Along with Rome, Lourdes and
Guadalupe, Fatima is the most visited country as far as religious pilgrimages
are concerned. Very much like Lourdes and Guadalupe, the quietness of this
small little village was turned upside down when the Blessed Mother appeared to
3 young children, Francisco and his sister Jacinta Marto, and Lucia dos Santos.
Nobody would believe them at first, and they were almost imprisoned for
fabricating lies. But eventually, religious leaders, priests and bishops in
Fatima, Portugal investigated the whole story and found it to be true, with the
Vatican officially proclaiming that the apparitions were believable. Francisco
and Jacinta died shortly afterwards, but Lucia became a nun and lived into the
third millennium in a monastery in Portugal, being visited by 2 Popes. A
huge basilica was built on the spot where the Blessed Mother appeared to the
children, encouraging them to pray the Rosary, and pray for the conversion of
souls. She even gave the children some well-kept secrets, which were only shown
to the reigning Popes, but we know now that they spoke about the conversion of
Russia and other tragic events that took place over the years, and other
historic events which were predicted, like the end of World War I. Thousands of
pilgrims visit Fatima every year, and the devotion to the Blessed Mother and
the Rosary spread far and wide. The prayer that is said between each decade of
the Rosary was devised after the Fatima apparition: O my Jesus forgive us our
sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially
those who have most need of thy mercy.
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