Vatican · 100 years of the apparitions at Fátima

The reports of Fátima can be traced back to Lúcia dos Santos and her younger cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto. The children were tending sheep at the Cova da Iria near the Portuguese town of Fátima. Between May and October 1917, they repeatedly reported encounters with a “Lady” who was later venerated as Maria, the mother of Jesus. The messages focused on prayer, conversion, penance and the rosary. They were also associated with a plea for peace.

The historical context was shaped by the First World War and political tensions in Portugal. The republic established in 1910 pursued a strongly anticlerical policy and restricted the influence of the Catholic Church. The children’s reports therefore met not only with religious interest, but also with scepticism and opposition from the authorities. On 13 October 1917, a large crowd gathered near Fátima. Many people present reported an unusual solar phenomenon that became known as the “Miracle of the Sun”.

The Catholic Church investigated the events over several years. In 1930, the responsible bishop declared the apparitions credible and permitted their public veneration. A pilgrimage centre subsequently developed at the Cova da Iria. Its oldest core includes the Apparition Chapel, which was built at the place identified by the children. The Basilica of the Rosary and the Church of the Holy Trinity were later added, among others.

Francisco and Jacinta died as children from the effects of the influenza pandemic of the time. Lúcia later joined a religious order and recorded her memories in writing. Pope Franziskus canonized Francisco and Jacinta during a visit to Fátima in May 2017. Several earlier popes had also visited the pilgrimage site or promoted the veneration of Our Lady of Fátima. For the Vatican, the anniversary year therefore provided an occasion that brought together Marian devotion, papal history and a Catholic pilgrimage tradition widespread throughout the world.