The Miracle of the Sun

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The Miracle of the Sun

On October 13, 1917, the world witnessed one of the greatest miracles of all time: the Miracle of the Sun. The miracle itself was unique in salvation history: a public miracle whose occurrence was literally announced three months in advance by the Mother of God. This announcement was made through the three shepherd children of Fatima, Portugal Lucia (Lucy) das Santos and her two cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto during the apparition of the Blessed Mother on July 13th of that year. And for Her part, Our Lady did not disappoint Irrefutable Proof That day, in a driving rainstorm, some 70,000 people believers and non-believers alike assembled in the Cova da Iria in Fatima to witness for themselves what had been prophesied: a miracle by Our Lady. The rain had been non-stop and the people that gathered were thoroughly drenched, in some cases, standing ankle-deep in mud. But just before the miracle began, the rain came to a sudden halt and the clouds cleared from the sky. Then, beginning at precisely midday, when the sun was at its highest point in the sky, the vast crowd witnessed the sun defy all of the laws of physics. The events of that day are not a matter of hearsay, but of actual reported fact. As just one example, we can point to the observations of Avelino de Almeida, Editor in Chief of O Seculo, the great liberal, anticlerical and Masonic daily of Lisbon: From the road, where the cars were packed together, and several hundred people had remained, not having had the courage to advance towards the muddy field, one could see the immense multitude turn towards the sun, which appeared at its zenith, coming out of the clouds. It resembles a dull silver disc, and it is possible to fix ones eyes on it without the least damage to the eye. It does not burn the eyes. It does not blind them. One might say that an eclipse was taking place.
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An immense clamor bursts out, and those who are nearer to the crowd hear a shout: Miracle! Miracle! Prodigy!... Prodigy!... The attitude of the people takes us back to biblical times. Stupefied and with heads uncovered, they watch the blue sky. Before their dazzled eyes the sun trembled; the sun made unusual and brusque movements, defying all the laws of the cosmos; and according to the typical expression of the peasants, the sun danced. Dr. Almeida Garrett, professor of the Faculty of Sciences at Coimbra, was also on hand to describe the events of that day. A man of science, he was used to making subtle and precise observations. He observed: During the solar phenomenon there were changes of color in the atmosphere. Looking at the sun, I noticed that everything was becoming darkened. I looked first at the nearest objects and then extended my glance further afield as far as the horizon. I saw everything an amethyst color. Objects around me, the sky and the atmosphere, were of the same color. An oak tree nearby threw a shadow of this color on the ground. Soon I heard a peasant who was near me shout out in tones of stupefaction: Look, that lady is all yellow! And in fact everything both near and far had changed, taking on the color of old yellow damask. People looked as if they were suffering from jaundice and I recall a sensation of amusement at seeing them look so ugly and unattractive. My own hand was the same color. After about four minutes, the sun stopped spinning. Then, shortly after that, it started again, this time spinning more rapidly and with more beautiful colors. After four more minutes, it stopped again. Then, it began a third time to spin with still more beautiful colors. Then, it started to zigzag in the sky. It went up and down like a yo-yo. Then it started to fall, plunging towards the earth. The sun became very large in the sky and very hot. It looked as if it was going to fall on top of the people and kill them all, as if it was the end of the world. The people fell on their knees in the mud and cried to God for mercy, begging Our Lady for Her help, Her intercession, and Her prayers. Suddenly, the sun stopped falling and went back up into the sky to its regular place.
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To everyone's astonishment, when the apparition was over, all these people, who were soaked by the rain and kneeling in a mire of mud, found themselves and their clothing to be dry and clean within moments of the Miracle of the Sun. Likewise the mud on the ground had dried instantly and completely. Incredibly, many sick persons were cured that day the blind were able to see and the lame could walk. Many sinners were converted too. They stopped sinning and went to Confession, and then lived according to Gods Commandments. To be sure, virtually everyone who witnessed these events regarded them as miraculous, including those who described themselves as "nonbelievers" and atheists. Our Lady of Fatima kept Her promise and delivered concrete proof of Her appearances to a skeptical and unbelieving world.

Heavens Seal of Approval

Our Lady of Fatima predicted the miracle that was to take place on October 13, 1917, so that all may believe. The Miracle of the Sun, an absolutely unique event in the modern history of the Church, certainly had that desired effect on those who witnessed it, even with atheists and non-believers. The Bishop of Leiria wrote in his Pastoral Letter that those who witnessed the events of this great day were fortunate indeed. He said, The children long before set the day and hour at which it was to take place. The news spread quickly over the whole of Portugal and although the day was chilly and pouring rain, many thousands of people gathered... They saw the different manifestations of the sun paying homage to the Queen of Heaven and Earth, who is more radiant than the sun in all its splendor. This phenomenon, which no astronomical observatory registered, was not natural. It was seen by people of all classes, members of the Church and non-Catholics. It was

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seen by reporters of the principal newspapers and by people many miles away. These are his official words, spoken after long study and careful interrogations of many witnesses of the apparition. There is no possibility of error or illusion when close to a hundred thousand people concur in their testimony. God in Heaven had called the people of the world to join with the heavens in paying honor and glory to His Blessed Mother, Mary. When God certifies a message as being true, we can be absolutely certain that it is, in fact, the truth because He is all-Holy and, therefore, incapable of lying. God cannot be mistaken in His information because He knows everything. Thus when God, Who knows everything, Who is incapable of lying, tells us something explicitly, then we know absolutely that what we are being told is completely true. The Miracle of the Sun was the sign from God that what Our Lady said at Fatima was to believed, but just as important, it was to be obeyed. For more information, visit us at the Fatima Center or visit the Fatima Center Facebook page.

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