The story of Fatima began in an obscure village in central Portugal.  In 1916, the three shepherd children of Fatima received the first of three visions of an Angel.  Each time the Angel taught the children this simple prayer: “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You.  I ask pardon for those who do not believe, nor adore, nor hope, nor love You.”

On Sunday, May 13^th, 1917, the children were tending their sheep in the Cova de Iria when they received the first vision of Our Lady.  Lucia dos Santos, aged 10 and her cousins, Francisco, 9, and Jacinta, 7, were momentarily frightened by a blinding flash of light.  A reassuring voice brought their gaze heavenward toward a dazzling globe of light that remained stationary.  In the center of the globe was a Woman, described by Lucia as being “all of light.”

The Woman asked the children to return on the 13^th of each month until October, when she promised to tell them who she was.  Her message of this first apparition, as on all the others, included the request to say the Rosary every day.  World of the apparitions spread.  On October 13^th, a crowd of 70,000 people had gathered to see if, as the children had promised, the Beautiful Lady would perform a miracle to prove the validity of the shepherds’ story.  The crowd was drenched from heavy rain.  Suddenly the sun burst through the clouds with dazzling multi-colored rays streaming from its surface.  Then the sun began to whirl, spinning out of its place in the sky and rushing toward the terrified crowd.  Just as suddenly it returned to its proper place.  The people, who had been dripping wet a moment before, found their clothes had dried.

The Message of Fatima was that day launched throughout the world; a message calling for prayer and penance, promising the conversion of our hearts and peace in the world.