Fatima in July Print

July 13, 1917.

A crowd of people, perhaps up to 5000, including the parents of Jacinta and Francisco, had gathered at the Cova. While the Rosary was being recited, they saw the flash of the usual light and then the children saw the lady above the oak tree.

What does Madam want of me? Lucy asked.

I want you to come here on the 13th of next month, to continue reciting the Rosary every day in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace in the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you.

I should like to ask You to tell us who you are, and to work a miracle so that everyone will believe that Your Grace is appearing to us.

Continue to come here every month. In October, I will say who I am and what I want, and I will perform a miracle so that all might see in order to believe.

Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say often to Jesus, especially whenever you make a sacrifice: "O Jesus, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The lady then gave them a vision of hell. Lucy said later,
"....we saw as it were a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals.

Lucy added: "that vision lasted only a moment, thanks to our Good Mother of Heaven, who, at the first apparition, promised to bring us to Heaven. Without that, I think we would have died of terror and fear....".

The lady said to them sadly:

You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to My Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the reign of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father.
To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If My requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated. In the end, My Immaculate Heart will triumph.

When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need.

Then, as before Our Lady began to ascend towards the East.

13th of October