucia asked, "Will I go to Heaven?”

Our Lady said, "Yes, you will.”

Lucia asked, "And Jacinta?”

Our Lady responded, "She also.”

Lucia asked, "And Francisco? Will he go to Heaven too?”

Our Lady said, "Yes, but first he must say many rosaries.”

Lucia then asked of the fate of two girls who had recently died. Our Lady told her one was already in Heaven and that the other would be "in Purgatory until the end of the world.”

Our Lady then asked, "Would you like to offer yourselves to God to accept all the sufferings which He may send to you in reparation for the countless sins by which He is offended and in supplication for the conversion of sinners?”

Lucia said yes for all three. Our Lady then said, "Then you will have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort.”

The children were stirred deep in their spirits and then cried out, "O Most Holy Trinity I adore Thee. My God, my God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament.”

Our Lady then asked the children to recite the Rosary every day and then rose in a cloud into the sky.

Wednesday, June 13, 1917:

Our Lady appears to the children. A few dozen curious people are with the children. The crowd sees only a small white cloud hovering over the shrub where Our Lady is appearing to the children.

Lucia said, "My Lady, what do you want of me?”

Our Lady responded, "I want you to come on the thirteenth day of next month and to pray the Rosary every day and I want you to learn to read.”

Lucia asked for the cure of a sick person. Our Lady said, "If she is converted, she will be cured within a year.”

Lucia said, "I want you to take us to Heaven.”

Our Lady replied, "Yes, I will take Francisco and Jacinta soon, but you must remain on earth for some time. Jesus wishes to use you to make me better known and loved. He wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.”

Lucia said, "Must I stay here all alone?”

Our Lady responded, "No, my child, and would that make you suffer? Do not be disheartened. My Immaculate Heart will never abandon you, but will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”

Our Lady opened her hands and the children were overwhelmed in their spirits by God's presence and goodness. Our Lady then rose into the sky. The crowd saw the little cloud of light drift away and also saw that the leaves of the scrub were bent as if Our Lady's garments had trailed over them.

Saturday, July 13, 1917:

Some 5,000 people joined the children in the field that day. As the children were praying the Rosary, a little white cloud descended. Our Lady appeared only to the children but bystanders sensed that something unusual was taking place.

Seeing Our Lady, Lucia asked, "What do you want of me?”

Our Lady responded, "I want you to come on the thirteenth day of next month and to continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war for she alone can help.”

Lucia said, "I would like to ask who you are and to perform a miracle so that people will believe that you are appearing to us.”

Our Lady replied, "Continue to come here every month. In October I will tell you who I am and what I want. And I will perform a miracle so that everyone may see and believe.”

Lucia then submitted petitions and prayer requests for Our Lady to present to God. Our Lady gave some responses to Lucia. Lucia then said, "Yes, she wants people to recite the Rosary. People must recite the Rosary.”

Our Lady gravely said, "Sacrifice yourselves for sinners and say often, especially when you make some sacrifice, ‘O my Jesus, this is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.’ ”

At this point the children see a terrifying vision of Hell. [This vision was so real that the children later made severe sacrifices for the salvation of sinners.] Our Lady responded to the vision with sadness and tenderness, "You saw Hell where the souls of poor sinners go. In order to save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If people do what I ask, many souls will be saved and there will be peace.

"The war is going to end. But if people do not stop offending God, another, even worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI. When you shall see a night illuminated by an unknown light know that this is the great sign that God gives you that He is going to punish the world for its many crimes by means of war, hunger, and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father. To prevent it, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of reparation on the first Saturdays.

"If people attend to my requests, Russia will be converted and the world will have peace. If not, she [Russia] will scatter her errors throughout the world, provoking wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, and various nations will be destroyed.

"In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me; it will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world. In Portugal the dogmas of the Faith will always be kept” [at this point Lucia and Jacinta are given the Third Secret that was eventually given to the Pope but has yet to be publicly revealed]. "Do not tell this to anyone. Francisco ... yes, you may tell him” [Lucia and Jacinta both saw and heard Our Lady but Francisco only saw the apparitions]. "When you say the Rosary, say after each mystery: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need.”

After a pause, Lucia asked, "Do you want anything more of me?”

Our Lady replied, "No, today I want nothing else of you.”

Lucia then stood and pointing to the sky said, "There she goes! There she goes!. Now you can't see her anymore.”

Monday, August 13, 1917:

A crowd of around 15,000 had gathered in the field when they heard that the children were just kidnapped by the civil authorities. The crowd was getting angry about the news, and then suddenly there was a loud, frightful clap of thunder and a blinding flash of light and then a small, brilliant white cloud descend to where the children met Our Lady in the previous apparitions. The cloud remained for a few minutes and then rose to the heavens.

A supernatural light remained. There was also a heavenly fragrance of flowers that people experienced. Our Lady had made her presence known even though the children could not be there. The children were released later that day after enduring hostile treatment and threats of death by the civil authorities.

Sunday, August 19, 1917:

Our Lady appeared to the children while they were pasturing their sheep. She urged the children to continue coming on the thirteenth of the month and to pray the Rosary every day. She repeated her promise of the miracle on October 13th but that it would be "less great” because of the treatment of the children.

Our Lady further said, "Pray, pray a great deal and make many sacrifices for many souls go to Hell because they have no one to make sacrifices and to pray for them.” She also said that in October, "St. Joseph too will come with the Holy Child to bring peace to the world. Our Lord will also come to bless the people. Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Sorrows will come too.” The vision then rose in a cloud of light and disappeared.

Thursday, September 13, 1917:

The crowd has now grown to more than 30,000. Many people see the small white cloud descend to the children. They also saw what looked like a rain of colorful rose petals which vanished when reaching the ground. Lucia cried out, "You must pray!” and thousands of pilgrims fell to their knees praying.

Lucia asked Our Lady, "What do you want of me?”

Our Lady replied, "Continue to pray the Rosary every day in order to obtain the end of the war. In October Our Lord will come, and Our Lady of Sorrows and of Mount Carmel and St. Joseph with the Child Jesus to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices, but He does not want you to sleep with the rope on; wear it only during the day.”

Lucia said, "People have begged me to ask you many things. The cure of some sick persons, of a deaf mute ...”

Our Lady replied, "Some I will cure, others not. In October I shall perform a miracle so that everyone may believe.”

Lucia then rose and said, "If you wish to see her look in that direction." People could see the small white cloud ascending into the sky.”

Saturday, October 13, 1917:

More than 70,000 people, both believers and critics, had gathered in the field in terrible rainy weather. Many newspaper reporters and photographers were there to record the miracle or prove the children were lying. The crowd was standing in the relentless, pouring rain with mud up to their ankles. Many were praying the Rosary. Suddenly Lucia cried out, "Put down your umbrellas everyone!” To Jacinta and Francisco she said, "Kneel down. Our Lady is coming! I have seen the flash!” Lucia then said to Our Lady, "What do you want of me?”

Our Lady replied, "I am the Lady of the Rosary, I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask for pardon for their sins. They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is already too grievously offended by the sins of men. People must say the Rosary. Let them continue saying it everyday.”

She also said, "I would like a chapel built here in my honor.” She added that "the war will end soon” and that the soldiers would not be long in returning to their homes.

As Our Lady was about to leave she pointed to the sun and Lucia cried out, "Look at the sun!” The rain had stopped and the black clouds parted and the sun began to whirl in the sky, scattering rays of multicolored light and lighting up the entire countryside. The sun whirled for three minutes, stopped and, then, resumed again a second and third time lasting a total of twelve minutes. The sun spun faster each time and at the end seemed to tear itself from the sky and began plunging to earth.

The crowd was on their knees, terrified, asking pardon for their sins fearing that the end of the world was at hand. At the last moment the sun halted its descent and returned to its normal position. The miracle ended with the rain soaked earth and people's clothes now being completely dry. There were many reported healings. The miracle was seen over a 600 square mile area. The Portugal newspaper reporters gave long and detailed accounts but newspapers in most other countries ignored the story.

As the crowd was witnessing the miracle of the sun, the children saw visions of the Holy Family, Jesus, Joseph and Mary. They also saw Our Lord carrying His cross with His Mother, Our Lady of Sorrows. Lucia also saw Our Lady of Mount Carmel who signifies the triumph over suffering.

After the Miracle of the Sun

In December of 1918, Francisco became sick with Spanish influenza. Soon afterwards, Jacinta also became ill with influenza and later pleurisy. Francisco willingly accepted his suffering and offered it for the conversion of lost souls. He died on April 4, 1919. He had grown so much spiritually since the first apparition.

Jacinta also willingly accepted her suffering. She still vividly remembered the suffering souls in Hell in the vision of July 13, 1917 and was willing to endure much suffering to save souls. Jacinta's health deteriorated throughout 1919. At the end of that year she was moved to a hospital in Lisbon. Jacinta died in Lisbon on February 20, 1920.

In 1921 Lucia left Fatima to attend a convent school in Vilar were she could grow up as a normal child, insulated from all the attention created by the apparitions. In 1925 she entered the Order of St. Dorothy at Tuy, Spain. Sister Lucia remains in a convent to this day.

Additional Visions of Jacinta

Our Lady appeared to Jacinta several times between December 1919 and February 1920. Our Lady told her many things including:

"The sins of the world are very great ... If men only knew what eternity is, they would do everything in their power to change their lives.”

"You must pray much for sinners and priests and religious.”

"Priests must be pure, very pure. They should not busy themselves with anything except what concerns the Church and souls. The disobedience of priests and religious to their superiors and to the Holy Father gravely displeases Our Lord.”

"Fly from riches and luxury; love poverty and silence; have charity, even for bad people.”

"More souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason.”

"Certain fashions will be introduced that will offend Our Lord very much.”

"The Mother of God wants more virgin souls bound by the vow of chastity.”

"Woe to women wanting in modesty.”

"Confession is a sacrament of mercy and we must confess with joy and trust.”

"Many marriages are not of God and do not please Our Lord.”

"Let men avoid greed, lies, envy, blasphemy, impurity.”

"Never speak ill of anyone. Never complain or murmur. Be very patient, for patience leads us to Heaven.”

"Our Lady can no longer uphold the arm of her Divine Son which will strike the world. If people amend their lives, Our Lord will even now save the world, but if they do not, punishment will come.”

"If the government of a country leaves the Church in peace and gives liberty to our Holy Religion, it will be blessed by God.”

"Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Tell them to ask graces from her, and that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Ask them to plead for peace from the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the Lord has confided the peace of the world to her.”

Additional Visions of Lucia

December 10, 1925:

The Blessed Mother and the Christ Child appeared to Lucia in the convent chapel. The Christ Child spoke first, "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.”

Our Lady then said, "Look my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.”

February 15, 1926:

While Lucia was attending to her daily chores, the Child Jesus appeared and said, "And have you spread through the world what our heavenly Mother requested of you?”

Lucia replied, "My Jesus, You know very well what my confessor said to me in the letter I read to You. He told me that it was necessary for this vision to be repeated, for further happenings to prove its credibility, and he added that Mother Superior, on her own, could do nothing to propagate this devotion.”

Jesus replied, "It is true that your Superior alone can do nothing, but with My grace she can do all. It is enough that your confessor gives you permission and that your Superior speak of it, for it to be believed, even without people knowing to whom it has been revealed.”

Lucia replied, "But my confessor said in the letter that this devotion is not lacking in the world, because there are many souls who receive You on the First Saturdays, in honor of Our Lady and of the fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary.”

Jesus replied, "It is true My daughter, that many souls begin the First Saturdays, but few finish them, and those who do complete them do so in order to receive the graces that are promised thereby. It would please Me more if they did Five with fervor and with the intention of making reparation to the Heart of your heavenly Mother, than if they did Fifteen, in a tepid and indifferent manner....”

Lucia placed before Jesus the difficulty that some people had about confessing on Saturdays, and asked that if it might be valid to go to confession within eight days.

Jesus replied, "Yes, and it could be longer still, provided that, when they receive Me, they are in the state of grace and have the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

Lucia asked, "My Jesus, what 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.”

December 17, 1927:

In prayer at Pontevedra, Spain, Lucia asked Jesus for direction concerning revealing the secrets of Our Lady's apparitions, particularly the December 10, 1925 apparition concerning the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

By means of an inner locution, Jesus told her, "My daughter, write what they... [her spiritual director] ... ask of you. Write also all that the most holy Virgin revealed to you in the Apparition in which she spoke of this devo tion. As for the remainder of the Secret, continue to keep silence.”

June 13, 1929:

While in prayer in the chapel, Lucia had a very powerful and enlightening vision of the Most Holy Trinity. Our Lady of Fatima was part of that vision.

Lucia wrote of this vision, "Suddenly the whole chapel was illuminated by a supernatural light, and above the alter appeared a cross of light, reaching to the ceiling. In a brighter light on the upper part of the cross, could be seen the face of a man and his body as far as the waist; upon his breast was a dove of light; nailed to the cross was the body of another man. A little below the waist, I could see a chalice and a large host suspended in the air, on to which drops of blood were failing 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 alter, formed the words; ‘Grace and Mercy.’”

Lucia further wrote, "I understood that it was the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity which was shown to me, and I received insights about this mystery which I am not permitted to reveal.”

Our Lady then said, "The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father, in union with all the bishops of the world, to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means. There are so many souls whom the Justice of God condemns for sins committed against me, that I have come to ask reparation: sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray.”

Our Lord later said, "They did not wish to heed My request. Like the King of France, they will regret it and then do it, but it will be late. Russia will already have spread her errors throughout the world, provoking wars and persecutions against the Church. The Holy Father will have much to suffer.”

Undated, 1933:

Our Lord communicated to Lucia that He was displeased that His requests had not been attended to.

Undated but prior to May 18, 1936:

In response to Lucia's question as to why He would not convert Russia without the Holy Father making the consecration, Our Lord replied, "Because I want My whole Church to acknowledge that consecration as a triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary so that it may extend its cult later on and put the devotion of the Immaculate Heart besides the devotion to My Sacred Heart.”

Lucia answered, "But my God, the Holy Father probably will not believe me unless You Yourself move him with a special inspiration.”

Our Lord answered, "The Holy Father, pray much for the Holy Father. He will do it, but it will be late. Nevertheless, the Immaculate Heart of Mary will save Russia. It has been entrusted to her.”




What can I do to respond to Our Lady’s messages at Fatima?

The following answer is from pages 25 and 26 of "Our Lady of Fatima's Peace Plan from Heaven”, published by Tan Books and Publishers, Inc.:

1. Start by observing Our Lady's requests at Fatima:

Consecrate yourself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Offer up your daily tasks as a sacrifice in reparation for your own sins and the sins of others.
Say the Rosary every day.
Wear the Brown scapular as a sign of personal consecration to Mary, and make acts of reparation to her Immaculate Heart.
Make the 5 First Saturdays with the attendant 15 minutes of meditation on the Mysteries of the Rosary in company with Mary.
Make visits to the Blessed Sacrament in reparation for sins against her Immaculate Heart.
Do extra penances and say extra prayers for the conversion of sinners.
2. Begin today to reform your life completely and to orient it towards God. Determine with God's grace, to become a saint. Engage in spiritual reading every day.

3. Distribute extra copies of "Our Lady of Fatima's Peace Plan from Heaven.” It is a brief but complete statement on Fatima.

4. Ask Our Lady to guide you in your vocation and to give you an apostolate suitable to your station in life.

5. Say the prayers taught by Our Lady and the Angel at Fatima.