Apparition of Our Lady at Fatima (1917)

a. Preparation by the Angel: "Fear not, I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me. 'My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, I love you! I ask pardon for those who do not believe, nor adore, nor hope, nor love you.'

"Offer continually to the Lord prayers and sacrifices in reparation for the numerous sins which offend Him, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. Try then to bring peace to your country. I am its Guardian Angel. Above all accept and bear with submission the sufferings which it will please the Lord to send you.

"The Angel appeared holding a Chalice in his hand surmounted by a Host, from which drops of Blood flowed into the Chalice. Leaving the Chalice and Host suspended in midair, the Angel knelt beside the children and made them recite three times the following prayer : 'Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I adore You profoundly! I offer You the most Precious Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for all the outrages committed against It ; and, by the infinite merits of His Sacred Heart, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I pray for the conversion of poor sinners.'

"Then rising, he took the Host which he gave to Lucy, and the Chalice which he divided between Jacinta and Francis, saying: 'Receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Make reparation for their sins and console your God"

b. Words of Our Lady: "You must recite the Rosary every day in honour of the Blessed Virgin, to obtain the end of the war through Her intercession, for only She can help you.'

'"Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say often, especially when you make sacrifices : Oh Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the offences committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.'

"'When reciting the Rosary, say after each decade: Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell, and lead all souls to heaven, especially those who have most need of Thy mercy/

'"Pray, pray very much, make sacrifices for sinners. Remember that many souls are lost because there is nobody to pray and to make sacrifices for them/

'"Men must amend their lives, and ask pardon for their sins/

'"Men must no longer offend Our Divine Lord, Who is already offended too much/

"T promise to help at the hour of death with the graces needed for their salvation, whoever on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess and receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to me"

c. The Secret of Fatima: 'The children were shown a vision of hell, in all its horror, after which the Blessed Virgin said to them: 'You have just seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them the Lord wishes to establish in the world the devotion to My Immaculate Heart. If people do what I shall tell you, many souls will be saved and there will be Peace.

The war [World War 1—1914-1918] will soon end. But if men do not stop offending the Lord it will not be long before another and worse one begins; that will be in the Pontificate of Pius XI.

When you see the night illuminated by an unknown light, know that it is the great sign which God is giving you, indicating that the world, on account of its innumerable crimes, will soon be punished by war, famine, and persecutions against the Church and the Holy Father.

In order to prevent it I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, as well as Communions of Reparation on the First Saturdays of the month.

If my requests are granted Russia will be converted and there will be peace. Otherwise Russia will spread her errors through the world fomenting wars and persecutions against the Church. Many will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer; several nations will be destroyed.

In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, Russia will be converted, and there will be a certain period of peace'."

d. Words of Jacinta: "The sins that lead most souls to hell are sins of the flesh ! . . .

"'Certain fashions will be introduced which will offend Our Divine Lord very much. Those who serve God ought not to follow these fashions . . .

'"The sins of the world are too great ! The Blessed Virgin has said that there will be many wars and disturbances in the world: wars are only punishments for the sins of the world.'

'"The Blessed Virgin can no longer restrain the arm of Her Divine Son, which will strike the world . . .

"Men must do penance ... If they amend their lives, Our Lord will still forgive them; but if they do not reform, the punishment will surely come.

"'. . . So many lives will be lost, and almost all will go to hell. So many houses will be destroyed, and so many priests will be killed.

'"Have you seen the Holy Father ? ... I do not know how it happened, but I saw him in a very large house, kneeling before a little table, weeping, with his head between his hands. Outside there was a crowd . . . Poor Holy Father !"' e. "The children never failed to add three Hail Marys to their rosary for the Holy Father.

"The salvation of the world depends on the fulfillment of the three requests of the Blessed Virgin at Fatima: (1) Sacrifice — fulfillment of daily duty — make sacrifices necessary to avoid sin (2) Daily recitation of the Rosary and devotion to the Five Saturdays (3) Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary."