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| MIRACULOUS MEDAL MIRACLES | MIRACLES OF LOURDES | SOLAR MIRACLE AT FATIMA | THE MIRACLE OF LEPANTO |
| MIRACULOUS MEDAL MIRACLES | MIRACLES OF LOURDES | SOLAR MIRACLE AT FATIMA | THE MIRACLE OF LEPANTO |
THE MIRACLE OF THE SUN
October 13, 1917, Fatima
The miracle of the sun on 13 October, 1917 was the great heavenly sign given by God to confirm the reality of the Divine intervention at Fatima and the seriousness of His message for mankind. Since the implications of the stupendous phenomenon are so profound and far-reaching, it is imperative that we examine it in some detail.
The preliminary manifestations seen in the earlier apparitions were impressive enough: the multitude of colors flooding the sky and landscape, the luminous flashes and roars of thunder, the bending of the shrub (June 13th), the celestial fragrance (August 19th), the luminous globe and rain of vanishing roses (September 13th) and the abating of the sunlight and cooling of the air (in all the apparitions). But now, to climax everything, there occurred a firmament cracking spectacle of unprecedented magnitude.
The preliminary manifestations seen in the earlier apparitions were impressive enough: the multitude of colors flooding the sky and landscape, the luminous flashes and roars of thunder, the bending of the shrub (June 13th), the celestial fragrance (August 19th), the luminous globe and rain of vanishing roses (September 13th) and the abating of the sunlight and cooling of the air (in all the apparitions). But now, to climax everything, there occurred a firmament cracking spectacle of unprecedented magnitude.
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Three times, as we have seen, Our Lady had promised to perform a miracle so that "everyone may believe" in the reality of her appearances. The children duly announced the news, which spread through Portugal like a prairie fire and flared across the pages of the anti-clerical press. As far as is known, for the very first time in recorded history,' a prophet or seer was asking all the people to assemble at a certain place and time to witness a' public miracle to prove that the message which had been received came from God.
The prediction created intense controversy everywhere. The revolutionary Government, which had vowed to stamp out religion in two generations, were taking no chances with what they regarded as sheer religious fanaticism. Armed soldiers were sent to the Cova da Iria on the morning of October 13th to prevent people gathering there. The press lampooned the whole affair and loudly predicted that a non-occurring miracle would finally explode the myth of religion. But word of the extraordinary happenings in the Cova da Iria on the 13th of previous months had gripped the attention of vast numbers of believers. Tens of thousands converged on Fatima on the morning of October 13th, despite appalling weather conditions and the armed guards at the Cova da Iria. The latter were eventually swamped by a tidal wave of humanity. Fortunately for posterity, reporters of thee anti-clerical press turned up in force, fully expecting to record a colossal fiasco. |
The word “miracle” as used by the Mother of God, must be understood in its absolute sense – an extraordinary event either above, contrary to, or outside nature. "Those effects are rightly to be termed miracles," says St. Thomas Aquinas, "which are wrought by divine power apart from the order usually observed in nature." (Contra Gent., 3. 102). In the case of the solar miracle of October 13th, 1917, we have seen how a ball of fire resembling the sun whirled in the sky amid a multitude of wavering colors which flooded the sky and landscape, as if the scene was being viewed through the stained glass windows of some beautiful cathedral. At the climax the fire fell earthwards, causing the screaming multitude to hurl themselves into the mud, in imminent expectation of the end of the world.
This was only the third time in history that God had used the sun to perform a miracle – the other two occasions, being the prolongation of daylight at the prayer of Joshua (Joshua 10), and the sign given to the King of Judah in 714 B.C. by the prophet Ezechiel in which the shadow of a sundial retraced its path by ten hours. (Kings 4:20). But what made the Fatima miracle unique was that its exact time and location were publicly announced months in advance.
To gain an accurate appreciation of all that happened that day, it is necessary to rely on the testimonies of those who were present - believers and agnostics. Because of the exceptional importance of this evidence, it is recounted in some detail to give the reader a glimpse of the same spectacle from varying angles. The cumulative evidence cited here should help to bring home to us not only the searing actuality of this event, but the crucial importance of the message that the miracle was meant to project.
We will begin by quoting two rather lengthy reports carried by the leading anti-clerical newspapers of the time, since they convey a graphic description of the scene on that memorable day. The first is from the Diario de Noticias (Daily News) of October 15th, 1917. This newspaper commanded the largest circulation in Portugal at the time. The headline read: “The ‘Miracle' of Fatima. More than fifty thousand people gather at the place of the apparitions.’”
This was only the third time in history that God had used the sun to perform a miracle – the other two occasions, being the prolongation of daylight at the prayer of Joshua (Joshua 10), and the sign given to the King of Judah in 714 B.C. by the prophet Ezechiel in which the shadow of a sundial retraced its path by ten hours. (Kings 4:20). But what made the Fatima miracle unique was that its exact time and location were publicly announced months in advance.
To gain an accurate appreciation of all that happened that day, it is necessary to rely on the testimonies of those who were present - believers and agnostics. Because of the exceptional importance of this evidence, it is recounted in some detail to give the reader a glimpse of the same spectacle from varying angles. The cumulative evidence cited here should help to bring home to us not only the searing actuality of this event, but the crucial importance of the message that the miracle was meant to project.
We will begin by quoting two rather lengthy reports carried by the leading anti-clerical newspapers of the time, since they convey a graphic description of the scene on that memorable day. The first is from the Diario de Noticias (Daily News) of October 15th, 1917. This newspaper commanded the largest circulation in Portugal at the time. The headline read: “The ‘Miracle' of Fatima. More than fifty thousand people gather at the place of the apparitions.’”
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"Vila Nova de Ourem, 13 October, 1917.
"In spite of the fitful, drizzling rain that began to fall early in the morning, an extraordinary gathering of people assembled in the parish of Fatima to witness the unusual happening of an apparition that ever since Ascension Thursday had claimed the attention of the people and attracted thousands of pilgrims of all classes of society, age and sex, to the locality. The day before yesterday, groups of people began to pass through this little town, men and women who went their way singing hymns and praying the rosary with great faith and devotion, in the direction of the place where the `miracle' which, according to the declarations of the three little shepherds to whom Our Lady deigned to appear several times as they say, on each 13th of the month, would occur. "The air of expectancy was evident as the noontime encounter approached. Although the rain continued to pour down, not one of all that multitude moved a step from that favored spot. Precisely at that same moment, the three little shepherds, whose names are Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, arrived at the exact spot, falling immediately to their knees beneath an arch erected for the occasion, with an altar close by. "A wave of emotion seemed to take hold of those many thousands of believers and curious alike. As a great number of people had their umbrellas open, the little ones asked the people to shut them. Then an extraordinary thing happened. According to the testimony of thousands and thousands present there, the sun appeared like a dull silver plate spinning round in a circular movement – as if it were moved by electricity, according to the expression used by knowledgeable people who witnessed the fact. "Then thousands of people, swayed by emotion and who knows, even dazzled by the light of the sun that had appeared for the first time that day, fell to the ground, weeping and raising their hands, joined instinctively in prayer. On their faces an expression of ecstatic rapture could be observed, denoting absolute alienation from life. Their simple hearts prayed and wept in the presence of this strange sensation of a fact that for them, at the moment, was miraculous. |
According to what we heard, there were people who seemed to see the sun leave its supposed orbit, break through the clouds and descend to the horizon. The impression of these seers spread to others, in a common effort to explain the phenomenon, many crying out in fear that the giant orb would precipitate itself to the earth on top of them, and imploring the protection of the Holy Virgin. The `miraculous hour' passed.
"Then the children rose up smiling, and explained to their anxious listeners that the Lady had said that peace would come soon and it would not be long before our brave soldiers would return from France where they were fighting so courageously .. . After these moments of anxiety, the pilgrims returned to their homes, longing to tell those who hadn't the good fortune to journey to the holy place, of what their eyes and above all their believing souls had so astoundingly witnessed."
While the writer of this account was careful not to involve himself personally in the recognition of the miracle lest he compromise himself before his anti-religious superiors in Lisbon, the editor of another Government newspaper 0 Seculo (The Century) was not so restrained. On 15 October, 1917, the headline on the front page read: "Terrifying Event! How the sun danced at midday in the sky of Fatima." The account continued:
"Along the road from the Chao de Macas station, we met the first groups going to the holy place, a distance of more than ten miles. Men and women walked along barefoot, with the women carrying their bags on their heads, topped with their heavy shoes, while the men leaned on their sturdy, staffs and carried umbrellas as a precaution. They seemed unaware of all that happened around them, disinterested in either the landscape or the other wayfarers, saying the rosary in a sad rhythm, as if immersed in a dream. With slow, cadenced steps, they threaded their way along the dusty road, among pine groves and olive orchards, so that they might arrive before nightfall at the place of the apparition. There, in the open, under the cold light of, the stars, they planned to sleep and get the best places next day near the blessed holm oak, and thus have a better view.
"As they entered the town of Vila Nova de Ourem, some women, already infected with the germ of atheism, joked about the great event. `Aren't you going tomorrow to see the saint?' one asked. `Me? No! Not unless she comes to see me!' They laughed heartily, while the devout passed on, indifferent to anything that was not the motive of their pilgrimage.
"Only by a sheer stroke of luck or kindness could lodging be found in Ourem. All night long, the most varied type of vehicles moved into the town square, carrying the faithful and the curious, besides the old ladies somberly dressed, weighed down by the years, but with the ardent fire of faith shining in their eyes, which gave them heart to leave for a day the little corner in the home from which they were inseparable.
"Then the children rose up smiling, and explained to their anxious listeners that the Lady had said that peace would come soon and it would not be long before our brave soldiers would return from France where they were fighting so courageously .. . After these moments of anxiety, the pilgrims returned to their homes, longing to tell those who hadn't the good fortune to journey to the holy place, of what their eyes and above all their believing souls had so astoundingly witnessed."
While the writer of this account was careful not to involve himself personally in the recognition of the miracle lest he compromise himself before his anti-religious superiors in Lisbon, the editor of another Government newspaper 0 Seculo (The Century) was not so restrained. On 15 October, 1917, the headline on the front page read: "Terrifying Event! How the sun danced at midday in the sky of Fatima." The account continued:
"Along the road from the Chao de Macas station, we met the first groups going to the holy place, a distance of more than ten miles. Men and women walked along barefoot, with the women carrying their bags on their heads, topped with their heavy shoes, while the men leaned on their sturdy, staffs and carried umbrellas as a precaution. They seemed unaware of all that happened around them, disinterested in either the landscape or the other wayfarers, saying the rosary in a sad rhythm, as if immersed in a dream. With slow, cadenced steps, they threaded their way along the dusty road, among pine groves and olive orchards, so that they might arrive before nightfall at the place of the apparition. There, in the open, under the cold light of, the stars, they planned to sleep and get the best places next day near the blessed holm oak, and thus have a better view.
"As they entered the town of Vila Nova de Ourem, some women, already infected with the germ of atheism, joked about the great event. `Aren't you going tomorrow to see the saint?' one asked. `Me? No! Not unless she comes to see me!' They laughed heartily, while the devout passed on, indifferent to anything that was not the motive of their pilgrimage.
"Only by a sheer stroke of luck or kindness could lodging be found in Ourem. All night long, the most varied type of vehicles moved into the town square, carrying the faithful and the curious, besides the old ladies somberly dressed, weighed down by the years, but with the ardent fire of faith shining in their eyes, which gave them heart to leave for a day the little corner in the home from which they were inseparable.
 At least 50,000 people had gathered to see if a miracle would happen or not. Some estimates say there were more 70,000 people present. |
"At dawn, new groups surged, undaunted, and crossed through the village without stopping for a moment, breaking the early morning silence with their beautiful hymns, the delicate harmony of the women's voices making a violent contrast with their rustic appearance. The sun was rising, though the skies presaged a storm. Dark clouds loomed directly over Fatima. Nothing would stop the crowd converging from every direction on towards the holy place, utilizing every means of transport. Luxurious automobiles glided swiftly along the road, their horns, sounding continually, while oxcarts dragged slowly alongside them. There were carriages of all types, victoria chaises, landaus, and wagons fitted out with seats for the occasion and crowded to the limit . . . Donkeys trotted along the side of the road, and the countless cyclists performed real feats to keep from colliding with the vehicles.
"By ten o'clock the sky was completely hidden behind the clouds, and the rain began to fall in earnest. Swept by a strong wind and beating upon the faces of the people, it soaked the road way and the pilgrims to the marrow of their bones . . But no one complained or turned back, and if some took shelter under trees or walls, the great majority continued on their journey with remarkable indifference to the rain The place where the Virgin was alleged to have appeared is fronted to a large extent by the road which leads to Leiria, along which the vehicles bringing the pilgrims were parked. More than a hundred cars could be counted, more than a hundred bicycles, and countless numbers of other types of conveyance, among which was a bus from Torres Novas bringing a group of people of every social condition, But the great mass of the people coming from great distances, the Minho and Beira in the north, Alentejo and Algarve in the south, congregated round the holm oak tree, which, according to the children, was the pedestal chosen by the Virgin. It could be considered the center of a large circle round which the spectators gathered to watch events. |
"Seen from the road, the general effect was picturesque. The peasants, sheltering under their huge umbrellas, accompanied the unloading of their provisions with the singing of hymns and the recitation of the decades of the rosary in a matter-of-fact way. People plodded through the sticky clay, in order to see the famous holm oak, with its wooden arch and hanging lanterns, at closer quarters . . Where were the little shepherds? Lucia, 10 years old, and her little companions, Francisco, aged 9, and Jacinta, aged 7, had not yet arrived. Finally, about half an hour before the time when the apparition would take place, their presence was noted, The girls wore wreaths of flowers and looked like angels as they moved towards the arch, The rain fell unceasingly, but nobody minded.
"Latecomers were still arriving; in cars. Groups of people were kneeling in the mud, quite unconcerned. Moved by an interior guidance, Lucia asked the people to shut their umbrellas, and in spite of the rain, she was promptly obeyed. There were so many people there, praying in such earnestness, almost in ecstasy as if their dry lips could no longer move, their hands joined, their eyes wide with wonder, people who seemed to be overpowered by the supernatural. The child asserted that the Lady had spoken to her once more, and then the sky, still overcast, began to clear overhead. The rain ceased, and the sunlight illuminated the whole landscape with all the somber effects of a wintry morning … ,
"From the road where the vehicles were parked and where hundreds of people who had not dared to brave the mud were congregated, one could see the immense throng turn towards the sun, which appeared free from clouds and in its zenith. It looked like a plaque of dull silver, and it was possible to look at it without the least discomfort. It neither burned nor blinded the eyes ... At that moment, a great shout went up and one could hear the spectators – nearest at hand – shouting: `A miracle! A miracle!'
"Latecomers were still arriving; in cars. Groups of people were kneeling in the mud, quite unconcerned. Moved by an interior guidance, Lucia asked the people to shut their umbrellas, and in spite of the rain, she was promptly obeyed. There were so many people there, praying in such earnestness, almost in ecstasy as if their dry lips could no longer move, their hands joined, their eyes wide with wonder, people who seemed to be overpowered by the supernatural. The child asserted that the Lady had spoken to her once more, and then the sky, still overcast, began to clear overhead. The rain ceased, and the sunlight illuminated the whole landscape with all the somber effects of a wintry morning … ,
"From the road where the vehicles were parked and where hundreds of people who had not dared to brave the mud were congregated, one could see the immense throng turn towards the sun, which appeared free from clouds and in its zenith. It looked like a plaque of dull silver, and it was possible to look at it without the least discomfort. It neither burned nor blinded the eyes ... At that moment, a great shout went up and one could hear the spectators – nearest at hand – shouting: `A miracle! A miracle!'
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"Before the astonished eyes of the crowd, whose aspect was biblical as they stood bareheaded, pale with fright, eagerly searching the sky, the sun trembled, made sudden incredible movement outside all cosmic laws – the sun `danced' according to the typical expression of the people. Standing at the step of the Torres Nova bus was an old man, whose appearance in face and figure reminded one of Paul Deroulede. With his face turned towards the sun he recited the Creed in a loud voice . . . Afterwards, I saw him going up to those around him who still had their hats on, an( vehemently imploring them to uncover their heads before such an extraordinary demonstration of the existence of God. Identical scenes were repeated elsewhere, and in one place, a woman cried out in a gasp of surprise: `How dreadful that there are some men who do not even bare their heads before such a stupendous miracle!' People then began to ask each other what they had seen. The great majority admitted to having seen the trembling and the dancing of the sun. Others affirmed that they saw the face of the Blessed Virgin, while others swore that the sun whirled on itself like a giant catherine wheel and that it lowered itself to the earth as if to burn it with its rays. Some said they saw it change color: successively. |
"It was almost three o'clock in the afternoon. The sky was swept clear of clouds and the sun followed its course in its usual splendor, so that no one ventured to gaze at it directly. What about the little shepherds? Lucia, who had spoken to Our Lady, was announcing with expressive gestures, as she was carried along shoulder-high by a man and passed from group to group, that the war would end and that the soldiers would return . . . But news like that, however, did nothing to increase the jubilation of those who heard it. The heavenly sign was sufficient for them: it was everything.
"Intense curiosity prevailed to see the two little girls in their wreaths of roses, and to kiss the hands of these 'little saints', one of whom, Jacinta, seemed nearer to fainting than dancing. They had so longed to see the sign from Heaven: they had seen and were satisfied and radiated their burning faith . . . The crowd dispersed rapidly, without any difficulty, without any sign of disorder, without any need for policemen to regulate them. Those who were the first to arrive were also the first to depart, running out on the roadway, travelling on foot with their footwear in a bundle on their heads or strung from their staffs. They went, with hearts overflowing with joy, to bring the good news to their hamlets that had not been wholly depopulated for the time being.
"And what of the priests? Some turned up at the place, mingling more among the curious spectators rather than among the pilgrims avid for heavenly signs and favors. Perhaps neither one nor the other succeeded in concealing their happiness, which so often transpired in triumphant guise . . . It only remains for those competent to do justice to the bewildering dance of the sun which, on this day in Fatima, caused Hosannas to resound from the hearts of all the faithful present, and naturally made a great impression, as people worthy of belief assured me, on the freethinkers and others without any religious conviction who had come to this now famous spot located on the poor pastureland high up on the serra.
Avelino de Almeida."
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This report created a considerable reaction among the atheist authorities in Lisbon and Sr. Almeida was bitterly attacked for daring to admit that there had been a supernatural manifestation. But his impartiality had been demonstrated by the fact that on the morning of the miracle, he had published an article on the front page of O Seculo in which he had quietly dismissed the reported visions and the possibility of a miracle. Later, at the request of a friend, he wrote another account of what happened that day which was published in the Illustragao Portuguesa of 29 October, 1917.
"You write and ask me to tell you, sincerely and minutely, what I saw and heard in the barren pastureland of Fatima, when the fame of the heavenly apparitions had congregated in that desolate wilderness tens of thousands of people . . . Members of your family dragged you with them to Fatima among that immense ocean of people who gathered there on October 13th. |
Your reasoning suffered a formidable blow, and you want to form a secure opinion, enlisting the aid of unbiased evidence such as mine. For I was there only in the discharge of a very difficult mission: that of relating impartially for the notable daily paper 0 Seculo, the facts that occurred before me, and all the surrounding unusual and elucidating details connected with them. What was it that I heard and that brought me to Fatima? I heard that the Virgin Mary had appeared after the feast of the Ascension to three little shepherds who were pasturing their flock, two little girls and a lad. She recommended them to pray, and promised to appear there on the holm oak on the 13th day of each month until October, when she would give them some sign of the power of God and would make revelations. This news was spread all round for many miles, then flew like wildfire from place to place throughout Portugal. The number of believers increased month by month, coming on pilgrimage to this poor barren spot, so that by October 13th, about 50,000 people at least had gathered there, according to the calculations of some impartial individuals .. .
"I saw the multitude, densely massed around the little miraculous holm oak and plucking its branches to keep as relics, or overflowing through the immense pastureland, traversed and dominated by the road from Leiria, and which now presented the most picturesque and varied concourse of cars and people that thronged it on that never-to-be-forgotten day, all awaiting in orderly fashion the supernatural manifestations, without fearing that the wintry weather would do any harm or diminish their splendor or magnificence . . At the hour foretold, the rain ceased to fall, the dense mass of clouds parted, and the sun – like a shining disc of dull silver – appeared at its full zenith, and began to whirl around in a wild and violent dance, that a large number of people likened to a carnival display, with such lovely glowing colors passing successively over the sun's surface. A miracle, as the crowd cried out; or a natural phenomenon, as the learned say? It is not important for me to know the answer now, but only to tell you and confirm what I saw . . . The rest we leave to science and the Church."
"I saw the multitude, densely massed around the little miraculous holm oak and plucking its branches to keep as relics, or overflowing through the immense pastureland, traversed and dominated by the road from Leiria, and which now presented the most picturesque and varied concourse of cars and people that thronged it on that never-to-be-forgotten day, all awaiting in orderly fashion the supernatural manifestations, without fearing that the wintry weather would do any harm or diminish their splendor or magnificence . . At the hour foretold, the rain ceased to fall, the dense mass of clouds parted, and the sun – like a shining disc of dull silver – appeared at its full zenith, and began to whirl around in a wild and violent dance, that a large number of people likened to a carnival display, with such lovely glowing colors passing successively over the sun's surface. A miracle, as the crowd cried out; or a natural phenomenon, as the learned say? It is not important for me to know the answer now, but only to tell you and confirm what I saw . . . The rest we leave to science and the Church."
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That many intellectuals postulated a natural explanation for the solar phenomenon was due to their refusal to recognize the possibility of a supernatural origin. One of them, Professor Frederico Oom of the faculty of sciences and director of the Lisbon Observatory stated in 0 Seculo shortly afterwards: "If it were a cosmic phenomenon, astronomical and meteorological observatories would not have failed to record it. And this is precisely what is missing: that inevitable recording of all the disturbances in the world system, no matter how small they may be ..." The scientist added that the phenomenon might have been of a psychological nature "but is completely foreign to the branch of science that I cultivate."
However, the theory of auto-suggestion which other intellectuals also advanced, was found to be wanting when it was discovered that the miracle had been seen over a 600 square mile area by people not at all interested in the happenings at Fatima. And there were impartial intellectuals in the Cova da Iria that day who were honest enough to admit the reality of the miracle. Among them was Dr. Joseph Garrett, Professor of Natural Sciences at Coimbra University, who wrote the following account in December 1917: "I am going to relate to you in a brief and concise manner, without any statements which would conceal the truth, what I saw in Fatima on 13 October, 1917 . . . I arrived at midday. The rain which had fallen persistently all morning, combined, with a blustery wind, continued fretfully, as if threatening to drown everyone. The dull and heavy sky, its dark-grey clouds water laden, predicted abundant rain for a long time to come. |
"I remained on the road in the shelter of the hood of my car, looking rather disdainfully towards the place where they said the apparition would be seen, not daring to step on to the sodden and muddy earth of the freshly-ploughed field. I was a little more than a hundred meters from the high wooden posts mounted by a rough cross, seeing distinctly the wide circle of people who, with their umbrellas open, seemed like a vast arena of mushrooms. A little after one o'clock; the children to whom Our Lady, as they declare, appeared and appointed the place, day and hour of the apparition, arrived at the site. Hymns were intoned and sung by the people who gathered about them. At a certain moment,' this immense mass of people, so varied and compact, closed their umbrellas and uncovered their heads in a gesture that could have been one of humility or respect, but which left me surprised and bewildered, because now the rain, with a blind persistency, poured down on their heads and drenched them through.
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"Later, I was told that this crowd, who finished up by kneeling in the mud, had obeyed the voice of a child. It must have been about half past one when there rose up, on the precise spot where the children were, a pillar of smoke, a delicate, slender, bluish column that went straight up to about two meters, perhaps above their heads and then evaporated. The phenomenon lasted for some seconds and was perfectly visible to the naked eye . . . It was repeated yet a second and third time. On these three occasions, and especially on the last one, the slender posts stood out distinctly in the dull grey atmosphere.
"While I continued looking at the place of the apparitions in a serene, if cold expectation of something happening, and with diminishing curiosity, because a long time had passed without anything to excite my attention, I heard a shout from thousands of voices, and saw the multitude which straggled out at my feet, here and there concentrated in small groups round the trees, suddenly turn its back on, the point towards which, up to now, it had directed its attention, and turn to look at the sky on the opposite side . . . |
"The sun, a few moments before, had broken through the thick layer of clouds that hid it and shone clearly and intensely. I veered towards the magnet which seemed to be drawing all eyes, and saw it as a disc with clear-cut rim, luminous and shining, but which did not hurt the eyes …
"It looked like a glazed circular piece cut from a mother-of-pearl shell . . . It could not be confused either, with the sun seen through fog (for there was no fog at the time), because it was not opaque, diffused or veiled . The sky was mottled with light cirrus clouds, the blue coming through here and there, but sometimes the sun stood out in patches of clear sky . . . It was a remarkable fact that one could fix one's eyes on this brazier of heat and light without any pain in the eyes or blinding of the retina…The sun's disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl, when suddenly a clamor was heard from all the people. The sun, whirling, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge fiery weight. The sensation during these moments was terrible.
"During the solar phenomenon, which I have just described in detail, there were changes of color in the atmosphere . . . Looking at the sun, I noticed that everything around was becoming darkened. I looked first at the nearest objects and then extended my glance further afield as far as the horizon. I saw everything an amethyst color. Objects around me, the sky and the atmosphere, were of the same color. An oak tree nearby threw a shadow of this color on the ground. Fearing that I was suffering from an affection of the retina . . . I turned away and shut my eyes, keeping my hands over them to intercept the light. With my back still turned, I opened my eyes and saw that the landscape was the same purple color as before ... Soon after, I heard a peasant who was near me shout out in tones of astonishment: `Look, that lady is all yellow!' In fact, everything both near and far, had changed, taking on the color of old yellow damask. People looked as if they were suffering from jaundice, and I recall my amusement at seeing them look so ugly and unattractive. Laughter was heard. My own hand was of the same yellow color ...
"All these phenomena which I have described, were observed by me in a calm and serene state of mind and without any emotional disturbance. It is for others to interpret and explain them."
Let us look briefly at two more newspaper reports before we hear the testimony of the believers present. The Ordem stated:
"The sun, at one moment surrounded by scarlet flames, at another, aureoled in yellow and deep purple, seemed to be moving very fast and spinning: at times it seemed to be loosed from the sky and to approach the earth, radiating a great heat."
The Lisbon paper O Dia wrote:
"At midday by the sun, the rain stopped. The sky, pearly grey in color, illuminated the vast arid landscape with a strange light. The sun had a transparent gauzy veil so that the eye could easily be fixed on it. The grey mother-of-pearl tone turned into a sheet of silver which broke up as the clouds were parted 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 though through the window of a cathedral. The blue faded slowly and then the light seemed to pass through yellow glass. Yellow stain fell on white handkerchiefs against the dark skirts of the women. The colors were repeated on the stones and on the serra."
Another eyewitness who was not at all disposed to expecting a miracle, the Baron of Alvaiazere, carefully took all the precautions spelt out by Gustave le Bon in his Psychology of the Crowd. He stated in a deposition to the canonical committee investigating the apparitions: "An indescribable impression overtook me. I only know that I cried out: I believe! I believe! And tears ran from my eyes. I was amazed, in ecstasy before the demonstration of Divine power . . . converted in that moment."
Present in the Cova da Iria that morning was Dr. Formigao, Professor of the seminary at Santarem, who had earlier questioned the three children.
"As if like a bolt from the blue," he wrote, "the clouds were wrenched apart, and the sun at its zenith appeared in all its splendor. It began to revolve vertiginously on its axis, like the most magnificent fire wheel that could be imagined, taking on all the colors of the rainbow and sending forth multi-colored flashes of light, producing the most astounding effect. This sublime and incomparable spectacle, which was repeated three distinct times, lasted for about ten minutes. The immense multitude, overcome by the evidence of such a tremendous prodigy, threw themselves on their knees. The Creed, the Hail Mary, acts of contrition, burst from all lips, and tears, tears of thanksgiving and repentance sprang from all eyes."
Another prominent witness was John Carreira, whose mother had asked Lucia in June 1917 to petition Our Lady to cure him of his lameness or give him a livelihood. (The latter plea was answered and he became the sacristan of the shrine for nearly fifty, years). On 13 October, 1917, John found himself pressed against the three children by the crowd "with my knees jammed between Lucia's and Francisco's feet." He added: "I saw the sun spinning round and it seemed about to come down on us. It revolved like a bicycle wheel … Afterwards, it returned to its place ... I wasn't afraid, but I heard people cry out: `Oh, we are going to die! We are going to die!'"
"It looked like a glazed circular piece cut from a mother-of-pearl shell . . . It could not be confused either, with the sun seen through fog (for there was no fog at the time), because it was not opaque, diffused or veiled . The sky was mottled with light cirrus clouds, the blue coming through here and there, but sometimes the sun stood out in patches of clear sky . . . It was a remarkable fact that one could fix one's eyes on this brazier of heat and light without any pain in the eyes or blinding of the retina…The sun's disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl, when suddenly a clamor was heard from all the people. The sun, whirling, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge fiery weight. The sensation during these moments was terrible.
"During the solar phenomenon, which I have just described in detail, there were changes of color in the atmosphere . . . Looking at the sun, I noticed that everything around was becoming darkened. I looked first at the nearest objects and then extended my glance further afield as far as the horizon. I saw everything an amethyst color. Objects around me, the sky and the atmosphere, were of the same color. An oak tree nearby threw a shadow of this color on the ground. Fearing that I was suffering from an affection of the retina . . . I turned away and shut my eyes, keeping my hands over them to intercept the light. With my back still turned, I opened my eyes and saw that the landscape was the same purple color as before ... Soon after, I heard a peasant who was near me shout out in tones of astonishment: `Look, that lady is all yellow!' In fact, everything both near and far, had changed, taking on the color of old yellow damask. People looked as if they were suffering from jaundice, and I recall my amusement at seeing them look so ugly and unattractive. Laughter was heard. My own hand was of the same yellow color ...
"All these phenomena which I have described, were observed by me in a calm and serene state of mind and without any emotional disturbance. It is for others to interpret and explain them."
Let us look briefly at two more newspaper reports before we hear the testimony of the believers present. The Ordem stated:
"The sun, at one moment surrounded by scarlet flames, at another, aureoled in yellow and deep purple, seemed to be moving very fast and spinning: at times it seemed to be loosed from the sky and to approach the earth, radiating a great heat."
The Lisbon paper O Dia wrote:
"At midday by the sun, the rain stopped. The sky, pearly grey in color, illuminated the vast arid landscape with a strange light. The sun had a transparent gauzy veil so that the eye could easily be fixed on it. The grey mother-of-pearl tone turned into a sheet of silver which broke up as the clouds were parted 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 though through the window of a cathedral. The blue faded slowly and then the light seemed to pass through yellow glass. Yellow stain fell on white handkerchiefs against the dark skirts of the women. The colors were repeated on the stones and on the serra."
Another eyewitness who was not at all disposed to expecting a miracle, the Baron of Alvaiazere, carefully took all the precautions spelt out by Gustave le Bon in his Psychology of the Crowd. He stated in a deposition to the canonical committee investigating the apparitions: "An indescribable impression overtook me. I only know that I cried out: I believe! I believe! And tears ran from my eyes. I was amazed, in ecstasy before the demonstration of Divine power . . . converted in that moment."
Present in the Cova da Iria that morning was Dr. Formigao, Professor of the seminary at Santarem, who had earlier questioned the three children.
"As if like a bolt from the blue," he wrote, "the clouds were wrenched apart, and the sun at its zenith appeared in all its splendor. It began to revolve vertiginously on its axis, like the most magnificent fire wheel that could be imagined, taking on all the colors of the rainbow and sending forth multi-colored flashes of light, producing the most astounding effect. This sublime and incomparable spectacle, which was repeated three distinct times, lasted for about ten minutes. The immense multitude, overcome by the evidence of such a tremendous prodigy, threw themselves on their knees. The Creed, the Hail Mary, acts of contrition, burst from all lips, and tears, tears of thanksgiving and repentance sprang from all eyes."
Another prominent witness was John Carreira, whose mother had asked Lucia in June 1917 to petition Our Lady to cure him of his lameness or give him a livelihood. (The latter plea was answered and he became the sacristan of the shrine for nearly fifty, years). On 13 October, 1917, John found himself pressed against the three children by the crowd "with my knees jammed between Lucia's and Francisco's feet." He added: "I saw the sun spinning round and it seemed about to come down on us. It revolved like a bicycle wheel … Afterwards, it returned to its place ... I wasn't afraid, but I heard people cry out: `Oh, we are going to die! We are going to die!'"
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John Haffert, International Lay Delegate of the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, gathered the testimony of many eyewitnesses of the miracle into an extraordinary book which he wrote in 1960. These accounts give an even more graphic picture of that fearful moment, with people crying out their sins and imploring pardon, as if at the point of death. We record a few of them as follows:
"I saw the sun, as if it were a ball of fire, begin to move in the clouds. It had been raining all morning and the sky was full of clouds, but the rain, had stopped. It lasted for several seconds, crushingly pressing down on us. Wan faces, standing here, from every side great ejaculations, acts of contrition, of the love of God. An indescribable moment! We feel it. We remain dominated by it. But it is not possible to describe it." (Carlos Mendes, lawyer). "I looked at the sun and saw it spinning like a disc, rolling on itself. I saw people changing color. They were stained with the colors of the rainbow. The sun seemed to fall down from the sky ... The people said that the world was going to end. They were afraid and screaming." (Antonio de Oliveira, farmer). "I saw the sun turn upon itself; it seemed to fall from the sky ... The people around me were crying that the world was going to end." (Maria dos Prazeres, widow). "The sun started to roll from one place to another and changed to blue, yellow – all colors. Then we see the sun coming towards the children. Everyone was crying out. Some started to confess their sins because there was no priest around there ... My mother grabbed me to her and started to cry, saying: `It is the end of the world!' And then we see the sun come right into the trees.” (Dominic Reis, in an American TV interview, 1960). "Suddenly the rain stopped and a great splendor appeared and the children cried: `Look at the sun!' I saw the sun coming down, feeling that it was falling to the ground. At that moment I collapsed." (Maria Candida da Silva). |
"I looked and saw that the people were in various colors - yellow, white, blue. At the same time, I beheld the sun spinning at great speed and very near me. I at once thought: I am going to die." (Rev. Joao Menitra).
As we have noted earlier, the miracle was seen over a 600 square mile area, thus obviating the suggested explanation of collective hallucination. In the town of Leiria, eighteen miles away to the north-west, the miracle was seen as a great red flash due to the restricting contours of the land. Rev. Joaquim Lourenco, a canon lawyer of the diocese of Leiria in 1960, witnessed the miracle in the village of Alburitel, some nine miles distant. He was a schoolboy at the time, and in 1960 he told John Haffert:
"I feel incapable of describing what I saw. I looked fixedly at the sun, which seemed pale and did not hurt my eyes. Looking like a ball of snow, revolving on itself, it suddenly seemed to come down in a zig-zag, menacing the earth. Terrified, I ran and hid myself among the people, who were weeping and expecting the end of the world at any moment. It was a crowd which had gathered outside our local village school, and we had all left classes and run into the streets because of the cries and surprised shouts of men and women who were in the street in front of the school when the miracle began.
"There was an unbeliever there who had spent the morning mocking the ‘simpletons’ who had gone off to Fatima just to see an ordinary girl. He now seemed paralyzed, his eyes fixed on the sun. He began to tremble from head to foot, and lifting up his arms, fell on his knees in the mud, crying out to God. But meanwhile the people continued to cry out and to weep, asking God to pardon their sins. We all ran to the two chapels in the village, which were soon filled to overflowing. During those long moments of the solar prodigy, objects around us turned all colors of the rainbow.”
An American building contractor, Abano Barros, related to John Haffert in 1960 how he saw the miracle in a village near Minde, about eight miles from Fatima. "I was watching sheep, as was my daily task, and suddenly, there in the direction of Fatima, I saw the sun fall from the sky. I thought it was the end of the world."
At least one eyewitness, the poet Alfonso Lopes Viera, saw the miracle from a distance of 30 miles at the ocean town of San Pedro der Muel. The author has also discovered at first hand that the miracle was seen in Pombal, some 32 miles to the north. Investigations have proved that it was visible over an area of approximately 32 miles by 20. The fact that it was not recorded beyond that distance, nor in any of the world's observatories, further confirms its extra-natural nature. Whether it actually was a miraculous transformation of the sun over a restricted area, or a divine representation of the sun that was seen, is unimportant since "nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37).
We do know however that not everyone present saw exactly the same thing. "I presume that each received what he or she was prepared for or what God knew to be needed," wrote Fr. Martindale, S.J., "as maybe, when the Divine Voice spoke to Our Lord, some said: `An angel spoke to Him, others that it thundered.' (John 12:29)."
Over the past half century, several scientific suggestions have been advanced in an attempt to explain the miracle, but none of them carry any weight. In the 1940’s an Italian Jesuit scientist, Pio Sciatizzi, undertook an exhaustive study of the phenomenon and published his results in a book entitled Fatima in the Light of Faith and Science. Fr. Sciatizzi was a professor of algebra and trigonometry at the Gregorian University, Rome, and an outstanding mathematician and astronomer, highly esteemed in the Italian scientific world. He concluded:
"Of the historic reality of this event there can be no doubt whatsoever. That it was outside and against known laws can be proved by certain simple scientific considerations ... Given the indubitable reference to God and the general context of the event, it seems that we must attribute to Him alone the most obvious and colossal miracle of history."
As we end, a sobering thought arises. Had the message and miracle occurred at the time of Noe, the world might conceivably have been saved from the deluge. Now that it has happened when the mounting sins of humanity threaten the world with a nuclear deluge, we can, perhaps, better understand the insistent words of Pope Pius XII; underlining the intercessory power of Our Lady with God: "The compassionate and maternal Heart of Mary performed the miracle of Fatima."
As we have noted earlier, the miracle was seen over a 600 square mile area, thus obviating the suggested explanation of collective hallucination. In the town of Leiria, eighteen miles away to the north-west, the miracle was seen as a great red flash due to the restricting contours of the land. Rev. Joaquim Lourenco, a canon lawyer of the diocese of Leiria in 1960, witnessed the miracle in the village of Alburitel, some nine miles distant. He was a schoolboy at the time, and in 1960 he told John Haffert:
"I feel incapable of describing what I saw. I looked fixedly at the sun, which seemed pale and did not hurt my eyes. Looking like a ball of snow, revolving on itself, it suddenly seemed to come down in a zig-zag, menacing the earth. Terrified, I ran and hid myself among the people, who were weeping and expecting the end of the world at any moment. It was a crowd which had gathered outside our local village school, and we had all left classes and run into the streets because of the cries and surprised shouts of men and women who were in the street in front of the school when the miracle began.
"There was an unbeliever there who had spent the morning mocking the ‘simpletons’ who had gone off to Fatima just to see an ordinary girl. He now seemed paralyzed, his eyes fixed on the sun. He began to tremble from head to foot, and lifting up his arms, fell on his knees in the mud, crying out to God. But meanwhile the people continued to cry out and to weep, asking God to pardon their sins. We all ran to the two chapels in the village, which were soon filled to overflowing. During those long moments of the solar prodigy, objects around us turned all colors of the rainbow.”
An American building contractor, Abano Barros, related to John Haffert in 1960 how he saw the miracle in a village near Minde, about eight miles from Fatima. "I was watching sheep, as was my daily task, and suddenly, there in the direction of Fatima, I saw the sun fall from the sky. I thought it was the end of the world."
At least one eyewitness, the poet Alfonso Lopes Viera, saw the miracle from a distance of 30 miles at the ocean town of San Pedro der Muel. The author has also discovered at first hand that the miracle was seen in Pombal, some 32 miles to the north. Investigations have proved that it was visible over an area of approximately 32 miles by 20. The fact that it was not recorded beyond that distance, nor in any of the world's observatories, further confirms its extra-natural nature. Whether it actually was a miraculous transformation of the sun over a restricted area, or a divine representation of the sun that was seen, is unimportant since "nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37).
We do know however that not everyone present saw exactly the same thing. "I presume that each received what he or she was prepared for or what God knew to be needed," wrote Fr. Martindale, S.J., "as maybe, when the Divine Voice spoke to Our Lord, some said: `An angel spoke to Him, others that it thundered.' (John 12:29)."
Over the past half century, several scientific suggestions have been advanced in an attempt to explain the miracle, but none of them carry any weight. In the 1940’s an Italian Jesuit scientist, Pio Sciatizzi, undertook an exhaustive study of the phenomenon and published his results in a book entitled Fatima in the Light of Faith and Science. Fr. Sciatizzi was a professor of algebra and trigonometry at the Gregorian University, Rome, and an outstanding mathematician and astronomer, highly esteemed in the Italian scientific world. He concluded:
"Of the historic reality of this event there can be no doubt whatsoever. That it was outside and against known laws can be proved by certain simple scientific considerations ... Given the indubitable reference to God and the general context of the event, it seems that we must attribute to Him alone the most obvious and colossal miracle of history."
As we end, a sobering thought arises. Had the message and miracle occurred at the time of Noe, the world might conceivably have been saved from the deluge. Now that it has happened when the mounting sins of humanity threaten the world with a nuclear deluge, we can, perhaps, better understand the insistent words of Pope Pius XII; underlining the intercessory power of Our Lady with God: "The compassionate and maternal Heart of Mary performed the miracle of Fatima."