Saints Francesco and Jacinta

In 1916-1917 the Guardian Angel of Portugal and Mary, the Mother of God appeared to three children in Fatima Portugal: Lucia, Jacinta and Francesco. They were 10, 9 and 7 years old.  The apparitions culminated with the miracle of the Sun, witnessed by more than 70,000 and reported in the newspapers the next day.

In June of 1917, Mary appeared to the children and said: My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that leads you to God.

Then she opened her hands. In one hand she held her Immaculate Heart from which flowed a great light which is God. This light penetrated the hearts of the children and flowed out upon the whole world.

Francesco said: “What I loved most of all was to see Jesus in that Light from Our Lady which penetrated our hearts.”

The Light was the grace of God. It flowed from the Heart of Mary into the hearts of the children and helped them see God.

That is what Mary does for us as Our Spiritual Mother. She works to open our hearts to receive the grace, that is, the life of God, to know his will and to do it.