Fatima

A century-old myth?

By Judah Ruah, for the newspaper O Seculo, published the 1917–09–29 on the newspaper Illustracao Portugueza — Illustracao Portugueza, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35012904

The history of the Miracle of Fatima is over a century old by now. Everything started in 1917 when three young shepherds witnessed, what they claim to be the Apparition of the Virgin Mary, and I will not try to solve that equation.

Even if I am no longer a religious man, I got profound Roman Catholic education from my parents.

This essay is about my own experiences related to this theme, and I have no intention of trying to influence believers or disbelievers.

I was in Fatima for the first time with my aunt and my cousins when I was 7 or 8 years old. We were there for the celebrations of the 12th and 13th of one of those months, from May to October.

The celebrations always start on the 12th, with various religious happenings, with the highest point on the Candle Procession.

Of course, this was impressive. It was a powerful feeling that leaves no one indifferent, and I will never forget it.

During that happening, there were no strange noises.