AUGUST 1917 APPARITION OF
OUR LADY OF FATIMA
Below you have the Sor Lucia’s own words on the 4th apparition of Our Lady of Fatima taken from her Memoirs. If we recall, the three shepherds were brought to the jail of Vila Nova de Ourem on the 13th of August. Our Lady would later appear on the 19th of August 1917 (according to the footnote in the memoir, correcting Sor Lucia’s date recall of 15th of August) to relay to them her message described by Sor Lucia in her memoirs.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
+++EXCERPT OF SOR LUCIA’S MEMOIRS STARTS HERE. HIGHLIGHTS IN WEB FORMAT MINE+++
- Imprisonment at Ourém
Meanwhile the 13th day of August had dawned. Ever since the previous evening, crowds had been pouring in from all parts. They all wanted to see and question us, and recommend their petitions to us, so that we could transmit them to the most Holy Virgin. In the middle of all that crowd, we were like a ball in the hands of boys at play. We were pulled hither and thither, everyone asking us questions without giving us a chance to answer anybody. In the midst of all this commotion, an order came from the Administrator, telling me to go to my aunt’s house, where he was awaiting me. My father got the notification and it was he who took me there. When I arrived, he was in a room with my cousins. He interrogated us there, and made fresh attempts to force us to reveal the secret and to promise that we would not go back to the Cova da Iria. As he achieved nothing, he gave orders to my father and my uncle to take us to the parish priest’s house.
I will not delay now to tell Your Excellency about everything else that happened during our imprisonment, for you already know it all. As I have previously explained to Your Excellency, what I felt most deeply and what caused me most suffering on that occasion was my being completely abandoned by my family; and it was the same for my little cousins. After this journey or imprisonment, for I really don’t know what to call it, I returned home, as far as I can remember, on the 15th of August. To celebrate my arrival, they sent me right away to let out the sheep and take them off to pasture. My uncle and aunt wanted their children to stay with them at home, and therefore sent their brother John in their place. As it was already late, we stayed in the vicinity of our little hamlet, at a place called Valinhos (1).
What happened next, is also known to Your Excellency; therefore I will not delay here to describe this either. Once again, the most Blessed Virgin recommended to us the practice of mortification, and ended by saying:
“Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.”
6. The 13th of August, 1917
As I have already said what happened on this day, I will not delay over it here, but pass on to the Apparition which in my opinion, took place on the 15th in the afternoon (2). As at that time I did not yet know how to reckon the days of the month, it could be that I am mistaken. But I still have an idea that it took place on the very day that we arrived back from Vila Nova de Ourém.
I was accompanied by Francisco and his brother John. We were with the sheep in a place called Valinhos, when we felt something supernatural approaching and enveloping us. Suspecting that Our Lady was about to appear to us, and feeling sorry lest Jacinta might miss seeing her, we asked her brother to go and call her. As he was unwilling to go, I offered him two small coins, and off he ran.
Meanwhile, Francisco and I saw the flash of light, which we called lightning. Jacinta arrived, and a moment later, we saw Our Lady on a holmoak tree.
“What do you want of me?”
“I want you to continue going to the Cova da Iria on the 13th, and to continue praying the Rosary every day. In the last month, I will perform a miracle so that all may believe.”
“What do you want done with the money that the people leave in the Cova da Iria?”
“Have two litters made. One is to be carried by you and Jacinta and two other girls dressed in white; the other one is to be carried by Francisco and three other boys. The money from the litters is for the “festa” of Our Lady of the Rosary, and what is left over will help towards the construction of a chapel that is to be built here.”
“I would like to ask you to cure some sick persons.”
“Yes, I will cure some of them during the year.” Then, looking very sad, Our Lady said:
“Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.”
NOTES:
- Lucia mentions here and also elsewhere, that the apparition occurred at Valinhos on August 15th, that is, on the day of her return from Vila Nova de Ourém. This is a mistake; the day of her return from Ourém was certainly the 15th of August, but the apparition occurred on the following Sunday, 19th of August, 1917.
- Lucia is mistaken in thinking that the Apparition happened on the same day on which they returned from the prison at Vila Nova de Ourém. This was not correct. The Apparition took place on the following Sunday,19th August.