“At Fatima, the Divine has revealed Himself through the maternal face of Mary, who has conveyed a message from God to humanity of the 20th century, a message that in itself is a prophetic word.”It is May 13, 1917, and the principle protagonists are three children: Lucia de Jesus – who then enter religious life at the Carmel of St. Theresa in Coimbra – and Francesco and Jacinta Marto. Three young shepherds are grazing their flock in Cova da Iria, now part of the Diocese of Leiria-Fatima. Around noon, the three children see a great light, and thinking it is a flash of lightening, decide to go .. but soon after another light comes and illuminates the area around them. Here, where there is only a small oak (where later the little chapel of the apparitions will stand) appears a “Lady brighter than the sun”, holding in her hands a white rosary.The Lady told the three shepherd children that they must pray much and asks them to return to the Cova da Iria for six consecutive months, at the same time on the13th of each month. “These apparitions were preceded by those of the Angel of peace, as Sister Lucia said, to prepare the children to penetrate the divine mystery and to understand that God would entrust a message to them.” At Her last appearance, October 13, nearly 70,000 people are on the scene, and the Lady reveals her name: “Our Lady of the Rosary.” The Virgin requested that, on the very place where She appeared, a chapel be built in her honor. After the appearance, all present witness the miracle promised earlier to the three children: the sun, like a silver disc that could be observed without any difficulty, begins to turn on itself like a ball of fire and seems to rush to the ground. “This message takes on various aspects, which Sister Lucia has summarized in what is known as the ‘secret of Fatima’.” As Bishop Marto explains, the message of Fatima reveals three distinct things: the vision of hell as a warning to shake the conscience of humanity, devotion to the sacred heart of Mary, and a reference to suffering, persecution and martyrdom in the Church. This message is a message of hope and perseverance amid the difficulties of the world. According to official document of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Sister Lucia was aware that “the purpose of all these apparitions was to grow in faith, hope and charity” and that “all the rest was not what mattered. ” On October 3, 1930, the Bishop of Leiria, agreed that the appearances were authentic and authorized devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. However, the early construction of the small Chapel of the Apparitions dates back to April 28, 1919. The shrine now attracts also followers of other religions. In the Islamic world, for example, Fatima is the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. He said to her: “You are the noblest woman of Paradise, after Mary.” According to some interpretations Mary chose to be known as Our Lady of Fatima to give hope to the Muslim people who, over the centuries, had occupied parts of Portugal. May 13, 1981 is also linked to the assassination attempt against John Paul II in Rome by Mehmet Ali Ağca. Later, the Pope had the bullet that struck him placed in the crown of the statue of the Virgin as a gesture of thanksgiving for having saved his life. The beatification of the two seers of Fatima, Francesco and Jacinta Marto, took place in Fatima on May 13, 2000. Pope Benedict XVI has given his approval to anticipate the opening of the canonical process for the beatification of Lucia de Jesus, who took the name Sister Maria Lucia of the Immaculate Heart.”Oh Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, Queen of the Rosary, gentle Virgin of Fatima, I consecrate myself to your Immaculate Heart to be fully offered and consecrated to the Lord.Please take me under your maternal protection; defend me against dangers, help me to overcome temptations and avoid sins and- I beg you– watch over the purity of my body and my soul. May your Immaculate Heart be my refuge and the path that leads me to God.Grant me the grace to pray and to sacrifice myself for love of Jesus, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against your Immaculate Heart.Entrusting myself to you, and united to the Heart of your Divine Son, I want to live for the Holy Trinity, whom I believe, adore, hope and love. Amen.” Mary of Nazareth at the Sanctuary of Fatima