Fatima 100. Historical aspects

This paper presents the historical aspects which make up the context of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Fatima in 1917. In the first part, we briefly draw the political context of the apparitions proper: the First World War. The main bulk of the article is made up of the chronological and detailed description of the six apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Fatima in front of the three Portuguese shepherds (Lucia, Iacinta and Francis), drawing on their individual feelings, and also on the faith of the thousands participating in these events. Up until 100 years ago, Fatima was an unknown village in central Portugal, but consequent to the apparitions of Saint Mary, the word “Fatima” has been uttered by millions of people, many of them being pilgrims to the holy places of Portugal; the holy places where Our Lady, the Queen of All Saints, descended among the humans to invite everyone to prayer and penitence.