On Saturday, two shepherd children from Portugal will officially become saints of the Roman Catholic Church.
The canonization honors the experiences of Francisco and Jacinta Marto, and their cousin Lucia dos Santos, who all claimed to have received visions of the Virgin Mary during World War I. The children were aged 9, 7, and 10, respectively, at the time of the apparitions.
Advertisement
Pope Francis is set to canonize Francisco and Jacinta, who died in 1919 and 1920 respectively, during a mass in their hometown of Fatima this weekend. Up to a million pilgrims are expected to flock to the Shrine of Fatima for the ceremony, with some faithful Catholics completing the final stretch of the journey on their knees as a sign of devotion.
Catholic faithful believe that the Virgin Mary began appearing to the young shepherds on May 13, 1917, while the friends were caring for sheep. Mary apparently gave the children three messages, which came to be known as the Three Secrets of Fatima.
Francisco and Jacinta Marto died of influenza two years after the apparitions, but their cousin, Lucia dos Santos, lived until 2005 and helped to spread news of the visions. She died at the age of 97.
According to dos Santos, the children first saw a vision of hell that called for people to pray and convert. Without heeding that call, the world risked facing another World War ― which came to pass a few decades later.
The second secret predicted the “immense damage that Russia would do to humanity by abandoning the Christian faith and embracing Communist totalitarianism,” according to the Vatican.
The Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, told the Italian newspaper La Stampa that the children gave Fatima’s priest a “counter-current” message during a time of war by speaking about love, forgiveness, and the ability to be a gift to others.
The Virgin “did not appear to the rich, did not appear to the powerful, did not appear to the influential people, but appeared to children, the ones considered as ‘the last of society, to use Pope’s terminology as society’s ‘discarded,’” Parolin said, according to La Stampa.
Francisco and Jacinta Marto aren’t the only young Catholics to be made saints of the church.
There are also several Catholic children who are currently being considered for the sainthood. One example is Antonietta Meo, an Italian, who died at the age of six in 1937. After being diagnosed with a bone cancer, she wrote more than 100 remarkably passionate letters to Jesus and the Virgin Mary, earning her the reputation of being a mystic.
Further back in history, there are fantastic tales of young boys and girls who were martyred for their religion ― children who were threatened with rape, incest, and torture because of their Catholic faith, managed to stay true to the religion, and eventually became saints.
One particularly extraordinary legend is that of the 9-year-old St. Justus of Beauvais, of France. He is said to have been beheaded in the third century for being a Christian. According to tradition, he then went on to stand up, and pick his head up with his hands ― which caused the soldiers who had persecuted him to flee.
Catholic saints are people whom the church recognizes as role models who have lived holy lives. After their canonization on Saturday, Catholics believe that the Martos of Fatima will be able to intercede with God on behalf of the faithful.
Advertisement
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.