October 13, 1917, the day of the sun miracle in Fatima

Thousands of people attended the Miracle of the Sun performed by Our Lady in the Portuguese city of Fátima , October 13, 1917. The apparitions began in May for three little shepherds: Jacinta, Francesco e Lucia. In them the Virgin presented herself as the Lady of the Rosary and asked people to recite the Rosary.

“In October I will perform the miracle, so that everyone believes”, Our Lady promised to the little shepherds. According to what was reported by the faithful present on the spot and by the newspapers that recorded the miracle, after another apparition of the mother of Jesus to Jacinta, Francesco and Lucia, there was a heavy rain, the dark clouds dispersed and the sun appeared as a soft silver disc, spiraling and emitting colored lights in front of a crowd of 70 thousand people.

The phenomenon began at noon and lasted about three minutes. The children reported their vision of the miracle. “The Virgin Mary, opening her hands, made them reflect in the sun. And as it rose, the reflection of its own light continued to project itself into the sun (...) Once the Madonna disappeared, in the immense distance of the firmament, we saw, next to the sun, St. Joseph with the Child and the Madonna dressed in white, with a robe blue".

That day, the Blessed Virgin told the little shepherds to convey the following message: "Do not offend our Lord God anymore, he is already very offended". October 13 was also marked by other surprising events. It is on this date that the Church begins the novena of St. John Paul II, mentioned in the third secret of Fatima. The Mother of God warned the little shepherds that the Holy Father would be the target of an attack, which took place on May 13, 1981.