We are in May 1930. Thirteen years after the apparition of Our Lady to the shepherd children in Cova da Iria, two kilometers from Fatima. Lucia at that time was 23 years old, a novice at the Congregation of Saint Dorote in Tuy (Spain). Only Lucia is still alive out of three children chosen by Our Lady to appear to the world to tell the world that she is the Immaculate. Lucia's cousins Giacinta and Francis died, Francis died in 1919 two years after the apparitions, Giacinta died the following year 1920.
“ Mom will be back …”
Our Lady informed the children that she would return "to ask everyone to join in reparation on the first Saturdays of the month". And she did, for the first time on December 10, 1925 in Pontevedra, when she appeared to Lucia in Lucia's room to tell her the details of this devotion and to ask her to start promoting it. .
“You, at least to console me, tell those who, within five months, go to confession on the first Saturday of the month, receive Holy Communion, say the rosary, and stay by my side to pray for a few days. For fifteen minutes, meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary in a spirit of reparation, I promise that at the hour of my death I will come to them with all the graces necessary for the salvation of their souls."
Then from 1926, also in Pontevedra, not Our Lady but the Child Jesus himself appeared to Lucia to confirm God's will to promote this reverence. In 1930, Jesus went even further, asking Lucia to convey this petition to the Pope. He wants this devotion to be confirmed, perpetuated, promoted and encouraged by the Church. We are in the night of May 28 and 29, 1930. He affirms the purpose of this veneration:
“And here it is, My daughter, this is the purpose for which the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspired Me to ask for this little reparation, to move My mercy to forgive unfortunate souls. offended Mother."
Jesus explains to Lucia why reparation must be made on five seventh days: because there have been five attacks and blasphemy against the Immaculate Virgin: against the Immaculate Mother, against her virginity, against the Mother of God. God and Mother of Mankind. And there are blasphemy by those who seek to sow openly in the hearts of children indifference, contempt, even hatred of the Immaculate Conception and the attacks of those who directly offend the sacred images.
Result
Sister Lucia later said, not only do this "seventh year of reparation" but should do it many times, because "every time we do it, we have a large number of people converted". This reparation is seen as a means of conversion of sinners, who are "in danger of losing their souls", and this is a "very effective" intercession for the Immaculate Conception. give peace to the world.
So on October 31, 1942, while the world was at war, Pius Pie XII consecrated "the Church and the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary". Then on December 8, he solemnly repeated this dedication. The Germans suffered heavy losses and the war took a new turn, which Lucia saw as the result of the Pope consecrating the world to Our Lady. Seeing the results achieved, on May 4, 1944, Pius XII issued a motu proprio on August 22 every year, during the octave of the Assumption, the whole Church celebrates the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Translated by Marta An Nguyen