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Add Comment The manuscript written by Sr Lucia in 1944 on the "third secret of Fátima" is to be exhibited at an exhibition on "Secrecy and Revelation" which will open in the Portuguese shrine at Fátima on 30 November. Sr Lucia dos Santos was 10 years old in 1917 when the Blessed Virgin Mary reportedly appeared to her and to two young cousins, on the 13th of each month, from May to October of that year. The "third secret" was only revealed on 13 May 2000. The manuscript will be on loan from the Vatican. Fátima has since become one of the leading Marian shrines in the world, drawing millions of pilgrims every year, from all over the world, including every pope since Paul VI, who came in 1967. Some interpreted the "third secret" as having foretold the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II, which occurred on 13 May 1981 in St Peter's Square. It mentions the murder of "a bishop dressed in white - we had the impression that it was the Holy Father". John Paul II attributed his survival to the intervention of the Virgin of Fátima. However, the then-Cardianal Ratzinger wrote a theological interpretation of the secret in which he stated: "A careful reading of the text of the so-called third 'secret' of Fatima (...) will probably prove disappointing or surprising after all the speculation it has stirred. No great mystery is revealed; nor is the future unveiled." He said instead "the vision speaks of dangers and how we might be saved from them". http://www.thetablet.co.uk/latest-news/5824  Holy Mary Virgin of Fatima, with renewed gratitude for your maternal presence we join our voice to that of all the generations who call you blessed. We celebrate in you the works of God, who never tires of looking down with mercy upon humanity, afflicted with the wound of sin, to heal it and save it. Accept with the benevolence of a Mother the act of consecration that we perform today with confidence, before this image of you that is so dear to us. We are certain that each of us is precious in your eyes and that nothing of all that lives in our hearts is unknown to you. We let ourselves be touched by your most sweet regard and we welcome the consoling caress of your smile. Hold our life in your arms: bless and strengthen every desire for good; revive and nourish faith; sustain and enlighten hope; awaken and animate charity; guide all of us along the path of holiness. Teach us your own preferential love for the little and the poor, for the excluded and the suffering, for sinners and the downhearted: bring everyone under your protection and entrust everyone to your beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus. Amen. http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/vaticano-vatican-maria-mary-28561/ On Saturday, October 13, 1917 about 70,000 people, both believers and critics, Catholics and non-Catholics, had gathered in the muddy field in drenching downpours of fierce rain. 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. 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 of the Sun 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 three 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. From all of the movies that have been made about Fatima, I believe this is the best one ever made. You will watch it more than once. Two Witnesses "We looked easily at the sun, which for some reason did not blind us. It seemed to flicker on and off, first one way, then another. It cast its rays in many directions and painted everything in different colors--- the trees, the people, the air and the ground. But what was most extraordinary, I thought, was that the sun did not hurt our eyes. Everything was still and quiet, and everyone was looking up. Then at a certain moment, the sun appeared to stop spinning. It then began to move and to dance in the sky until it seemed to detach itself from its place and fall upon us. It was a terrible moment." (The Father of Jacinta and Francesco) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "I was only nine years old at this time, and I went to the local village school. At about midday we were surprised by the shouts and cries of some men and women who were passing in the street in front of the school. The teacher, a good, pious woman, though nervous and impressionable, was the first to run into the road, with the children after her. Outside, the people were shouting and weeping and pointing to the sun, ignoring the agitated questions of the schoolmistress. It was the great Miracle, which one could see quite distinctly from the top of the hill where my village was situated---the Miracle of the sun, accompanied by all its extraordinary phenomena. I feel incapable of describing what I saw and felt. I looked fixedly at the sun, which seemed pale and did not hurt the eyes. Looking like a ball of snow revolving on itself, it suddenly seemed to come down in a zigzag, menacing the earth. Terrified, I ran and hid myself among the people, who were weeping and expecting the end of the world at any moment. Near us was an unbeliever who had spent the morning mocking at the simpletons who had gone off to Fátima just to see an ordinary girl. He now seemed to be paralyzed, his eyes fixed on the sun. Afterwards he trembled from head to foot and lifting up his arms fell on his knees in the mud, crying out to our Lady. Meanwhile the people continued to cry out and to weep, asking God to pardon their sins. We all ran to the two chapels in the village, which were soon filled to overflowing. During those long moments of the solar prodigy, objects around us turned all the colors of the rainbow. We saw ourselves blue, yellow, red, etc. All these strange phenomena increased the fears of the people. After about ten minutes the sun, now dull and pallid, returned to its place. When the people realized that the danger was over, there was an explosion of joy, and everyone joined in thanksgiving and praise to our Lady." (Fr. Ignacio Lorenco-he was 11 miles away from the site) (http://www.ewtn.com/fatima/apparitions/October.htm) | 
UPCOMING PILGRIMMAGE
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