Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1173133 in Books
• Published on: 1976-06
• Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews

Fatima in Lucia's own words
For those interested in learning about Our Lady's Apparitions at Fatima, this is the book to read. It was written under obediance by one of the visionaries, Sister Lucia, who is now a Carmelite Nun. Sister Lucia's words are truly inspiring, and while reading her memories I actually felt like I was there. This book, learning of our Lady's message at Fatima, has helped me grow closer to Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. It has also strengthened my Catholic Faith. Two of the Visionaries, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, have been named Blessed. I recommend Fatima in Lucia's own words to everyone as the best source, in my opinion, of the Apparitions of Fatima.

An absorbing account....
This is really a must for anyone interested in Our Lady of Fatima and those events and an invaluable addition to the numerous books on Fatima that are available. Only a little over 200 pages and I see there is a volume 2, I could not put it down once I started. I am indeed, a skeptical Thomas and where better to go to research Fatima than from one of the seers themselves, the Shepherd girl Lucia Santos.

These are memoirs written by Lucia herself to His Excellency, a Bishop there in Portugal and seem to have stemmed for official requests for Lucia to narrate the events of principally 1917 but at other times as well. Possibly shorter than many other books concerning Fatima but that is because it is the eyewitness testimony of one of the principal participants... so in a way, this is invaluable in supplementing any study on the subject of Fatima or even possibly any such apparitions in general. A generous amount of phtographs are included as well.

Possibly the most important asset of this book and what is probably not written about so much in other Fatima literature are the detailed accounts of the lives and passings of the other two seers, Lucia's cousins and friends at that, companions as well, Blesseds Francisco and Jacinta Marto. It really does give one thoughts to ponder on these two who "went to Heaven" within a few short years of the apparitions, both succumbing to the 1919 Spanish Flu epidemic.

For those who wonder and are curious, you will not be dissapointed. There are definitely parts where one can recognize events portrayed in the movie, even the smaller details, for example, the 3 shepherd children really would say the Hail Mary in the Rosary in a super quick off-handed way, BEFORE the purported apparitions that is, by just going through the motions with a quick "Hail Mary" on each bead. A very inspirational read, I am eager to read the second volume of "memoirs."

This all said, I ponder about the events of Fatima and should try to make a direct pilgrimage to the Shrine. There are so many factors involved but this does make for a lot of reflection.

To be fair, the introduction does give the reader notice, that Lucia is not a journalist nor a professional writer. I find Lucia's writings to be rather coherent and maybe having that quality somewhat of being that one is reading a letter rather than a narraative. So, maybe from time to time, the book might have a disjointed narrative; as an example, I would cite that the chronology of the apparitions seems to "jump" from the apparition of the Angel to the first apparition of Our Lady on May 13th without giving much notice to the reader; however maybe I just need to reread it.

Inspirational.
The story of the Fatima Miracle that was witnessed by 60,000 people is probably one of greatest moments in the Catholic Church's history since the times of Jesus himself. Unlike the miracles of many other religions, the Fatima Miracle of the dancing sun was witnessed by thousands at once and by believers and non-believers alike. None has ever come forth to deny what was seen by thousands. The questionable visions of Medjugorje don't hold so much as a candle to the extraordinary occurances in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. Get the story from the little shepherd girl who experienced the very words and presence of the Virgin Mary.