1. The story of Fatima
A small book on Fatima, written for children, can be found here:
For more detailed information on the story of Fatima for adults see: and
Also, for more on the Rosary, see:
Note:
Apparitions – it is important to note that these apparitions are ‘private revelations’ and as such Catholics are not ‘required’ to believe in them – check the Catechism of the Catholic Church for more information. However, the Fatima apparitions have been approved by the Catholic Church.

2. The story of Fatima
This is a story about three shepherd children who lived near the town of Fatima, in Portugal. The events took place in 1917, at a time when the Catholic Church in Portugal was being persecuted. The little town of Fatima remained true to the faith.
During the First World War.
Francisco and Jacinta Marto were brother and sister and Lucia was their cousin. It was their job to go to the nearby hills to look after the sheep for the family.
Jacinta
age 7
Francisco
age 9
Lucia age 10
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3. The story of Fatima
One day, in 1916, when the children were looking after their sheep an Angel appeared to them. The Angel appeared to them three times.
The angel taught the children three prayers (see booklet).
The angel was known as ‘The Angel of Peace’ and ‘The Angel of Portugal’.
The Angel of Peace
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4. The Story of Fatima
The Angel taught the children some prayers. The children were being prepared to meet Our Lady.
The angel taught the children three prayers (see booklet) and encouraged them to pray very much. (Secondary Students may want to learn the words to these prayers – see accompanying booklet).
The children reported that on one occasion the angel gave them Holy Communion.
The children did not tell anyone about seeing the angel. They did not talk about it to each other until much later.
The angel was preparing the children to meet Our Lady by teaching them how to pray more carefully.
This message of the Angel is very important to us, because it helps us understand that God loves us and wants us to love Him. We can show our love for God by being kind and helpful to others and by praying often.
The Angel of Peace
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5. The story of Fatima
In 1917, Our Lady appeared to the children six times. This took place between may and october, on the thirteenth day of each month.
On Sunday May 13th 1917 the children were pasturing their flock as usual at the Cova da Iria, which was about a mile from their homes. They were playing when suddenly a bright shaft of light pierced the air. They described it as a flash of lightning. It was not really lightning, but rather the reflection of a light that approached little by little. Frightened by the flash, the children looked around at the sky that was clear and bright without the least spot of a cloud. No breeze stirred, the sun was strong, and there was no hint anywhere of a storm that might be responsible for a flash of lightning. The children, however, thought that they had better head home in case it might start raining. As they descended the hill. Another flash of lightning took them by surprise. Panicky with fear, they took a few steps and looked towards the right. There, standing over the foliage of a small holmoak, "a lady dressed all in white, more brilliant then the sun, shedding rays of light… ". The lady spoke to them and said: "Fear not! I will not harm you." "Where are you from?" the children asked. "I am from heaven" the beautiful lady replied…
The Lady asked the children to return every month on the thirteenth day for the next six months. She asked them to pray the rosary every day for peace in the world.
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6. The story of Fatima
At first, no one believed that the children had seen Our Lady. For a few days, the children were put in prison because it was thought they were telling lies. But the children were very brave; they told the truth about what they had seen.
At first, most people made fun of the children because they did not believe them. They were taunted and their lives became quite unhappy.
Government officials did not want this story getting out! They ‘took’ the children to a nearby (main) town and put them in prison for several days. They questioned them individually and tried to force them to change their story. They threatened to put the children in boiling oil if they did not ‘tell the truth’. Even when told the others had been put in the boiling oil, they would not change their story. Of course, none of the children were put in boiling oil – they were released and sent home.
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7. The story of Fatima
Our Lady wanted the children to know how important it is to pray. She gave a special message to the children for all the world:
to pray for peace in the world;
to say the Rosary every day.
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8. The story of Fatima
to be sorry for our sins and to make acts of penance (as we do in Lent);
to pray for souls to go to Heaven.
Penance – an act of devotion performed voluntarily to show sorrow for a sin or other wrongdoing - usually consisting of prayer, fasting.
Also - a Sacrament that includes contrition, confession to a priest, acceptance of whatever penance is given, and absolution. Also called reconciliation.
Remind the children of the time of Lent – we do good things for others or we give something up as a way of expressing our sorrow to God for the wrong things we have done, we ask for forgiveness and we try to pray more often – i.e. penance. Our Lady of Fatima asks that we should also do penance at other times (not just in Lent).
A major part of the message of Fatima is ‘penance’ – “Catholics are reminded to return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) often. It is the ordinary way for us to have our sins forgiven. This Sacrament is a powerful help to get rid of our weaknesses, grow in holiness, and lead a balanced and virtuous life.” from
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9. Miracle of the sun
Lucia asked Our Lady to perform a miracle that everyone could see, so that they would be believed. On 13th october 1917, there was a ‘miracle of the sun’ witnessed by people.
Notes for teachers:
On 13 October 1917 the children surrounded by a crowd of 70,000 persons under a torrential rain, Lucy asked again of the Lady: "What do you want from me?" she answered: "I am the Lady of the Rosary, I desire here a chapel in my honour to be built, that people continue to recite the Rosary every day.” Our Lady also told Lucia that, people should ask pardon for their sins.
Then she opened her hands again and she launched a ray of light in the direction of the sun as Lucia shouted that the people should look at the sun. At this point the promised sign happened, Lucy shouted to look at the sun, the rain stopped suddenly and there appeared an exceptionally bright sun but not dazzling. The sun began to turn as if projecting in each direction bands of light of each colour that lit and coloured the clouds, the sky, the trees, and the crowd. It stayed for some moments then it went back to its normal position, it stayed still for a small while and then it happened again. Suddenly it looked as if it stood out from the sky to fall headlong on the crowd, that was looking terrorized, they fell to their knees and begged mercy. Meanwhile the children saw a Lady dressed like the white of the sun with a blue cope, St. Joseph with the Child Jesus that blessed the world. Then after this vision they saw The Lord bless the world, standing next to Our Lady of Sorrows. After these visions the Lady of Mt Carmel finished the miracle. The people then became aware that there clothes were completely dried. 
One of the principal anti-clerical publications of the day was O Dia, a major Lisbon newspaper. On October 17th, O Dia reported the following: At one o'clock in the afternoon, midday by the sun, the rain stopped. The sky, pearly gray in color, illuminated the vast arid landscape with a strange light. The sun had a transparent gauzy veil so that eyes could easily be fixed upon it. The gray mother-of-pearl tone turned into a sheet of silver which broke up as the clouds were torn apart and the silver sun, enveloped in the same gauzy gray light, was seen to whirl and turn in the circle of broken clouds. A cry went up from every mouth and people fell on their knees on the muddy ground. The light turned a beautiful blue as if it had come through the stained-glass windows of a cathedral and spread itself over the people who knelt with outstretched hands. The blue faded slowly and then the light seemed to pass through yellow glass. Yellow stains fell against white handkerchiefs, against the dark skirts of women. They were reported on the trees, on the stones and on the serra. People wept and prayed with uncovered heads in the presence of the miracle they had awaited.
From:
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10. The story of Fatima
After the miracle of the sun, many more people believed the children and they began to pray more often.
Picture shows the Basilica of the Holy Rosary in Fatima.
What other Marian Shrines do the children know of – e.g. Lourdes, Knock, Walsingham…?
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11. The story of Fatima
Sadly, a few years later both Francisco and Jacinta died of an illness that spread through Europe. Francisco died on 4 april 1919 and Jacinta died on 20 february 1920. 
What happened to the children – the two younger ones died of flu – an epidemic spread across Europe and many people died. Our Lady had promised them that they would go to heaven (in the first apparition).
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12. The story of Fatima
Lucia lived a long life. She became a Carmelite Nun, known as, Sr. Maria Lucia of the Immaculate Heart. Sr. Lucia wrote two books telling her story. She died on february 13, 2005, aged 97!
Our Lady had asked Lucia to spread devotion to her Immaculate Heart and to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Older children might like to find out about the First Five Saturdays devotion.
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13. The story of Fatima
Fatima is now a place of pilgrimage. People go there from all over the world to honour Our Lady and to pray the Rosary for peace.
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14. The story of Fatima
Pope John Paul II beatified Francisco and Jacinta Marto on May 13th 2000 in a celebration attended by more than people. It is hoped that they will soon be canonized (made Saints).
To be beatified – to be recognised as a holy person – on the way to sainthood.
(Christianity / Roman Catholic Church)  to declare formally that (a deceased person) showed a heroic degree of holiness in his or her life and therefore is worthy of public veneration: the first step towards canonization.
Once beatified a person is known as ‘Blessed’. So we can honour Blessed Francisco and Blessed Jacinta – we can ask them to pray for us. Their tombs are in the Basilica of the Holy Rosary in Fatima – a place of pilgrimage.
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15. The story of Fatima How can we respond to the message of Fatima?
Pray often;
say the Rosary;
work for peace;
be sorry for the wrong things we do.
Encourage the children to think about how they can all help to make the school a more peaceful place – do they try to make friends and to look after others or do they fight and argue? How ready are they to say sorry and make friends again when things do go wrong for them? Encourage reflection on this.
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16. The story of Fatima Do you know the prayers of the Rosary? Our Father;
Hail Mary;
Glory Be;
Hail Holy Queen.
Learn these prayers.
Learn how to say the Rosary.
With the children, say the first part of the Rosary in your Act of Worship –
One Our Father
Three Hail Mary’s
One Glory Be.
Teachers could follow-up later in the day by saying a decade of the Rosary with the class. Why not say one decade per day? – a whole rosary can then be completed in a week.
Older students may like to learn the Fatima Prayer (given at the third apparition) which can be said after each decade following the Glory Be:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of they mercy.
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17. Glory Be – a prayer to the Holy Trinity
Glory Be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now,
and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Children from KS2 onwards should get to know this prayer by heart.
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18. Hail, Holy Queen Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy,
hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Children from KS2 onwards should know this prayer from our Catholic tradition.
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