It was a miracle witnessed by tens of thousands of people and publicized across the globe.  His brother and sister were key figures in it, yet he didn’t see it.  On the day of the foretold miracle, he decided to stay home.  Joao Marto, the brother closest in age to his two visionary siblings, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, stayed home on October 13, 1917, the day of the Miracle of the Sun.  Only 11 at the time, Joao was scared of the threats that “if the miracle didn’t happen the whole family would die.”  

This threat was just one of the innumerable difficulties the three visionaries and their families endured during and after the apparitions at Fatima, Portugal.  Disbelief, scorn, derision, kidnapping, interrogation, and threats from townspeople up to civil authorities were some that happened during the apparitions.  Then in less than three years after the first apparition, both Jacinta and Francisco died.  The suffering experienced was indeed intense, but the grace imparted to the families and the world has been enormous.  Now canonized Saints, Francisco and Jacinta leave us a beautiful legacy of what it means to live Marian.  In their words and actions, they followed Mary’s instructions wholeheartedly, which lead them to a deep love for Jesus.  

 

Lucia once said that the two things that sanctified her cousins were “the vision of Hell and the sadness of Our Lady.”  In other words, they let themselves be moved by Mary’s message and in so doing they embodied that message.  They longed to sacrifice and pray in order to console the hearts of Jesus and Mary and to save poor sinners.  

 

They accepted all the sacrifices that came to them without complaint and took on many more themselves such as forgoing water on hot days and giving their food to those poorer than themselves.  Their sacrifices went to such an extent that Mary told them to go a little easier.  For example, In August 2017 they found a rough cord.  Each of them tied part of it around their waist next to their skin, wearing it day and night for the conversion of sinners.  In September 2017 Our Lady told them, “God is pleased with your sacrifices but do not wear the cord at night because that is too difficult for you.” 

 

Close to the time of Francisco’s death, Mary appeared to Jacinta and gave her the choice to come to Heaven then or remain and suffer more for the conversion of sinners.  She chose to suffer, which she did tremendously.  Through two hospitalizations she had frequent fevers, an abscess on her side, pneumonia, and tuberculosis.  When she was having two ribs removed without full anesthetic the doctor heard her say, “Now Jesus you can save many souls because I suffer very much.”  One of her greatest sufferings was being without her family in the hospital and dying alone.

 

In 2017 their niece, Jacinta Marto talked about how her aunt (whose name she shares) “assumed the responsibility” of offering and making sacrifices so that everyone could be saved.  She explained that Saint Jacinta so longed for everyone to convert and go to Heaven that “she lived this (longing) in anguish.”  

 

All three children would spend long hours in prayer in reparation and consolation.  Francisco was especially driven to console Jesus before the Blessed Sacrament for all the sins committed against Him.  He said, “The Virgin Mary and God Himself are infinitely sad.  It is up to us to console them!”  Jacinta once told Lucia, “I love Our Lord and Our Lady, and I never get tired telling them that I love them.  When I do that, it seems I have a fire in my heart, but it does not burn me.”

 

All three children had a fire in their hearts.  A fire that directed their lives and all they did.  All they did was for love of God.  All they did was to console Jesus and Mary and convert sinners.  Every moment was lived for these ends.  

 

Before leaving for the hospital the last time Jacinta told Lucia, “It will not be long now before I go to heaven. You will remain here to make known that God wishes to establish in the world devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Tell everybody that God grants us graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary; that people are to ask her for them; and that the Heart of Jesus wants the Immaculate Heart of Mary to be venerated at his side. Tell them also to pray to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for peace, since God has entrusted it to her.”

​

Living singly and wholeheartedly for the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary - this is the precious legacy that the two youngest, non-martyred canonized Saints leave us.  Their hearts burned with the desire to console Our Lord and Our Lady.  Because they loved Jesus and Mary so much, they loved and longed for the same thing that Jesus and Mary loved and longed for – the conversion and salvation of souls.  As their feast day approaches, let us ask Saints Francisco and Jacinta for that same fire to burn within our hearts.