When three young kids in Fatima, Portugal reported that the Virgin Mary had appeared to them on 13th May, 1917, the incident sparked hysteria across their rural, intensely Catholic community.

The ‘three secrets’ supposedly revealed that day - and the much-attended ‘Miracle of the Sun’ event prophesied that Autumn - gave a long-lasting boost to Fatima’s visitor numbers. It still plays host to six million pilgrims a year.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why, for decades, only the Pope was allowed to know all the events Mary had predicted; unpick exactly what the witnesses to the sun-miracle may have actually seen; and consider whether, for the Vatican, Sister Lucia’s visions were a blessing or a curse…

Further Reading:

• ‘A saga of spirituality, secrecy and scepticism’ (Irish Times, 2005): https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-saga-of-spirituality-secrecy-and-scepticism-1.416714

• ‘Our Lady of Fatima and the Miracle of the Sun: The Virgin Mary appeared to three children in Portugal’ (The Washington Post, 2017): https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/10/13/our-lady-of-fatima-the-virgin-mary-promised-three-kids-a-miracle-that-70000-gathered-to-see/

• ‘SISTER LUCIA OF FATIMA’S LAST PUBLIC INTERVIEW (1957)’ (Catholic 365, 2021):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc6k7lf5xL8

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

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