This is part of a series of daily devotionals for May, the month of Mary.
In 1916, Lucia dos Santos, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, three shepherd children from Fatima, Portugal, received three miraculous visits from an angel. “The Angel of Peace taught the children prayers, to make sacrifices to the Lord and to spend time in adoration.
From May to October, 1917, in the midst of World War I, Our Lady of Fatima appeared six times to the children as they watched over their families sheep. She was enshrouded in a light brighter than the sun. During the second apparition in June, Our Lady asked the little shepherds to pray the rosary for world peace and told them that God wished there to be devotion to her Immaculate Heart for the salvation of humankind.
During her third visit, Our Lady revealed a three-part secret to the children, which included a vision of hell, an end to the war if humanity repented and Russia was converted, and the persecution of the Church with an assassination of a bishop dressed in white. She also taught them to say this prayer when offering up personal sufferings, sacrifices, or acts of penance:
Oh my Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Mary taught the children the last Fatima prayer after showing them the terrifying vision of Hell. She taught them to say this prayer each decade of the rosary:
Oh My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of Thy mercy.
Watch more devotionals and read about the Year of Mary here.
