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"You saw hell
where the souls of poor sinners go. In order to save them, God wishes to
establish devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world. If people do what I
ask, many souls will be saved and there will be
peace."
At the time that She confided the Fatima
Secret to the three seers, the Blessed Virgin also promised that God would work
a great miracle the following October "so that all may believe." On October
13 1917, in the presence of 70,000 eyewitnesses, a miracle was worked in the
sky above Fatima at the exact moment and in the precise spot that the children
had announced earlier. Witnesses recounted that the sun appeared to actually
"dance" in the sky and seemed to fall to the ground before resuming its normal
place in the heavens.
"On the last
month, I will perform a miracle so that all may believe."
This event has now become known as "the Miracle of
the Sun" and has
been justly characterized as the greatest supernatural occurrence of the 20th
Century. As one leading Fatima authority has noted, this great miracle "does
not belong (only) to the domain of faith, or even that of science. Before
all else it is an historical event."
The Catholic Church has officially
endorsed the Fatima Message "as worthy of belief" since 1930. Five successive
popes have publicly indicated their approval and belief in the validity and
critical importance of the Fatima apparitions. Several popes have visited
Fatima on solemn pilgrimage and Pope John Paul II has gone at least once in
every decade of his pontificate. His Holiness has publicly credited Our Lady of
Fatima for saving his life during an assassination attempt in 1981 (which,
parenthetically, took place on the 64th anniversary of the first Fatima
apparition). The following year, while in Fatima to give thanks for Her
intervention, the Pope stated that "the message of Fatima is more
relevant and more urgent" today than even when Our Lady first
appeared.
"In the end, My
Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and
she will be converted and a period of peace will be granted to the
world."
In the years since the Queen of Heaven's
appearances at Fatima, innumerable books, pamphlets, recordings, films and
video programs
 have been produced
as part of a growing worldwide movement of faith and devotion (see Our Lady's
Book Service).
Belief in the Fatima apparations and Our Lady's full Message are now widely
synonymous with an orthodox adherence to the doctrines, rites and traditional
practices and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Many theologians believe
that Our Lady's Message is uniquely designed for the difficult and trying times
in which we live today and suggest that it is Heaven's intervention to save the
world from war, hunger and need; the Catholic Church from apostasy and chaos;
and the souls of countless millions from eternal damnation. While stern in its
warning of the terrible punishments for sin and disobedience, Fatima remains
fundamentally a life-affirming and faith-building message of hope and peace for
all Catholics and others of good will everywhere.
"Only I can help
you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to
God."
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