The Miracle of the Sun October 13, 1917

At Fatima in Portugal, the Blessed Mother Mary appeared to three shepherd and promised a miracle would occur October 13, 1917 so that all may believe. Mary came to tell us how we can help to prevent wars, bring peace to the world, as well as help save sinners and console God who is very much offended by the sins of the world.

About 70,000 people came that day to see the miracle including secular newspaper reporters and photographers. All of a sudden, Lucia (one of the three children visionaries) called out to the crowd to look at the sun. People saw the sun appearing to change colors and rotate like a wheel, and some thought the sun was falling to the earth. Others thought it was the end of the world. Even some people in nearby towns saw the miracle.

Photograph taken during the miracle of the “Dance of the Sun” at Fatima on October 13, 1917.

Eye Witness Reports of the Miracle of the Sun

O Século (a pro-government, anti-clerical, Lisbon newspaper), reported the following: “Before the astonished eyes of the crowd, whose aspect was biblical as they stood bareheaded, eagerly searching the sky, the sun trembled, made sudden incredible movements outside all cosmic laws—the sun ‘danced’ according to the typical expression of the people.”*

An eye witness report in the newspaper Ordem said, “The sun, at one moment surrounded with scarlet flame, at another aureoled in yellow and deep purple, seemed to be in an exceedingly fast and whirling movement, at times appearing to be loosened from the sky and to be approaching the earth, strongly radiating heat.”*

The October 17, 1917 edition of the Lisbon daily, O Dia, reported the following, “At one o’clock in the afternoon, midday by the sun, the rain stopped. The sky, pearly grey in colour, illuminated the vast arid landscape with a strange light. The sun had a transparent gauzy veil so that the eyes could easily be fixed upon it. The grey mother-of-pearl tone turned into a sheet of silver which broke up as the clouds were torn apart and the silver sun, enveloped in the same gauzy grey light, was seen to whirl and turn in the circle of broken clouds. A cry went up from every mouth and people fell on their knees on the muddy ground…. The light turned a beautiful blue, as if it had come through the stained-glass windows of a cathedral, and spread itself over the people who knelt with outstretched hands. The blue faded slowly, and then the light seemed to pass through yellow glass. Yellow stains fell against white handkerchiefs, against the dark skirts of the women. They were repeated on the trees, on the stones and on the serra. People wept and prayed with uncovered heads, in the presence of a miracle they had awaited. The seconds seemed like hours, so vivid were they.”*

The Fatima messages are still relevant today

Overall, the Fatima messages reaffirm many teachings of the Catholic faith and the reality of the supernatural realm such as the Gospel messages of Jesus Christ, prayer, sin, Heaven, Hell, angels, miracles, and the Catholic understanding of the Eucharist as the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. The messages of Fatima are as relevant and needed as ever with what is going on in the world. Mary predicted many events that have already happened including World War II. She said if people did not repent that there would be wars and even destruction of nations, but that in the end her Immaculate Heart would triumph, and there will be a period of peace in the world.

Mary’s Peace Plan from Heaven

Mary told us at Fatima how to prevent wars, how to help save sinners, and how to bring peace into our own lives and into the world by believing in Jesus Christ and obeying God’s commandments, offering sacrifices, and prayer, especially praying the rosary. The year 2017 will be the hundredth year anniversary of the messages of Fatima. We cannot count on political leaders to improve the world, bring peace, or to save us, and need to put all our trust in Jesus Christ. Are we doing what Jesus (and Mary) ask us to do? It is late, but not too late to begin.

To find out more about the messages of Fatima click here.

*The above quotes about the miracle are fromwww.ewtn.com/fatima/apparitions/october.htm.