The Sun Danced At Fatima

Between May and October of 1917, three young shepherds were reportedly visited six times by an apparition of the Virgin Mary near the town of F tima in Portugal. At the final apparition event, approximately 70,000 visitors gathered to witness a prophesied miracle intended to convince the public that the children's visions were of divine origin. The miracle took the form of a solar anomaly; witnesses claimed that the sun began to "dance." Exploring the early development of the cult of the Virgin of F tima and the overthrow of the liberal, secular government by pro-Catholic elements, Jeffrey Bennett offers the first book-length scholarly study of the cult's relationship to the rise of authoritarian politics in Portugal. When the Sun Danced offers a fascinating look at the cultural dynamics that informed one of the most turbulent periods in the nation's history.

Though the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima took place almost a hundred years ago, Our Lady's call to prayer and penance for the salvation of souls and peace in the world is as relevant now as when first delivered to three Portuguese peasant children in 1917. At the peak of the First World War, our Lady warned of another worldwide conflict, the rise and spread of Communism, and a terrible persecution of the Church unless people repented of their sins and returned to God. She also requested devotion to her Immaculate Heart and a special consecration of Russia. Much of what Our Lady of Fatima said was revealed soon after her appearances, but the third and final "secret", which was not a message but a prophetic vision seen by the children, was not unveiled by the Vatican until 2000. Pope John Paul II, who read the third secret while recovering from the attempt upon his life in 1981, believed the vision signified the sufferings the Church had endured in the twentieth century. Because of the prophetic nature of her messages, Our Lady of Fatima has been the subject of much controversy and speculation. In this book, Father Andrew Apostoli carefully analyzes the events that took place in Fatima and clears up lingering questions and doubts about their meaning. He also challenges the reader to hear anew the call of Our Lady to prayer and sacrifice, for the world is ever in need of generous hearts willing to make reparation for those in danger of losing their way to God.

In 1917 Our Lady appeared in Fatima, Portugal for six consecutive months, from May to October to three shepherd children: Lucia dos Santos, Francisco and Jacinta Marto. They were ten, nine and seven years of age respectively. Basing much of his book on The Memoirs of Sister Lucia, author Luiz Sergio Solimeo offers the readers an insightful and detailed account of their story, Our Lady's message and its continual relevance for our times. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, the Fatima apparitions were "without doubt, the most prophetic of all modern apparitions."

Interviews with eye witnesses of the Miracles of the Sun in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. A detailed account of the important miracle that attracted worldwide attention to the Blessed Mother's apparitions in Fatima.

Midsummer--or the summer solstice--occurs when the sun is at the height of its power, the faeries are most active, and the future can be uncovered with ease. Shakespeare even captured the mischief of the occasion in his play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." This book explores Midsummer customs and bears witness to their power today.