The Fátima prayers (pronounced as /pt/) are a collection of seven Catholic prayers associated with the 1917 Marian apparitions at Fátima, Portugal. Of the seven prayers, reportedly, the first two were taught to the three child visionaries by the Angel of Peace in 1916, the next three were taught to them by Our Lady of Fátima herself during the course of the apparitions, and the final two were taught to Lúcia de Jesus Rosa dos Santos (the eldest and last survivor of the three) in 1931 by Jesus Christ when she was already a nun. Of the seven prayers, the rosary decade prayer is the best-known and the most widely recited. For each prayer below, an English translation is given alongside the Portuguese original.
In the Spring of 1916, the Angel of Peace taught the three children of Fátima this prayer, making them repeat it three times.
The Angel then said, "Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications."[1] To believe, adore, hope, and love God is to practice the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity.[2] [3]
In August 1916, the Angel appeared again and taught the children this prayer, again making them repeat it three times.
Sacrilege against the Eucharist includes receiving Communion while in a state of mortal sin.[4] [5]
During the initial apparition on May 13, 1917, Our Lady bathed the children in light, and they were "moved by an interior impulse that was ... communicated to [them]", so they said this prayer.[6]
It is the Trinity, present in the person of Christ, who is in the Eucharist.[7]
On June 13, 1917, Our Lady said to the children "Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say [this prayer] many times, especially whenever you make some sacrifice[.]"
As the most well-known of the five approved prayers, this is often simply called the "Fátima Prayer".[8] On that same day (June 13, 1917), Our Lady taught the children to say this prayer after each decade (a set of ten Hail Marys) of the Rosary. She also encouraged the children to continue daily recitation of the Rosary.[9]
These prayers were reportedly taught privately by Jesus to Sister Lúcia in 1931, when she was a nun in the Galician town of Tuy across the border with Spain. These alleged revelations of Christ have not been approved by the Church, and only the angelic and Marian ones of 1916 and 1917 are approved.[10]