May 13 is the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima, an apparition of the Virgin Mary that took place in 1917. A woman "more brilliant than the sun" appeared to three shepherd children near Fatima, Portugal. Her first appearance to the children took place on May 13 and continued about once a month until October 13.
Her message was simple: pray. Specifically, she advised the three children, Lúcia, Francisco, and Jacinta, to pray the rosary for peace in the world and the end of the Great War.
The apparition was controversial at first, with many doubters — but interest and devotion to the apparition grew throughout the six months. Word spread that Our Lady had promised a miracle on October 13 for her last apparition. A huge crowd — some 100,000 people, including reporters and photographers — gathered for the event, and many reported that a miracle took place that day. It had been raining, but then the clouds cleared and the sun appeared to behave strangely to everyone. It cast multicolored light, then moved close to the Earth to dry everyone's clothes before zigzagging to resume its place in the sky.
Popes Pius XII, Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis all voiced their acceptance of the supernatural origin of the Fatima events.
Get to know Our Lady of Fatima through our Spotify playlist created to celebrate her apparitions and the devotion to her that followed.
If the entire playlist isn't loading below, click on the Spotify logo to listen to the full playlist on Spotify.
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