{"id":55370,"date":"2023-07-25T16:01:50","date_gmt":"2023-07-25T14:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/?p=55370"},"modified":"2024-07-24T13:41:40","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T11:41:40","slug":"fatima-english-13-25-7-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/?p=55370","title":{"rendered":"Fatima English..THE STORY OF THE APPARITIONS"},"content":{"rendered":"

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  1. THE STORY OF THE APPARITIONS<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    PROLOGUE<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    Now, Your Excellency, we come to the most difficult part of all<\/span><\/p>\n

    that you have commanded me to put in writing. First of all, Your<\/span><\/p>\n

    Excellency has expressly required of me to write about the Apparitions<\/span><\/p>\n

    of the Angel, putting down every circumstance and detail,<\/span><\/p>\n

    and even, as far as possible, their interior effects upon us. Then,<\/span><\/p>\n

    along comes Dr. Galamba to ask you to command me also to write<\/span><\/p>\n

    about the Apparitions of Our Lady.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cCommand her, Your Excellency,\u201d he said a little while ago in<\/span><\/p>\n

    Valen\u00e7a. \u201cYes, Your Excellency, command her to write everything,<\/span><\/p>\n

    absolutely everything. She\u2019ll have to do the rounds of purgatory<\/span><\/p>\n

    many a time for having kept silent about so many things!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    169<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    As for purgatory, I am not in the least afraid of it, from this point<\/span><\/p>\n

    of view. I have always obeyed, and obedience deserves neither<\/span><\/p>\n

    penalty nor punishment. Firstly, I obeyed the interior inspirations of<\/span><\/p>\n

    the Holy Spirit, and secondly, I obeyed the commands of those<\/span><\/p>\n

    who spoke to me in His name. This very thing was the first order<\/span><\/p>\n

    and counsel which God deigned to give me through Your Excellency.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Happy and content, I recalled the words I had heard long<\/span><\/p>\n

    ago from the lips of that holy priest, the Vicar of Torres Novas:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cThe secret of the King\u2019s daughter should remain hidden in the<\/span><\/p>\n

    depths of her heart.\u201d Then, beginning to penetrate their meaning,<\/span><\/p>\n

    I said: \u201cMy secret is for myself.\u201d But now, I can no longer say so.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Immolated on the altar of obedience, I say rather: \u201cMy secret belongs<\/span><\/p>\n

    to God. I have placed it in His hands; may He do with it as<\/span><\/p>\n

    best pleases Him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Dr. Galamba said then: \u201cYour Excellency, command her to say<\/span><\/p>\n

    everything, everything, and to hide nothing.\u201d And Your Excellency,<\/span><\/p>\n

    assisted most certainly by the Holy Spirit, pronounced this judgement:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cNo, I will not command that! I will have nothing to do with<\/span><\/p>\n

    matters of secrets.\u201d 10<\/span><\/p>\n

    Thanks be to God! Any other order would have been for me a<\/span><\/p>\n

    source of endless perplexities and scruples. Had I received a contrary<\/span><\/p>\n

    command, I would have asked myself, times without number:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cWhom should I obey? God or His representative?\u201d And perhaps,<\/span><\/p>\n

    being unable to come to a decision, I would have been left in a<\/span><\/p>\n

    state of real inner torment!<\/span><\/p>\n

    Then Your Excellency continued speaking in God\u2019s name: \u201cSister,<\/span><\/p>\n

    write down the Apparitions of the Angel and of Our Lady, because,<\/span><\/p>\n

    my dear Sister, this is for the glory of God and of Our Lady.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    How good God is! He is the God of peace, and it is along<\/span><\/p>\n

    paths of peace that He leads those who trust in Him.<\/span><\/p>\n

    I shall begin, then, my new task, and thus fulfil the commands<\/span><\/p>\n

    received from Your Excellency as well as the desires of Rev. Dr.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Galamba. With the exception of that part of the Secret which I am<\/span><\/p>\n

    not permitted to reveal at present, I shall say everything. I shall not<\/span><\/p>\n

    knowingly omit anything, though I suppose I may forget just a few<\/span><\/p>\n

    small details of minor importance.<\/span><\/p>\n

    .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    170<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Apparitions of the Angel<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

      Although I cannot give the exact date, it seems to me that it<\/span><\/p>\n

      was in 1915 that the first Apparition took place. As far as I can<\/span><\/p>\n

      judge, it was the Angel, although at that time he did not venture to<\/span><\/p>\n

      make himself fully known. From what I can recall of the weather, I<\/span><\/p>\n

      think that this must have happened between the months of April<\/span><\/p>\n

      and October in the year 1915.<\/span><\/p>\n

      My three companions from Casa Velha, by name Teresa<\/span><\/p>\n

      Matias and her sister Maria Rosa, and Maria Justino, were with<\/span><\/p>\n

      me on the southern slope of the Cabe\u00e7o. We were just about to<\/span><\/p>\n

      start praying the Rosary when I saw, poised in the air above the<\/span><\/p>\n

      trees that stretched down to the valley which lay at our feet, what<\/span><\/p>\n

      appeared to be a cloud in human form, whiter than snow and almost<\/span><\/p>\n

      transparent. My companions asked me what it was. I replied<\/span><\/p>\n

      that I did not know. This happened on two further occasions, but<\/span><\/p>\n

      on different days.<\/span><\/p>\n

      This Apparition made a certain impression upon me, which I<\/span><\/p>\n

      do not know how to explain. Little by little, this impression faded<\/span><\/p>\n

      away, and were it not for the events that followed, I think I would<\/span><\/p>\n

      have forgotten it completely.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The dates I cannot set down with certainty, because, at that<\/span><\/p>\n

      time, I did not know how to reckon the years, the months, or even<\/span><\/p>\n

      the days of the week. But I think it must have been in the spring of<\/span><\/p>\n

      1916 that the Angel appeared to us for the first time in our Loca do<\/span><\/p>\n

      Cabe\u00e7o.<\/span><\/p>\n

      As I have already written in my account of Jacinta, we climbed<\/span><\/p>\n

      the hillside in search of shelter. After having taken our lunch and<\/span><\/p>\n

      said our prayers, we began to see, some distance off, above the<\/span><\/p>\n

      trees that stretched away towards the east, a light, whiter than snow,<\/span><\/p>\n

      in the form of a young man, transparent, and brighter than crystal<\/span><\/p>\n

      pierced by the rays of the sun. As he drew nearer, we could distinguish<\/span><\/p>\n

      his features more and more clearly. We were surprised, absorbed,<\/span><\/p>\n

      and struck dumb with amazement.<\/span><\/p>\n

      On reaching us, he said:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cDo not be afraid. I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

      Kneeling on the ground, he bowed down until his forehead<\/span><\/p>\n

      touched the earth. Led by a supernatural impulse, we did the same,<\/span><\/p>\n

      and repeated the words which we heard him say:<\/span><\/p>\n

      171<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cMy God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon<\/span><\/p>\n

      of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and<\/span><\/p>\n

      do not love You!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

      Having repeated these words three times, he rose and said:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cPray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the<\/span><\/p>\n

      voice of your supplications.\u201d Then he disappeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The supernatural atmosphere which enveloped us was so intense,<\/span><\/p>\n

      that we were for a long time scarcely aware of our own existence,<\/span><\/p>\n

      remaining in the same posture in which he had left us, and<\/span><\/p>\n

      continually repeating the same prayer. The presence of God made<\/span><\/p>\n

      itself felt so intimately and so intensely that we did not even venture<\/span><\/p>\n

      to speak to one another. Next day, we were still immersed in<\/span><\/p>\n

      this spiritual atmosphere, which only gradually began to disappear.<\/span><\/p>\n

      It did not occur to us to speak about this Apparition, nor did we<\/span><\/p>\n

      think of recommending that it be kept secret. The very Apparition<\/span><\/p>\n

      itself imposed secrecy. It was so intimate, that it was not easy to<\/span><\/p>\n

      speak of it at all. The impression it made upon us was all the greater<\/span><\/p>\n

      perhaps, in that it was the first such manifestation that we had experienced.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The second Apparition must have been at the height of summer,<\/span><\/p>\n

      when the heat of the day was so intense that we had to take<\/span><\/p>\n

      the sheep home before noon and only let them out again in the<\/span><\/p>\n

      early evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

      We went to spend the siesta hours in the shade of the trees<\/span><\/p>\n

      which surrounded the well that I have already mentioned several<\/span><\/p>\n

      times. Suddenly, we saw the same Angel right beside us.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d he asked. \u201cPray! Pray very much! The<\/span><\/p>\n

      Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer<\/span><\/p>\n

      prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cHow are we to make sacrifices?\u201d I asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cMake of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as<\/span><\/p>\n

      an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in<\/span><\/p>\n

      supplication for the conversion of sinners. You will thus draw down<\/span><\/p>\n

      peace upon your country. I am its Angel Guardian, the Angel of<\/span><\/p>\n

      Portugal. Above all, accept and bear with submission, the suffering<\/span><\/p>\n

      which the Lord will send you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

      These words were indelibly impressed upon our minds. They<\/span><\/p>\n

      were like a light which made us understand who God is, how He<\/span><\/p>\n

      172<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      loves us and desires to be loved, the value of sacrifice, how pleasing<\/span><\/p>\n

      it is to Him and how, on account of it, He grants the grace of<\/span><\/p>\n

      conversion to sinners. It was for this reason that we began, from<\/span><\/p>\n

      then on, to offer to the Lord all that mortified us, without, however,<\/span><\/p>\n

      seeking out other forms of mortification and penance, except that<\/span><\/p>\n

      we remained for hours on end with our foreheads touching the<\/span><\/p>\n

      ground, repeating the prayer the Angel had taught us.<\/span><\/p>\n

      It seems to me that the third Apparition must have been in<\/span><\/p>\n

      October, or towards the end of September, as we were no longer<\/span><\/p>\n

      returning home for siesta.<\/span><\/p>\n

      As I have already written in my account of Jacinta, we went<\/span><\/p>\n

      one day from Pregueira (a small olive grove belonging to my parents)<\/span><\/p>\n

      to the Lapa, making our way along the slope of the hill on the<\/span><\/p>\n

      side facing Aljustrel and Casa Velha. We said our Rosary there<\/span><\/p>\n

      and the prayer the Angel had taught us at the first Apparition.<\/span><\/p>\n

      While we were there, the Angel appeared to us for the third<\/span><\/p>\n

      time, holding a chalice in his hands, with a host above it from which<\/span><\/p>\n

      some drops of blood were falling into the sacred vessel. Leaving<\/span><\/p>\n

      the chalice and the host suspended in the air, the Angel prostrated<\/span><\/p>\n

      on the ground and repeated this prayer three times:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cMost Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You<\/span><\/p>\n

      profoundly, and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul<\/span><\/p>\n

      and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the<\/span><\/p>\n

      world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference<\/span><\/p>\n

      with which He Himself is offended. And, through the infinite merits<\/span><\/p>\n

      of His most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg<\/span><\/p>\n

      of You the conversion of poor sinners.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

      Then, rising, he once more took the chalice and the host in his<\/span><\/p>\n

      hands. He gave the host to me, and to Jacinta and Francisco he<\/span><\/p>\n

      gave the contents of the chalice to drink, saying as he did so: \u201cTake<\/span><\/p>\n

      and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by<\/span><\/p>\n

      ungrateful men. Repair their crimes and console your God.\u201d Once<\/span><\/p>\n

      again, he prostrated on the ground and repeated with us three<\/span><\/p>\n

      times more, the same prayer \u201cMost Holy Trinity…\u201d, and then disappeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Impelled by the power of the supernatural that enveloped us,<\/span><\/p>\n

      we imitated all that the Angel had done, prostrating ourselves on<\/span><\/p>\n

      the ground as he did and repeating the prayers that he said. The<\/span><\/p>\n

      force of the presence of God was so intense that it absorbed us<\/span><\/p>\n

      173<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      and almost completely annihilated us. It seemed to deprive us even<\/span><\/p>\n

      of the use of our bodily senses for a considerable length of time.<\/span><\/p>\n

      During those days, we performed all our exterior actions as though<\/span><\/p>\n

      guided by that same supernatural being who was impelling us<\/span><\/p>\n

      thereto. The peace and happiness which we felt were great, but<\/span><\/p>\n

      wholly interior, for our souls were completely immersed in God.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The physical exhaustion that came over us was also great<\/span><\/p>\n

      .<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Lucia\u2019s Silence<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

        I do not know why, but the Apparitions of Our Lady produced<\/span><\/p>\n

        in us very different effects. We felt the same intimate joy, the same<\/span><\/p>\n

        peace and happiness, but instead of physical prostration, an expansive<\/span><\/p>\n

        ease of movement; instead of this annihilation in the Divine<\/span><\/p>\n

        Presence, a joyful exultation; instead of the difficulty in speaking,<\/span><\/p>\n

        we felt a certain communicative enthusiasm. Despite these<\/span><\/p>\n

        feelings, however, we felt inspired to be silent, especially concerning<\/span><\/p>\n

        certain things.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Whenever I was interrogated, I experienced an interior inspiration<\/span><\/p>\n

        which directed me how to answer, without either failing in<\/span><\/p>\n

        truth or revealing what should remain hidden for the time being. In<\/span><\/p>\n

        this respect, I still have just this one doubt: \u201cShould I not have said<\/span><\/p>\n

        everything in the canonical enquiry?\u201d But I have no scruples about<\/span><\/p>\n

        having kept silence, because at that time I had as yet no realization<\/span><\/p>\n

        of the importance of this particular interrogation. I regarded it,<\/span><\/p>\n

        at the time, as being just like the many other interrogations to which<\/span><\/p>\n

        I was accustomed. The only thing I thought strange was the order<\/span><\/p>\n

        to take the oath. But as it was my confessor who told me to do so,<\/span><\/p>\n

        and as I was swearing to the truth, I took the oath without any<\/span><\/p>\n

        difficulty. Little did I suspect, at that moment, that the devil would<\/span><\/p>\n

        make the most of this, in order to torment me with endless scruples<\/span><\/p>\n

        later on. But, thank God, all that is over now.<\/span><\/p>\n

        There was yet another reason which confirmed me in my conviction<\/span><\/p>\n

        that I did well to remain silent. In the course of the canonical<\/span><\/p>\n

        enquiry, one of the interrogators, Rev. Dr. Marques dos Santos,<\/span><\/p>\n

        thought he could extend somewhat his questionnaire, and began<\/span><\/p>\n

        therefore to ask more searching questions. Before answering, I<\/span><\/p>\n

        looked enquiringly at my confessor. His Reverence saved me from<\/span><\/p>\n

        174<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

        my predicament, and answered on my behalf. He reminded the<\/span><\/p>\n

        interrogator that he was exceeding his rights in this matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Almost the same thing happened when I was questioned by<\/span><\/p>\n

        Rev. Dr. Fischer. He had the authorization of Your Excellency and<\/span><\/p>\n

        of Rev. Mother Provincial, and seemed to have the right to question<\/span><\/p>\n

        me on everything. But, thank God, he came accompanied by<\/span><\/p>\n

        my confessor. At a given moment, he put to me a carefully studied<\/span><\/p>\n

        question about the Secret. I felt perplexed, and did not know how<\/span><\/p>\n

        to answer. I glanced towards my confessor; he understood me and<\/span><\/p>\n

        answered for me. The interrogator understood also, and confined<\/span><\/p>\n

        himself to picking up some magazines Iying nearby and holding<\/span><\/p>\n

        them in front of my face. In this way, God was showing me that the<\/span><\/p>\n

        moment appointed by Him had not yet arrived.<\/span><\/p>\n

        I shall now go on to write about the Apparitions of Our Lady. I<\/span><\/p>\n

        shall not delay over the circumstances that preceded or followed them,<\/span><\/p>\n

        since Rev. Dr. Galamba has kindly dispensed me from doing so.<\/span><\/p>\n

        \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. The 13th of May, 1917<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

          High up on the slope in the Cova da Iria, I was playing with<\/span><\/p>\n

          Jacinta and Francisco at building a little stone wall around a clump<\/span><\/p>\n

          of furze. Suddenly we saw what seemed to be a flash of lightning.<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cWe\u2019d better go home,\u201d I said to my cousins, \u201cthat\u2019s lightning;<\/span><\/p>\n

          we may have a thunderstorm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cYes, indeed!\u201d they answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

          We began to go down the slope, hurrying the sheep along<\/span><\/p>\n

          towards the road. We were more or less half-way down the slope,<\/span><\/p>\n

          and almost level with a large holmoak tree that stood there, when<\/span><\/p>\n

          we saw another flash of lightning. We had only gone a few steps<\/span><\/p>\n

          further when, there before us on a small holmoak, we beheld a<\/span><\/p>\n

          Lady all dressed in white. She was more brilliant than the sun, and<\/span><\/p>\n

          radiated a light more clear and intense than a crystal glass filled with<\/span><\/p>\n

          sparkling water, when the rays of the burning sun shine through it.<\/span><\/p>\n

          We stopped, astounded, before the Apparition. We were so<\/span><\/p>\n

          close, just a few feet from her, that we were bathed in the light<\/span><\/p>\n

          which surrounded her, or rather, which radiated from her. Then Our<\/span><\/p>\n

          Lady spoke to us:<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cDo not be afraid. I will do you no harm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cWhere are you from?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          175<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cI am from Heaven.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cWhat do you want of me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cI have come to ask you to come here for six months in succession,<\/span><\/p>\n

          on the 13th day, at this same hour. Later on, I will tell you<\/span><\/p>\n

          who I am and what I want. Afterwards, I will return here yet a seventh<\/span><\/p>\n

          time.\u201d 11<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cShall I go to Heaven too?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cYes, you will\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cAnd Jacinta?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cShe will go also.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cAnd Francisco?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cHe will go there too, but he must say many Rosaries.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          Then I remembered to ask about two girls who had died recently.<\/span><\/p>\n

          They were friends of mine and used to come to my home to<\/span><\/p>\n

          learn weaving with my eldest sister.<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cIs Maria das Neves in Heaven?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cYes, she is.\u201d (I think she was about 16 years old).<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cAnd Am\u00e9lia?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cShe will be in purgatory until the end of the world.\u201d 12 (It seems<\/span><\/p>\n

          to me that she was between 18 and 20 years of age).<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cAre you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the<\/span><\/p>\n

          sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins<\/span><\/p>\n

          by which He is offended, and of supplication for the conversion of<\/span><\/p>\n

          sinners?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cYes, we are willing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cThen you are going to have much to suffer, but the grace of<\/span><\/p>\n

          God will be your comfort.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          As she pronounced these last words \u201c…the grace of God will<\/span><\/p>\n

          be your comfort\u201d, Our Lady opened her hands for the first time,<\/span><\/p>\n

          communicating to us a light so intense that, as it streamed from<\/span><\/p>\n

          her hands, its rays penetrated our hearts and the innermost depths<\/span><\/p>\n

          of our souls, making us see ourselves in God, Who was that light,<\/span><\/p>\n

          more clearly than we see ourselves in the best of mirrors. Then,<\/span><\/p>\n

          moved by an interior impulse that was also communicated to us,<\/span><\/p>\n

          we fell on our knees, repeating in our hearts:<\/span><\/p>\n

          11<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201d.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

          176<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cO most Holy Trinity, I adore You! My God, my God, I love You<\/span><\/p>\n

          in the most Blessed Sacrament!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          After a few moments, Our Lady spoke again:<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u201cPray the Rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the<\/span><\/p>\n

          world, and the end of the war.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

          Then she began to rise serenely, going up towards the east,<\/span><\/p>\n

          until she disappeared in the immensity of space. The light that surrounded<\/span><\/p>\n

          her seemed to open up a path before her in the firmament,<\/span><\/p>\n

          and for this reason we sometimes said that we saw heaven<\/span><\/p>\n

          opening.<\/span><\/p>\n

          I think that I have already explained in my account of Jacinta,<\/span><\/p>\n

          or else in a letter, that the fear which we felt was not really fear of<\/span><\/p>\n

          Our Lady, but rather fear of the thunderstorm which we thought<\/span><\/p>\n

          was coming, and it was from this that we sought to escape. The<\/span><\/p>\n

          Apparitions of Our Lady inspired neither fear nor fright, but rather<\/span><\/p>\n

          surprise. When I was asked if I had experienced fear, and I said<\/span><\/p>\n

          that we had, I was referring to the fear we felt when we saw the<\/span><\/p>\n

          flashes of lightning and thought that a thunderstorm was at hand. It<\/span><\/p>\n

          was from this that we wished to escape, as we were used to seeing<\/span><\/p>\n

          lightning only when it thundered. Besides, the flashes of lightning<\/span><\/p>\n

          were not really lightning, but the reflected rays of a light which<\/span><\/p>\n

          was approaching. It was because we saw the light, that we sometimes<\/span><\/p>\n

          said we saw Our Lady coming; but, properly speaking, we<\/span><\/p>\n

          only perceived Our Lady in that light when she was already on the<\/span><\/p>\n

          holmoak tree. The fact that we did not know how to explain this,<\/span><\/p>\n

          and that we wished to avoid questions, caused us to say sometimes<\/span><\/p>\n

          that we saw her coming, and other times that we did not.<\/span><\/p>\n

          When we said we saw her coming, we were referring to the approach<\/span><\/p>\n

          of the light, which after all was herself. And when we said<\/span><\/p>\n

          we did not see her coming, we were referring to the fact that we<\/span><\/p>\n

          really saw Our Lady only when she was on the holmoak.<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. The 13th of June, 1917<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

            As soon as Jacinta, Francisco and I had finished praying the<\/span><\/p>\n

            Rosary, with a number of other people who were present, we saw<\/span><\/p>\n

            once more the flash reflecting the light which was approaching<\/span><\/p>\n

            (which we called lightning). The next moment, Our Lady was there<\/span><\/p>\n

            on the holmoak, exactly the same as in May.<\/span><\/p>\n

            177<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

            \u201cWhat do you want of me?\u201d I asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

            \u201c I wish you to come here on the 13th of next month, to pray<\/span><\/p>\n

            the Rosary every day, and to learn to read. Later, I will tell you what<\/span><\/p>\n

            I want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

            I asked for the cure of a sick person.<\/span><\/p>\n

            \u201c lf he is converted, he will be cured during the year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

            \u201cI would like to ask you to take us to Heaven.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

            \u201cYes. I will take Jacinta and Francisco soon. But you are to stay<\/span><\/p>\n

            here some time longer. Jesus wishes to make use of you to make<\/span><\/p>\n

            me known and loved. He wants to establish in the world devotion to<\/span><\/p>\n

            my Immaculate Heart.\u201d 13<\/span><\/p>\n

            \u201cAm I to stay here alone?\u201d I asked, sadly.<\/span><\/p>\n

            \u201cNo, my daughter. Are you suffering a great deal? Don\u2019t lose<\/span><\/p>\n

            heart. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart will be your<\/span><\/p>\n

            refuge and the way that will lead you to God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

            As Our Lady spoke these last words, she opened her hands<\/span><\/p>\n

            and for the second time, she communicated to us the rays of that<\/span><\/p>\n

            same immense light. We saw ourselves in this light, as it were,<\/span><\/p>\n

            immersed in God. Jacinta and Francisco seemed to be in that part<\/span><\/p>\n

            of the light which rose towards Heaven, and I in that which was<\/span><\/p>\n

            poured out on the earth. In front of the palm of Our Lady\u2019s right<\/span><\/p>\n

            hand was a heart encircled by thorns which pierced it. We understood<\/span><\/p>\n

            that this was the Immaculate Heart of Mary, outraged by the<\/span><\/p>\n

            sins of humanity, and seeking reparation.<\/span><\/p>\n

            You know now, Your Excellency, what we referred to when we<\/span><\/p>\n

            said that Our Lady had revealed a secret to us in June. At the time,<\/span><\/p>\n

            Our Lady did not tell us to keep it secret, but we felt moved to do so<\/span><\/p>\n

            by God.<\/span><\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

              \n
            1. The 13th of July, 1917<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

              A few moments after arriving at the Cova da Iria, near the<\/span><\/p>\n

              holmoak, where a large number of people were praying the Rosary,<\/span><\/p>\n

              we saw the flash of light once more, and a moment later Our<\/span><\/p>\n

              Lady appeared on the holmoak.<\/span><\/p>\n

              .\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

              178<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201cWhat do you want of me?\u201d I asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201c I want you to come here on the 13th of next month, to continue<\/span><\/p>\n

              to pray the Rosary every day in honour of Our Lady of the<\/span><\/p>\n

              Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the<\/span><\/p>\n

              war, because only she can help you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201c I would like to ask you to tell us who you are, and to work a<\/span><\/p>\n

              miracle so that everybody will believe that you are appearing to us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201cContinue to come here every month. In October, I will tell you<\/span><\/p>\n

              who I am and what I want, and I will perform a miracle for all to see<\/span><\/p>\n

              and believe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

              I then made some requests, but I cannot recall now just what<\/span><\/p>\n

              they were. What I do remember is that Our Lady said it was necessary<\/span><\/p>\n

              for such people to pray the Rosary in order to obtain these<\/span><\/p>\n

              graces during the year. And she continued:<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201cSacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say many times, especially<\/span><\/p>\n

              whenever you make some sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love<\/span><\/p>\n

              of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins<\/span><\/p>\n

              committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

              As Our Lady spoke these last words, she opened her hands<\/span><\/p>\n

              once more, as she had done during the two previous months. The<\/span><\/p>\n

              rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw as it were<\/span><\/p>\n

              a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human<\/span><\/p>\n

              form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished<\/span><\/p>\n

              bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air<\/span><\/p>\n

              by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great<\/span><\/p>\n

              clouds of smoke now falling back on every side like sparks in huge<\/span><\/p>\n

              fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of<\/span><\/p>\n

              pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear.<\/span><\/p>\n

              (It must have been this sight which caused me to cry out, as people<\/span><\/p>\n

              say they heard me). The demons could be distinguished by<\/span><\/p>\n

              their terrifying and repellent likeness to frighfful and unknown animals,<\/span><\/p>\n

              black and transparent like burning coals. Terrified and as if to<\/span><\/p>\n

              plead for succour, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us, so<\/span><\/p>\n

              kindly and so sadly:<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201cYou have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To<\/span><\/p>\n

              save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my<\/span><\/p>\n

              Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be<\/span><\/p>\n

              saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people<\/span><\/p>\n

              do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during<\/span><\/p>\n

              179<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

              the pontificate of Pius Xl. When you see a night illumined by an<\/span><\/p>\n

              unknown light 14, know that this is the great sign given you by God<\/span><\/p>\n

              that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war,<\/span><\/p>\n

              famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father.<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201cTo prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of<\/span><\/p>\n

              Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation<\/span><\/p>\n

              on the First Saturdays 15. If my requests are heeded, Russia<\/span><\/p>\n

              will be converted, and there will be peace 16; if not, she will spread<\/span><\/p>\n

              her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of<\/span><\/p>\n

              the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have<\/span><\/p>\n

              much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my<\/span><\/p>\n

              Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate<\/span><\/p>\n

              Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will<\/span><\/p>\n

              be granted to the world. In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will<\/span><\/p>\n

              always be preserved; etc… Do not tell this to anybody. Francisco,<\/span><\/p>\n

              yes, you may tell him.<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201cWhen you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: O my<\/span><\/p>\n

              Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to<\/span><\/p>\n

              Heaven, especially those who are most in need.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

              After this, there was a moment of silence, and then I asked:<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201cIs there anything more that you want of me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u201cNo, I do not want anything more of you today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

              Then, as before Our Lady began to ascend towards the<\/span><\/p>\n

              east, until she finally disappeared in the immense distance of<\/span><\/p>\n

              the firmament.<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

                \n
              1. The 13th of August, 1917<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n
              2. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                As I have already said what happened on this day, I will not<\/span><\/p>\n

                delay over it here, but pass on to the Apparition which in my opinion,<\/span><\/p>\n

                took place on the 15th in the afternoon 17. As at that time I did<\/span><\/p>\n

                17<\/span><\/p>\n

                180<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

                not yet know how to reckon the days of the month, it could be that I<\/span><\/p>\n

                am mistaken. But I still have an idea that it took place on the very<\/span><\/p>\n

                day that we arrived back from Vila Nova de Our\u00e9m.<\/span><\/p>\n

                I was accompanied by Francisco and his brother John. We<\/span><\/p>\n

                were with the sheep in a place called Valinhos, when we felt something<\/span><\/p>\n

                supernatural approaching and enveloping us. Suspecting<\/span><\/p>\n

                that Our Lady was about to appear to us, and feeling sorry lest<\/span><\/p>\n

                Jacinta might miss seeing her, we asked her brother to go and call<\/span><\/p>\n

                her. As he was unwilling to go, I offered him two small coins, and off<\/span><\/p>\n

                he ran.<\/span><\/p>\n

                Meanwhile, Francisco and I saw the flash of light, which we<\/span><\/p>\n

                called lightning. Jacinta arrived, and a moment later, we saw Our<\/span><\/p>\n

                Lady on a holmoak tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cWhat do you want of me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201c I want you to continue going to the Cova da Iria on the 13th,<\/span><\/p>\n

                and to continue praying the Rosary every day. In the last month, I<\/span><\/p>\n

                will perform a miracle so that all may believe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cWhat do you want done with the money that the people leave<\/span><\/p>\n

                in the Cova da Iria?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cHave two litters made. One is to be carried by you and Jacinta<\/span><\/p>\n

                and two other girls dressed in white; the other one is to be carried<\/span><\/p>\n

                by Francisco and three other boys. The money from the litters is for<\/span><\/p>\n

                the \u201cfesta\u201d of Our Lady of the Rosary, and what is left over will help<\/span><\/p>\n

                towards the construction of a chapel that is to be built here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cI would like to ask you to cure some sick persons.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cYes, I will cure some of them during the year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                Then, looking very sad, Our Lady said:<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cPray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many<\/span><\/p>\n

                souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves<\/span><\/p>\n

                and to pray for them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                And She began to ascend as usual towards the east.<\/span><\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                7.The 13th of September, 1917<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

                \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                As the hour approached, I set out with Jacinta and Francisco,<\/span><\/p>\n

                but owing to the crowds around us we could only advance with<\/span><\/p>\n

                difficulty. The roads were packed with people, and everyone wanted<\/span><\/p>\n

                to see us and speak to us. There was no human respect whatsoever.<\/span><\/p>\n

                Simple folk, and even ladies and gentlemen, struggled to break<\/span><\/p>\n

                181<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

                through the crowd that pressed around us. No sooner had they<\/span><\/p>\n

                reached us than they threw themselves on their knees before us,<\/span><\/p>\n

                begging us to place their petitions before Our Lady. Others who<\/span><\/p>\n

                could not get close to us shouted from a distance:<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cFor the love of God, ask Our Lady to cure my son who is a<\/span><\/p>\n

                cripple!\u201d Yet another cried out: \u201cAnd to cure mine who is blind!… To<\/span><\/p>\n

                cure mine who is deaf!… To bring back my husband, my son, who<\/span><\/p>\n

                has gone to the war!… To convert a sinner!… To give me back my<\/span><\/p>\n

                health as I have tuberculosis!\u201d and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n

                All the afflictions of poor humanity were assembled there. Some<\/span><\/p>\n

                climbed up to the tops of trees and walls to see us go by, and<\/span><\/p>\n

                shouted down to us. Saying yes to some, giving a hand to others<\/span><\/p>\n

                and helping them up from the dusty ground, we managed to move<\/span><\/p>\n

                forward, thanks to some gentlemen who went ahead and opened<\/span><\/p>\n

                a passage for us through the multitude.<\/span><\/p>\n

                Now, when I read in the New Testament about those enchanting<\/span><\/p>\n

                scenes of Our Lord\u2019s passing through Palestine, I think of those<\/span><\/p>\n

                which Our Lord allowed me to witness, while yet a child, on the<\/span><\/p>\n

                poor roads and lanes from Aljustrel to Fatima and on to the Cova<\/span><\/p>\n

                da Iria! I give thanks to God, offering Him the faith of our good<\/span><\/p>\n

                Portuguese people, and I think: \u201cIf these people so humbled themselves<\/span><\/p>\n

                before three poor children, just because they were mercifully<\/span><\/p>\n

                granted the grace to speak to the Mother of God, what would<\/span><\/p>\n

                they not do if they saw Our Lord Himself in person before them?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                Well, none of this was called for here! It was a distraction of<\/span><\/p>\n

                my pen, leading me away where I did not mean to go. But, never<\/span><\/p>\n

                mind! It\u2019s just another useless digression. I am not tearing it out, so<\/span><\/p>\n

                as not to spoil the notebook.<\/span><\/p>\n

                At last, we arrived at the Cova da Iria, and on reaching the<\/span><\/p>\n

                holmoak we began to say the Rosary with the people. Shortly afterwards,<\/span><\/p>\n

                we saw the flash of light, and then Our Lady appeared on<\/span><\/p>\n

                the holmoak.<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cContinue to pray the Rosary in order to obtain the end of the<\/span><\/p>\n

                war. In October Our Lord will come, as well as Our Lady of Dolours<\/span><\/p>\n

                and Our Lady of Carmel. Saint Joseph will appear with the Child<\/span><\/p>\n

                Jesus to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices. He<\/span><\/p>\n

                does not want you to sleep with the rope on, but only to wear it<\/span><\/p>\n

                during the daytime.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                182<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cI was told to ask you many things, the cure of some sick<\/span><\/p>\n

                people, of a deaf-mute…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u201cYes,I will cure some, but not others. In October I will perform a<\/span><\/p>\n

                miracle so that all may believe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                Then Our Lady began to rise as usual, and disappeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

                \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. The 13th of October, 1917<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                  We left home quite early, expecting that we would be delayed<\/span><\/p>\n

                  along the way. Masses of people thronged the roads. The rain fell<\/span><\/p>\n

                  in torrents. My mother, her heart torn with uncertainty as to what<\/span><\/p>\n

                  was going to happen, and fearing it would be the last day of my life,<\/span><\/p>\n

                  wanted to accompany me.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  On the way, the scenes of the previous month, still more numerous<\/span><\/p>\n

                  and moving, were repeated. Not even the muddy roads<\/span><\/p>\n

                  could prevent these people from kneeling in the most humble and<\/span><\/p>\n

                  suppliant of attitudes. We reached the holmoak in the Cova da Iria.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  Once there, moved by an interior impulse, I asked the people to<\/span><\/p>\n

                  shut their umbrellas and say the Rosary. A little later, we saw the<\/span><\/p>\n

                  flash of light, and then Our Lady appeared on the holmoak.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  \u201cWhat do you want of me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                  \u201c I want to tell you that a chapel is to be built here in my honour.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue always to pray the Rosary<\/span><\/p>\n

                  every day. The war is going to end, and the soldiers will soon return<\/span><\/p>\n

                  to their homes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                  \u201cI have many things to ask you: the cure of some sick persons,<\/span><\/p>\n

                  the conversion of sinners, and other things…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                  \u201cSome yes, but not others. They must amend their lives and<\/span><\/p>\n

                  ask forgiveness for their sins.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                  Looking very sad, Our Lady said:<\/span><\/p>\n

                  \u201cDo not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is<\/span><\/p>\n

                  already so much offended.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

                  Then, opening her hands, she made them reflect on the sun,<\/span><\/p>\n

                  and as she ascended, the reflection of her own light continued to<\/span><\/p>\n

                  be projected on the sun itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  Here, Your Excellency, is the reason why I cried out to the<\/span><\/p>\n

                  people to look at the sun. My aim was not to call their attention to<\/span><\/p>\n

                  the sun, because I was not even aware of their presence. I was<\/span><\/p>\n

                  moved to do so under the guidance of an interiorimpulse.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  183<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

                  After Our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of<\/span><\/p>\n

                  the firmament, we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our<\/span><\/p>\n

                  Lady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph<\/span><\/p>\n

                  and the Child Jesus appeared to bless the world, for they traced<\/span><\/p>\n

                  the Sign of the Cross with their hands. When, a little later, this apparition<\/span><\/p>\n

                  disappeared, I saw Our Lord and Our Lady; it seemed to<\/span><\/p>\n

                  me that it was Our Lady of Dolours. Our Lord appeared to bless the<\/span><\/p>\n

                  world in the same manner as St. Joseph had done. This apparition<\/span><\/p>\n

                  also vanished, and I saw Our Lady once more, this time resembling<\/span><\/p>\n

                  Our Lady of Carmel.<\/span><\/p>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  EPILOGUE<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

                  \u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                  Here then, Your Excellency, you have the story of the Apparitions<\/span><\/p>\n

                  of Our Lady in the Cova da Iria, in 1917. Whenever and for<\/span><\/p>\n

                  whatever motive I had to speak of them, I sought to do so in as few<\/span><\/p>\n

                  words as possible, with the desire of keeping to myself alone those<\/span><\/p>\n

                  more intimate aspects which were so difficult for me to reveal. But<\/span><\/p>\n

                  as they belong to God and not to me, and as He now, through Your<\/span><\/p>\n

                  Excellency, requires them of me, here they are. I return what does<\/span><\/p>\n

                  not belong to me. To the best of my knowledge, I keep nothing<\/span><\/p>\n

                  back. I think I have only omitted some minor details referring to the<\/span><\/p>\n

                  petitions which I made. As these were merely material things, I did<\/span><\/p>\n

                  not attach such great importance to them, and it is perhaps because<\/span><\/p>\n

                  of this that they did not make such a vivid impression on my<\/span><\/p>\n

                  mind; and then there were so many of them, so very many! It was<\/span><\/p>\n

                  possibly because I was so anxious to remember the innumerable<\/span><\/p>\n

                  graces that I had to ask of Our Lady, that I was mistaken when I<\/span><\/p>\n

                  understood that the war would end on that very 13th 18.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  Not a few people have expressed considerable surprise at the<\/span><\/p>\n

                  memory that God has deigned to give me. In this matter indeed I<\/span><\/p>\n

                  have, through His infinite goodness, been quite favoured in every<\/span><\/p>\n

                  respect. Where supernatural things are concerned, this is not to be<\/span><\/p>\n

                  wondered at, for these are imprinted on the mind in such a way<\/span><\/p>\n

                  that it is almost impossible to forget them.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  18<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  Tweet THE STORY OF THE APPARITIONS \u00a0 PROLOGUE \u00a0 Now, Your Excellency, we come to the most difficult part of all that you have commanded me to put in writing. First of all, Your Excellency has expressly required of me to write about the Apparitions of the Angel, putting down every circumstance and detail, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-divulgacion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=55370"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55370\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58288,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55370\/revisions\/58288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=55370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=55370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=55370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}