Saint of the day for February 20: The story of Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marto

Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese shepherd children from Aljustrel received the apparitions of Our Lady in Cova da Iria, near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon. At that time, Europe was involved in an extremely bloody war. Portugal itself was in political turmoil, having overthrown its monarchy in 1910; the government dissolved the religious organizations soon after. At the first apparition, Maria asked the children to return to that place on the thirteenth of each month for the next six months. He also asked them to learn to read and write and to pray the rosary "to obtain peace for the world and an end to the war". They had to pray for sinners and for the conversion of Russia, which had recently overthrown Tsar Nicholas II and would soon fall under communism. Up to 90.000 people gathered for the final apparition of Mary on October 13, 1917.

Less than two years later, Francisco died of the flu in his family home. He was buried in the parish cemetery and then buried again in the basilica of Fatima in 1952. Jacinta died of the flu in Lisbon in 1920, offering her sufferings for the conversion of sinners, world peace and the Holy Father. She was buried again in the basilica of Fatima in 1951. Their cousin Lucia dos Santos became a Carmelite nun and was still living when Jacinta and Francesco were beatified in 2000; she died five years later. Pope Francis canonized the youngest children during his visit to Fatima to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first apparition on May 13, 2017. The shrine of Our Lady of Fatima is visited by 20 million people a year.

Reflection: The Church is always very cautious in supporting alleged apparitions, but has seen benefits from people who change their lives because of the message of Our Lady of Fatima. Prayer for sinners, devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the prayer of the rosary: ​​all this strengthens the Good News that Jesus came to preach.