Feast of Sts. Francisco & Jacinta Marto (Portugal)

On February 20th, dioceses in Portugal (together with others around the world) observe the feast of Sts. Francisco and Jacinta Marto. They are the youngest saints not to die as martyrs recognized by the Catholic Church. Francisco and Jacinta’s courageous witness to the faith teach us that even young children can become saints. The brother and sister who tended to their families’ sheep with their cousin Lucia Santo, witnessed the apparitions of Mary, Our Lady of Fatima.

The Blessed Virgin Mary’s six appearances between May 13th and October 13th, 1917, at Cova da Iria, near Fatima, Portugal, to three poor shepherd children, was a defining moment in salvation history, presaging several significant events in the 20th century and beyond. Our Lady's urgent message speaks to us today.

Mary told the children that she was sent from heaven by God with an urgent message for humanity. At that time, World War I was raging, and Europe was being torn apart by violence and bloodshed. Our Lady promised that God would grant peace should her call for prayer, reparation and universal consecration to her Immaculate Heart be honored. The Blessed Virgin emphasized, "If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace." But, if she was ignored, a far greater conflict would occur, and innumerable souls would be lost.

War, Our Lady of Fatima explained, is a punishment for sin. She warned that God would castigate the world for its continued disobedience to His Love through, war, hunger and the persecution of His Church, the Holy Father and the Faithful. Mary prophesied that Russia would be God's "instrument of chastisement," spreading atheism and materialism across the earth, provoking wars, annihilating nations and persecuting the faithful. Humanity's only hope was a sincere return to God.

Our Lady's message to the world contained three secrets. These she confided to the children in July 1917. The first secret was a horrifying vision of hell Mary told Lucy, Jacinta and Francisco that many people go to hell because they have no one to pray or make sacrifices on their behalf. She urged the children to perform acts of prayer and sacrifice to save souls. The second secret predicted the future outbreak of World War II. It included Mary’s solemn request for the Consecration of Russia as necessary for peace and that her Immaculate Heart would triumph.

Less than two years after the apparitions, Francisco died of influenza in his family home. He was buried in the parish cemetery and then re-buried in the Fatima basilica in 1952. Jacinta died of influenza in Lisbon, offering her suffering for the conversion of sinners, world peace and the Holy Father. She was reintured in the Fatima basilica in 1951. Their cousin, Lucia dos Santos, became a Carmelite nun and was still living when Jacinta and Francisco were beatified in 2000. Sr. Lucia died in 2005. Pope Francis declared Bls. Francisco and Jacinta Marto to be saints before hundreds of thousands of pilgrims at Fatima, Portugal, on May 13, 2017.

O God who granted these two holy shepherd children the grace to become living burning bushes on fire with love for the Holy Father and for sinners, and burning with love for Our Lady and the “hidden” Jesus, grant that we, too, may be like Francisco and Jacinta, so that we also, may burn with the same love and, with them, all meet together again in Heaven around Our Lady in adoration of the Blessed Trinity. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen.