74 TIME-LIFE MIRACLES OF FAITH
rounding the five-acre compound was charred black—but
the property and people Brise had sheltered were spared.
Unlawful Tales
FÁT I M A , P ORT UG A L , 1917
A century ago, children who reported having multiple vi-
sions of Mary suffered harsh consequences at the hands
of elders who believed the reports to be fiction. This was
at least true for Lúcia de Jesus Dos Santos, age 10, and her
cousins Francisco Marto, eight, and Ja-
cinta Marto, six.
Lúcia, Francisco, and Jacinta began
witnessing holy visits in 1916, as World
War I raged through Europe. On sever-
al occasions, the three were out tending
sheep near their village, about 80 miles
northeast of Lisbon, when an angel
materialized. They decided to keep those experiences to
themselves. But a year later, when Mary appeared before
them, Jacinta felt she must tell her mother, who repeated
her daughter’s “tall tale” to some neighbors. Within hours,
all of the villagers of Fátima had heard the story.
Mary appeared again to the three visionaries and
divulged a trio of prophecies the children said she’d told
them not to repeat. As word spread and thousands of be-
lievers flocked to Fátima, a local politician had the chil-
dren arrested and interrogated. Still,
they would not reveal the content of
Mary’s messages. They were released,
and though Jacinta and Francisco
both perished in the great influenza
epidemic of 1918, Lúcia went on to
become a nun. She finally revealed
Mary’s communications to ChurchWRONGFUL TO REVERED
The largest pilgrimage site in
Portugal, the Sanctuary of Our
Lady of Fátima (below), celebrates
apparitions deemed “tall tales” a
century ago. Opposite, from left:
Lúcia de Jesus Dos Santos and
Francisco and Jacinta Marto.MARY AND THE SAINTS