OUR LADY OF FATIMA MIRACLE (MIRACLE OF THE SUN): SIXTH APPARITION OF OUR LADY | MEMORIAL OF SAINT EDWARD III, KING OF ENGLAND, CONFESSOR; SAINT GERALD OF AURILLAC AND SAINT LUBENTIUS, PRIEST: Today, we celebrate the 108th anniversary of the final (sixth) apparition of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal; the Miracle of the Sun and the Memorial of Saint Edward III, King of England, Confessor; Saint Gerald of Aurillac and Saint Lubentius, Priest. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s Divine Grace and Mercy upon us all. We pray for all those seeking for life partners, may God grant their heart’s desires, we pray for all marriages, especially those difficult and struggling marriages, separated spouses,  we pray for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. We pray for the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, the blind, disabled, handicapped and physically challenged, those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. We pray for all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, the Bishops, the Clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world…. Amen🙏

OUR LADY OF FATIMA MIRACLE (MIRACLE OF THE SUN): Today, October 13, 2025, marks the 108th anniversary of the final (sixth) apparition of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal. Today in Fatima on October 13, 1917, the marvelous Miracle of the dancing Sun took place in the sky before about 70,000 – 100, 000 witnesses from every walk of life and profession, including journalists and photographers. This event was a manifestation of God’s almighty power to save humanity from eternal damnation. The miracle of the dancing sun; a miracle that not only proved the validity of the Fatima Marian apparitions, but also shattered the prevalent belief at the time that God was no longer relevant. For several weeks, the news of the apparition of the “Lady” and the miracle she promised to do had spread. Among the significant things that happened during that day ‘Miracle of the Sun’. The story begins in the village of Fatima, Portugal, on May 13, 1917. On that fateful day near that tiny village, The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, appeared to three young peasant children: Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia; ages 10, 9 and 7. As was the custom, these youngsters were tending their family’s sheep when “a Lady all in white, more brilliant than the sun… indescribably beautiful,” standing above a bush, appeared to the youngsters. From May through October 1917, the Lady appeared and spoke to the children on the 13th day of each month. News of these apparitions began to spread throughout the region. The children recounted that the Virgin told them that God had sent her with a message for every man, woman, and child living in the century. She promised that God would grant peace to the entire world if Her requests for prayer, reparation and consecration were heard and obeyed. While many people believed the children had actually seen the Virgin, many others discounted the children’s story, subjecting them to much derision and ridicule. When it became known the Lady would visit the children for the last time on October 13, 1917, and had promised a sign that would convince the world she had appeared, many pilgrims made plans to attend.

Though the region had been subjected to three days of torrential downpour, about 70,000 – 100, 000 people journeyed through the heavy rain and mud to the place of the previous apparitions to witness the predicted miracle. Many were scornful, unbelievers whose sole intent was to discredit the children’s stories. Suddenly the “clouds separated…and the sun appeared between them in the clear blue, like a disk of white fire.” The people could look at the sun without blinking and while they gazed upward, the huge ball began to “dance”. The huge fireball whirled rapidly with dizzy and sickening speed, flinging out all sorts of brilliant colors that reflected on the faces of the crowds. The fiery ball continued to gyrate in this manner three times, then seemed to tremble and shudder, and plunge in a mighty zigzag course toward the earth. The crowd was terrified, fearing this was the end of the world. However, the sun reversed course and, retracing its zigzagging course, returned to its normal place in the heavens. All of this transpired in approximately ten minutes. After realizing they were not doomed, the crowd began ecstatically laughing, crying, shouting and weeping. Many discovered their previously drenched clothing to be perfectly dry.

After what has become to be known as “The Miracle of the Sun,” the children were grilled many, many times, about what they had seen and been told. Their story never changed. The heart of Our Lady’s message to the world is contained in what has become known as the “Secret,” which she confided to the children in July 1917. The “Secret” actually consists of three parts. The first part of the “Secret” was a frightening vision of hell, “where the souls of poor sinners go,” and contained an urgent plea from Our Lady for acts of prayer and sacrifice to save souls, with particular emphasis on praying of the rosary and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The second part of the “Secret” specifically prophesied the outbreak of World War II and contained the prediction of the immense damage that Russia would do to humanity by abandoning the Christian faith and embracing Communists’ totalitarianism. The third part was not revealed until 2000. Its revelation coincided with the beatification of Francisco and Jacinta. It did not contain any striking or cataclysmic prediction, but, instead, the vision supported and affirmed the immense suffering endured by witnesses of the faith in the last century of the second millennium. Sister Lucia, the surviving member of the Fatima trio, confirmed that in the vision “the Bishop clothed in white,” who prays for all the faithful, is the Pope. As he makes his way with great difficulty towards the Cross amid the corpses of those who were martyred (bishops, priests, men and women religious and many lay people), he too falls to the ground, apparently dead, under a hail of gunfire. It is possible that the vision predicted the 1981 attack on Pope John Paul II’s life. The Pope has always credited the Virgin for his survival. Or it may be a portrayal of the Church’s continued struggle against secularism and anti-Christian movements and a continuing call to prayer, sacrifice and devotion to Our Lady of Fatima.

“Pray the Holy Rosary everyday to obtain peace for the world”

HAIL MARY: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.🙏

THE MEMORARE: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen 🙏

Blessed Mother of God, Our Lady of Fatima ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT EDWARD III, KING OF ENGLAND, CONFESSOR: St. Edward III, also known as Saint Edward the Confessor (1003-1066) was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy and the grandson of St. Edward, king and martyr. He passed his youth in exile with his uncle, a Norman leader. He became king of England at the age of forty-seven, called to the throne of England in 1042. He was England’s first Anglo-Saxon and only King to be canonized. As king he was noted for his gentleness, humility, detachment and angelic purity. In an environment of sin he preserved innocence of life. Yielding to pressure, he married, but is said to have retained virginity during his whole married life, preserving perfect chastity in his wedded life. So little was his heart set on riches that he freely dispensed his goods at the palace gate to the sick and poor. He was generous to the poor, had a deep piety, purity, and love for God. His touch had the power to heal. His reign was one of almost continuous peace. He sought to put into practice the Christian ideals for a ruler, with the help of God’s grace. His first efforts were directed toward a renewal of religion in the hearts of his people. Priests were invited into his kingdom, the people were prosperous and ruined churches were rebuilt. All spoke affectionately of the wise measures of the “good King Edward.”

He had a particular devotion to the holy Apostles Saint Peter and Saint John the Evangelist, and had made a promise never to refuse an alms asked in the name of the latter. One day when he had no money with him, a poor man reached out his hand in the name of the Apostle, and the king gave him a valuable ring he was wearing. Some time later, Saint John appeared to two pilgrims returning from the Holy Land. He gave them a ring and said: Take it to the king; he gave it to me one day when I asked for an alms in the habit of a pilgrim. Tell him that in six months I will visit him and take him with me, to follow the unblemished Lamb. The King received it from them after hearing their relation of this incident, and broke into tears. The King ordered public prayer to be said for himself and King Edward did indeed die in the Lord six months later on the day foretold, on January 5, 1066. Many miracles occurred at his tomb. In 1102 his body was exhumed and found intact and flexible, with its habits perfectly preserved also, appearing to be new. He was canonized in 1161 by Pope Alexander III. In 1163, St. Thomas Becket interred his incorrupt body to Westminster Abbey. St. Edward is the Patron Saint of difficult marriages and separated spouses, English royal family, Kings. Today his name is called upon when marriages are struggling to survive in a world where to many marriage is treated as less than sacred.

Saint Edward III, King of England ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT GERALD OF AURILLAC: St. Gerald of Aurillac (855-909) Consecrated Celibate Noble Layman (855 in Aurillac, France – 909 at Cenezac, France) led a saintly life in the world at a particularly decadent and disordered period. St. Gerald was born into the Gallo-Roman nobility at Aurillac, the son of Count Gerard and Saint Adeltrude of Aurillac. St. Gerald  suffered from several illnesses in his youth, and eventually went blind. Upon his father‘s death, St. Gerald succeeded his noble father as Count of Auvergne and owner of considerable estates. Filled with love of God and neighbor, he gave away much of his revenue and possessions to the poor, avoided all extravagance and worldly pomp, and lived a simple and prayerful life, dedicating himself to God and service. He conscientiously fulfilled all the duties of a wealthy nobleman and was careful to deal with everyone fairly and justly. Although he had wished to enter religious life and had been educated as a cleric, he never joined an order or house, he lived in chastity, and recited the Divine Office each day. Built a church and abbey on his property. This Saint delighted in studies, prayer, and meditation instead of the worldly pursuits of the noble classes. Rising at two o’clock every morning, he devoutly recited the first part of the Divine Office and attended Mass; the rest of the day was then divided according to a rule, with much of it set aside for communing with God and reading.

St. Gerald made several pilgrimages to Rome and, despite many difficulties, on returning from a pilgrimage to Rome, in 894 established the Abbey of aurillac, which he placed under papal protection. The Benedictine monastery at Aurillac that went on to attain widespread fame. St. Gerald himself pondered joining the monastery but St. Gausbert, Bishop of Cahors, helped him realize that his true vocation lay in working in the world for the glory of God. Seven years before his death, he was afflicted with blindness, which he bore with Christian resignation. He died in 909 and became known throughout France as a result of a biography written by St. Odo of Cluny. St. Gerald was celebrated for his justice as a ruler, his many devotions (including recitation of the Divine Office), his lifelong chastity, and his gift of healing. St. Gerald was buried in the church at Aurillac which now bears his name. Although his popular cult began immediately and has been confirmed, he is little known outside France. Saint Gerald, considered by his Church and his followers as a great example of a celibate Christian aristocrat, is the Patron Saint of counts and bachelors. Because of his poor health and blindness, he is also the Patron Saint of disabled, handicapped and physically challenged people, Aurillac, France, Upper Auvergne, France.

PRAYER: Lord God, You alone are holy and no one is good without You. Through the intercession of St. Gerald, help us to live in such a way that we may not be deprived of a share in Your glory. Amen 🙏
 
SAINT LUBENTIUS, PRIEST: St. Lubentius (d. 370), a spiritual student of Saint Martin of Tours. Ordained by Saint Maximinus of Trier, he served as parish priest in Kobern, Germany and was an evangelist along the river Lahn in the Moselle region of Germany. St. Lubentius was delivered by his parents when a small child, to St. Martin of Tours, to educate him. St. Martin baptised him and treated him as a son. Martin later sent him to Bishop St. Maximinus of Trier in Germany, to be educated for the priesthood. When Lubentius came of canonical age, Maximinus ordained him Priest. He worked as a parish priest in Kobern. In 349, St. Maximinus died while visiting relatives in Acquitaine. His successor, St. Paulinus of Trier, sent Lubentius to retrieve the saint’s body. St. Lubentius traveled to Acquitaine and after a diligent search, discovered the church where St. Maximinus’ body had been buried. He and his companions obtained the keys to the Church from the sleeping custodian and made off with the body, bringing it back to Trier.

According to the records of the 12th century, he worked as a missionary along the Lahn River and founded a church at Dietkirchen. He died in Kobern. His body was interred in the collegiate church of Saint Lubentius in Dietkirchen, Limburg, Germany. Some relics were granted to Kell, Andernach, Germany, some relics to Lahnstein, Germany, and also to Trier, Germany.

Saint Lubentius, Priest ~ Pray for us 🙏