"A Lady more brilliant than the sun"

On May 13, 1917, the three children were grazing their flock.  About midday, after praying the Rosary, as was their custom, they were amusing themselves building a little house of stones.  Suddenly, they saw a brilliant light, and thinking it to be lightening, they decided to go home.  But as they went down the slope, another flash lit up the place, and they saw, on the top of a holmoak, "a Lady more brilliant than the sun," from whose hands hung a white rosary.

The Lady told them that it was necessary to pray much, and she invited them to return to the Cova da Iria on five consecutive months, on the 13th day at that hour.  The children did so and the 13th day of June, July, September and October, the Lady appeared to them again and spoke to them in the Cova da Iria.  On the 19th of August, the apparition took place at Valinhos, about 500 meters from Aljustrel, because on the 13th, the children had been carried off by the local Administrator to Vila Nova de Ourém.

At the last apparition, on October 13th, with about 70,000 people present, the Lady said to them that she was the "Lady of the Rosary" and that a chapel was to be built there in her honour.  After the apparition, all present witnessed a miracle promised to the three children in July and September: the sun, resembling a silver disc, could be gazed at without difficulty and, whirling on itself like a wheel of fire, it seemed to fall upon the earth.

Since 1917, pilgrims have gone to the Cova da Iria in their thousands from all parts of the world.

The official Fátima shine website, can be found at
http://www.santuario-fatima.pt/portal/index.php?lang=EN