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The precious children of Fatima, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, have captured our hearts, as the brave trio who fought against all secular odds to keep a promise to Our Lady. She asked them to come to her on the 13th of each month for six months, in the year 1917; and against overwhelming odds, they said Yes!

Our Lady gave them important messages during that period of time, many of which they couldn't begin to understand. Some of the profound things she said to them were for them alone; others were for the world. But the drama of the Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917, witnessed by more than 70,000 people in the Cova da Iria, and as far off as the Azores mountains, overshadowed for a time many of the messages she gave these little people.

Over the years, we have had an opportunity to go through all the occurrences of that six month period which would change the world forever. Everything was important to them, but some things burned an impression on their hearts and minds, more than others. One of these events was a vision, rather than a message from our Lady.

We have to preface this with some things, the children shared with one another. Most of this came to the world, years later from Lucia, when, under obedience to her bishop, she wrote on those early years. The messages connected with Hell played an important part in the Apparitions of Our Lady in 1917, as well as in those of the Archangel Michael in 1916. Just think about some of the things which were said to the children. One of the most forceful references to Hell was when Our Lady said to the children, "Many souls go to Hell because no one prays for them."

This was the beginning of her plea to us to pray for the conversion of sinners. Much of the thrust of the Fatima message had to do with praying for sinners in an attempt to keep them from plunging into the eternal flames of Hell.

This accounts for the prayer, Mary gave to the children and to us through them, which we say at the end of each decade of the Rosary,

"Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins; save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls into Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy Mercy."

After this, Mary opened her hands and pointed down to the earth. The brilliant light opened the earth, burrowing deep into the bowels of the Underworld. The children were given a vision of Hell. In Lucia's third memoir, she describes it as follows:

"Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be under the earth. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, (fire, blaze) now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in a huge fire, without weight or equilibrium, and amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, all black and transparent. This vision lasted but an instant." ("Fatima in Lucia's own Words", Third Memoir, the Vision of Hell)

They spoke about a sea of fire, filled with devils and the souls of people, black or bronzed, burning fiercely, ghastly screams of indescribable pain coming out of them, being sucked into a river of fire, like molten lava, embers of burnt skin flying off their charred bodies. The demons could be distinguished from the people in that they looked like ghoulish, deformed animals. The grotesque vision would have bristled the hair on the necks of the strongest adults. These innocent little children were petrified. Mary spoke to Lucia.

"You have seen Hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If you do what I tell you, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war will end, but if men do not cease to offend God, another worse one will begin.

"When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, (This prophecy by Our Lady was fulfilled on the nights of January 25 & 26, 1938, when a great light, which was attributed by science to an Aurora Borealis, was seen by most of the world.) know that it is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, famine and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father."

This vision of Hell, and Our Lady's words, had a devastating effect on the children, especially Jacinta, who was extremely sensitive and only seven years old. Actually, these were all little people, Lucia ten, Francisco eight, and Jacinta seven years old. Jacinta was upset by the vision of Hell. Really, she was disturbed by the whole idea of Hell.

When the apparitions first began, she would ponder on Hell. She was happy that the Lady had said she would go to Heaven. However, she was concerned about all those who would not go to Heaven, but to Hell. She stopped playing; she sat and prayed and meditated. This was before they had the vision of Hell. Lucia asked her once what was wrong.

"That Lady said that many souls go to Hell. What is Hell, then?"

Lucia answered, "It's like a big deep pit of wild beasts, with an enormous fire in it - that's how my mother used to explain it to me - and that's where people go who commit sins and don't confess them. They stay there and burn for ever!" "And they never get out of there again?" "No!" "Not even after many many years?" "No! Hell never ends!"