The Miracle of the Sun, also known as the Miracle of Fátima, is one of the most famous events in Catholic history. It occurred on October 13, 1917, near the small town of Fátima, Portugal. The event was witnessed by a massive crowd of around 70,000 people, who had gathered in response to the prophecy made by three young shepherd children: Lúcia Santos and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto.
The children had claimed that the Virgin Mary (referred to as Our Lady of Fátima) had been appearing to them since May 1917, delivering messages and promising a miracle on October 13, so that people would believe. As the date approached, the anticipation grew, drawing thousands to the Cova da Iria fields.
On the day of the miracle, it had been raining heavily, leaving the ground muddy and the crowd soaked. However, at around noon, the rain suddenly stopped, and the sky cleared. Witnesses then described seeing the Sun behaving in an extraordinary manner. The Sun appeared to "dance" or "zig-zag" across the sky, emit multicolored lights, and even seem to move closer to the Earth, creating an impression that it might crash into the crowd. This spectacular phenomenon lasted for about ten minutes before the Sun returned to its normal state.
Interestingly, the children themselves did not report seeing the same solar phenomena. Instead, they claimed to have seen various visions, including the Holy Family, Our Lady of Sorrows, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, during that time.
The Miracle of the Sun was extensively covered by the media and led to a thorough investigation by the Catholic Church. In 1930, Bishop José da Silva declared the miracle "worthy of belief," allowing for the official veneration of Our Lady of Fátima. This event has had a lasting impact on Catholic devotional practices and remains a significant moment in the Church's history, attracting millions of pilgrims to Fátima each year.
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