First Apparition of the Angel (From Lucia’s Own Words)

In the spring of 1916 Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, had their first encounter with a heavenly
messenger. Writing in her memoirs, composed under obedience to the Bishop, Lucia tells of that
first meeting.

We went on that occasion to my parents’ property, which is at the bottom of the Cabeco, facing
east. It is called Chousa Velha.

About the middle of the morning it began to drizzle and we climbed up the hill, followed by our
sheep, in search of a rock that would shelter us. And so it was that we entered for the first time
into that blessed place. It is in the middle of an olive grove that belongs to my godfather, Anastacio.
From there one can see the village where I was born, my father’s house, and also Casa Velha and
Eira da Pedra. The olive grove, which really belongs to several people, extends as far as these
places.

We spent the day there, in spite of the fact that the rain had stopped and the sun was shining in a
clear sky. We ate our lunch and began to say the Rosary. After that we began to play a game with
pebbles. We had only been at it a few moments when a strong wind began to shake the trees and
we looked up to see what was happening, since it was such a calm day. And then we began to see,
in the distance, above the trees that stretched to the east, a light whiter than snow in the form of a
young man, quite transparent, and as brilliant as crystal in the rays of the sun. As he came near we
were able to see his features. We were astonished and absorbed and we said nothing to one
another. And then he said:

Do not be afraid. I am the angel of peace. Pray with me.

He knelt, bending his forehead to the ground.
With a supernatural impulse we did the same, repeating the words we heard him say:

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do
not adore, do not hope, and do not love You.

After repeating this prayer three times the angel rose and said to us:

Pray in this way. The hearts of Jesus and Mary are ready to listen to you.

And he disappeared. He left us in an atmosphere of the supernatural that was so intense we were
for a long time unaware of our own existence. The presence of God was so powerful and intimate
that even among ourselves we could not speak. On the next day, too, this same atmosphere held us
bound, and it lessened and disappeared only gradually. None of us thought of talking about this
apparition or any pledge of secrecy. We were locked in silence without having willed it.

The intense effect that the apparition of the Angel had on the children, quite different from the
more serene experience of the Virgin the following year. Lucia states,

I don’t know why, but the apparitions of our Lady produced in us effects quite different from the
angel’s visitations We felt in both instances the same intimate happiness, peace and joy, but instead
of the physical prostration the angel imposed, our Lady brought a feeling of expansion and
freedom; and instead of this annihilation in the divine presence, we wished only to exult in our joy.
There was no difficulty of speech when our Lady appeared; there was rather on my part a desire
to communicate.

This difference can perhaps be explained in this way. The angels of whatever choir share in
common with God a spiritual nature, unmixed with matter. The goodness of their being, filled with
the divine justice according to the degree of glory granted to each, radiates that holiness
unmediated, though proportioned to the capacity of human beings to experience it. Not without
reason Scripture shows how easily an angel appearing to men can be confused with God Himself
(Rev 19:10, 22:9). When our Lady appears, however, although her glory is greater than that of the
highest seraphim her human nature cloaks that glory in the familiar, just as did Our Lord’s human
nature, even after the Resurrection.

Although the angels, too, can appear in more mundane fashion, it must have suited the divine
purposes to reveal to the children something of the holiness of God. Lucia tells us of the lingering
effect it had on them.

His words sank so deeply into our minds that we never forgot them, and ever after we used to
spend long periods on our knees repeating them, sometimes until we fell down exhausted.

Third Apparition of the Angel at Fatima

Having gone to the Cabeco with their flocks, and being more attentive to the words of the angel,
they immediately knelt down to pray the prayer taught them by the angel: My God, I believe, I
adore etc…

After we had repeated this prayer I don’t know how many time we saw the shining over us a
strange light. We lifted our heads to see what was happening. the Angel was holding in his left hand
a chalice and over it, in the air, was a host from which drops of blood fell into the chalice. The
Angel leaves the chalice in the air, kneels near us and tells us to repeat three times:

Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the Most
Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the
world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. And by
the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the
conversion of poor sinners.

After that he rose, took again in his hand the chalice and the host. The host he gave to me and the
contents of the chalice he gave to Jacinta and Francisco, saying at the same time,

Eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ terribly outraged by the ingratitude of men.
Offer reparation for their sakes and console God.

Once more he bowed to the ground repeating with us the same prayer thrice: Oh, Blessed Trinity
etc. and disappeared. Overwhelmed by the supernatural atmosphere that involved us, we imitated
the Angel in everything, kneeling prostrate as he did and repeating the prayers he said.

It was in this way that catechized in prayer, reparative suffering, and the doctrine of the Holy
Eucharist, and strengthened by the Bread of Angels, that the children of Fátima were prepared for
the visitation of the Queen of Portugal, the Immaculate Virgin Mary.