From personal accounts of UFOs and ghosts, to scientific examinations of psychic phenomena and mysterious places, FATE’s main purpose continues to be honest reporting and open discussion of strange and unexplainable events.
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Fatima (Portugal), miracle at The “miracle of Fatima,” which occurred in Portugal in 1917, has been given acceptance by the Catholic Church as a miraculous occurrence. However, because the series of incidents culminated with the witnessing by fifty thousand persons of a large, silver, aerial disk, which performed incredible maneuvers, it is also considered to be of definite UFOlogical value. It deserves study also because numerous aspects of the occurrence seem to parallel other outstanding UFO cases.
The village of Aljustrel, where the events took place, lies one half mile south of Fatima, Portugal. In 1917, very few of the villagers were literate; they were isolated from happenings of national and international interest.
In the summer of 1915, a young Aljustrel peasant girl, Lucia Abobora, and a group of other children were herding their families’ sheep in the deserted countryside. They viewed what they described as a white, glowing figure move majestically three times over an adjacent valley. When Lucia, then aged eight years, tried to tell her family about the object which “looked like someone wrapped in a sheet,” she was ridiculed.
In 1916, Lucia was joined in her shepherdess duties by two smaller cousins, Francisco Marto, then seven years old, and Jacinta Marto, age five. While herding the flocks, they spent the time laughing, playing games, and listening to Lucia tell stories.
The entry of Portugal into World War I, and the takeover of the government by anti-Christian factions, did not disturb the pastoral serenity of the villagers’ lives. One day, while tending their sheep, the three children sought shelter from a violent storm and were astonished to see a strange light approaching them from the east. It stopped very near them, at the entrance of a tiny cave, and became distinguishable as a “transparent young man,” fully human and handsome in appearance. He introduced himself as “the Angel of Peace” and invited them to pray with him. The children entered a trancelike state with suspension of bodily powers, which continued for some time after the entity’s disappearance. This same radiant being appeared twice more; after the third visit, they were left in a state of tranquil lethargy which persisted for a week.
They kept these experiences to themselves for fear of ridicule, but their lives and personalities subtly changed. They became more contemplative, less boisterous, dancing and singing less than before. The war, too, began to touch their pastoral lives with the departure of some of their male relatives for military service.
On May 13, 1917, two tremendous flashes, like lightning, sent the three children scurrying for shelter in an isolated area called the Cova da Iria. The Cova was a great wooded hollow, a favorite place for grazing sheep. They were stopped in their headlong dash by the sight of a ball of light hovering above a small, three-foot evergreen tree. In its midst was a woman, exquisitely beautiful but serious-faced. Everything about her—her form, face, tunic-style garment, mantle, even a rosary dangling from her hands—seemed composed of brilliant white light, except the edges of the mantle which glittered with a golden hue. The ball of light in which she was encircled extended about a meter and one half in diameter all around her.
The children felt “great joy and peace” in her presence. The Lady introduced herself as being “from Heaven” and answered many questions put to her by the amazed witnesses. She spoke Portuguese in low, musical tones. She asked the children to pray for the end of the war and promised to return on the thirteenth day of the next five successive months. Then, still enclosed in the glowing globe, she floated off to the east, disappearing into the distance.
The children decided not to tell anyone what had occurred, but six-year-old Jacinta could not contain her excitement, and the secret got out. Her protective parents were impressed by the girl’s repetition of the sophisticated language the woman had used. Francisco’s statements lent credence to the occurrence, in the Marto family’s estimation. Lucia, however, was ridiculed and scolded, particularly by her sharp-tongued mother.
As the children kept the dates of the Lady’s successive appearances, curious villagers and outsiders accompanied them. The crowds became progressively larger, more aggressive, and persistent. The children resented their interference and made every effort to avoid them. By the third visit of the Lady to the Cova da Iria, about twenty-five hundred curious onlookers were there, including many wealthy persons among the poorly clad peasants. None but the children saw or heard the apparition, but many reported hearing a sound like a very faint voice, similar to “the buzzing of a bee.” Others noticed an odd dimming of the noonday sun, and the top of the small tree curved and bent as if an invisible weight was pressed upon it. Another phenomenon noted by startled witnesses was a “small cloud” which descended upon the tiny tree at the moment the children became entranced.
On July 13th, the Lady promised to reveal her name on October 13th and stated that on that date a miracle would occur “so that everyone would have to believe.” Then, according to the children, streams of light poured from her fingers, seemingly opening the surface of the earth. A terrifying scene of fire was revealed to the children in which were “devils… horrible and loathsome forms of animals frightful and unknown.” The Lady told the children they were seeing a “vision of hell.” She prophesied the ending of World War I, the rise of Communist Russia, and a second World War. She also gave them a secret which is said to be known only to the Pope in Rome.
Though the two younger witnesses’ family remained supportive, Lucia’s family believed she was a hoaxer and liar. She was questioned by the village priest, who felt Lucia was truthful, but he suspected that the apparitions might be “the work of the devil.” This suspicion multiplied her mother’s fears, and she began to treat her daughter badly. Lucia persisted in her belief that the Lady was beautiful and good.
By August, the news of the apparitions had spread throughout Portugal. The secular newspapers and magazines were generous with space and sarcastic in interpretation. The Catholic press was characteristically cautious. The children continued to be persecuted by crowds of persons—skeptical and devout alike—who visited daily in their homes. The children’s lives and personalities changed drastically. Forsaking childhood interests and games, they began to make sacrifices, often foregoing food and drink in response to the Lady’s request to “do penance for sinners to save them from hellfire.” Jacinta began to have prophetic visions of a second World War, many of which were later realized.
The press continued its persecution, and, as a result, the civil authorities entered the controversy. The children were ordered to trial on August 11, 1917, for “disturbing the peace.” Lucia’s family forced her to face trial, hoping it would serve as a lesson to persuade her to retract her statements. She refused to answer questions put to her at court and ignored the cruel laughter of onlookers. She was finally dismissed with a threat of execution if she did not reveal the “secret” the Lady had given her and her two companions. All three children seemed prepared to die rather than break the Lady’s confidence.
On the day of the fourth promised visit, they were furtively kidnaped by the administrator of the Fatima district, Arturo de Oliveira Santos. After interrogating them without success, he threw them into an illkept jail. Later he separated them, one at a time, and told the others that they “had been boiled in oil.” Even this desperate ploy failed. The children would not break. Defeated, Santos took them back to Aljustrel.
Meanwhile, on August 13th, without the children being present, six thousand witnesses at the Cova heard a low rumbling; the origin was undetectable. They viewed a flash of light, and a small white cloud floated in from the east, coming to rest over the little eve
rgreen. During this series of events, the faces and clothes of the throng were tinged with vivid, rainbow colors.
On the thirteenth of September, a vast crowd filled the hollow of the Cova da Iria. Among them were a few Catholic priests, who were curious about the incidents which were causing extreme controversy in Church circles. An eminent visitor, Monsignor João Quaresma, viewed the luminous globe which heralded the Lady’s approach and described it later as a heavenly “carriage.” Also present was the Reverend Dr. Manuel Nunes Formigao, noted for his scholarship and integrity. He noted the strange dimming of the sun’s light and the appearance of stars in some areas of the midday sky. Later, in interrogating the children, he sought to entrap them in discrepancies and lies. He was unable to do so and went away convinced of their truthfulness.
On October 13, 1917, the sky was covered with thick clouds and an unrelenting rain was falling. The muddy roads leading to Aljustrel were clogged with fifty thousand pilgrims and curiosity-seekers. Among them was Avelino de Almeida, managing editor of O Seculo, the largest newspaper in Lisbon. He was a skeptical, cautious man, antireligious in nature.
The children pushed their way through a sea of black umbrellas toward the tiny tree. When a flash of light in the east heralded the beginning of the last apparition, the crowd saw the children kneel down, entranced. Those nearest them were struck by the radiance on their faces. Suddenly, Lucia pointed upward and shouted: “Look at the sun!”
Looking up, the crowd saw the thick rain clouds parting like curtains at the zenith. The rain stopped, as a huge silver disk, the apparent size of the sun, shone at the top of the sky. It gave out as much light as the sun, but the fifty thousand witnesses could stare at it without apparent harm to their eyes.
The disk began to “dance,” whirling rapidly like a fireworks wheel. On its rim, a crimson tinge threw off flames, reflecting onto the throng below in all colors of the spectrum. The disk stopped three times, then resumed its rotating gyrations. Suddenly, it plunged in a zigzag motion toward the earth. Warmth engulfed the vast crowd as many fell to their knees, horrified. The disk then climbed back into the sky, in similar zigzag fashion. It quieted, then assumed the dazzling brilliance of a normal sun.
Many in the crowd found that their rain-drenched clothing had dried in seconds. The total phenomenon, from beginning to end, had lasted about ten minutes.
Even the skeptical editor of O Seculo was impressed. He wrote: “It remains for those competent to pronounce on the ‘danse macabre’ of the sun which…has made hosannas burst from the hearts of the faithful and naturally has impressed—as witnesses worthy of belief assure me—even freethinkers and other persons not at all interested in religious matters.”
Two of the young witnesses, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, died in early childhood, having prophesied their own deaths long before the actual dates. Lucia Abobora was taken under the protection of church authorities.
Now known as Sister Maria das Dores, she has never publicly revealed the last “secret” of the Lady. The Lady, however, identified herself to the children as “Our Lady of the Rosary,” and, very slowly, the Catholic Church accepted the occurrences as being of miraculous nature. Most of the specific utterances of the Lady had definite religious significance.
Many UFO researchers and authors have considered the Aljustrel (Fatima) events to be UFOlogical in nature, if one considers the following parallel aspects: (1) initial skepticism and total unpreparedness of the primary witnesses; (2) ridicule and persecution suffered by the witnesses; (3) reports of “unearthly” entities; (4) a luminous globe which apparently acted as an aerial vehicle; (5) sighting by secondary witnesses of unexplained meteorological phenomena; (6) auditory phenomena of undetectable origin; (7) associated psychic phenomena, such as healings, et cetera.
Every aspect of the children’s statements and those of secondary witnesses have been fully and authoritatively documented by both clerical and secular authors. It remains, however, for expert UFO researchers to document the specifies, particularly the well-witnessed “miracle of the sun.”
A careful study of the azimuth and elevation angles might rule out the sun as being the source of the “silver disk.” Fatima being at latitude 39.37 north, the sun would not appear at the top of the sky or “zenith” at that date. Also, photogrammetric analyses of available photos of the gyrating object might aid in establishing whether or not the incident was primarily of metaphysical or UFOlogical significance.
Since the true nature of UFOs is still a mystery, it is possible that the series of events at Fatima were both metaphysical and UFOlogical in nature. There may be no real conflict between the two at all.
—ANN DRUFFEL
Fawcett, George D. (b. 1929) George Fawcett is known for his many investigative and research articles in various magazines, UFO journals, books, and newspapers. Fawcett is also widely known for his public lectures and for having been the founder and chief advisor to five UFO study groups: the New England UFO Study Group(1957), the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Two-State UFO Study Group(1965), the Florida UFO Study Group(1968), the Tar Heel UFO Study Group(1973) and the Mutual UFO Network of North Carolina, Inc.(1989).
George Fawcett (on the left)
He is currently an active member of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), the J.Allen Hynek Center for UFO tudies (CUFOS), and the Fund for UFO Research (FUFOR). He is also the author of a 1975 book entitled Quarter Century Studies of UFOs in Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Fawcett received his B.A. degree in psychology and education from Lynchburg (Virginia) College in 1952. He was a professional YMCA director for twenty years and the general manager of the Maiden Times (North Carlina) weekly newspaper. Though now retired, he has continued his UFO investigations, and continues to write and lecture on the subject.
In 1998 Fawcett and his UFO colleague E. R. (Bob) Sabo of St. Petersburg, Florida donated 45,000 UFO items to the rapidly expanding International UFO Museum & Research Center at Roswell, New Mexico, where Fawcett serves as a UFO consultant.
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POSITION STATEMENT: It has been my firm belief, based on my research and investigations over the past half-century, that UFOs and their occupants, which I have named “UFOnauts,” are both real. These nonhuman occupants and their craft continue to be a part of an ever-growing global enigma.
Because of increased UFO encounters there has been a flurry of UFO information, misinformation, and disinformation from worldwide agencies,both from within the private and public domain.
I have found there are real objects under intelligent control being seen on the ground and in our skies worldwide. The unknowns have varied over the decades from 22 percent in my own civilian files, 30 percent in the University of Colorado Condon Committee scientific studies to at least 40 percent (recently revised) found in the U.S. Air Force Project Blue Book military investigations. This is not acceptable, no matter who is doing the investigations.
The fact that the UFOs and UFOnauts use advanced scientific devices and extraordinary powers (reported by many trained and highly qualified witnesses) as psychic experiences) indicates a highly developed intelligence and scientific technology at work continues to give confirmation to my position. UFOs continue to represent a challenge to science, religion and society.
These objects and their occupants continue to represent the highest secrecy of any subject in American history to date. Much of this information has come from over 36,000 documents released through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law suits.
The biggest question still remains what is the final purpose for these visitations and the end result for all mankind? The future will tell. Meanwhile, investigations and research should continue in the 147 world nations involved with UFO experiences and proper funding should be provided for these efforts both in the private and public domain. Specia
l studies of the UFO repetitions (see FAWCETT’S “REPETITIONS”) should be emphasized. And special attention should be paid to the strange physical and chemical effects of UFOs and their occupants on the soil in landing spots; the sensory effects upon animals; the physiological and psychological effects on humans; and the electromagnetic (E-M) effects on machines and instruments.
It is the complexity of the worldwide UFO phenomenon that makes continued civilian, military and scientific investigations even more important in the years ahead.
These unexplained phenomena continue to pose a challenge to science, religion, the military, and society. These are challenges that must be met if we are to survive as a civilization of the cosmos in the future.
—GEORGE D. FAWCETT
Fawcett’s “Repetitions” List prepared by veteran UFOlogist George D. Fawcett, which he describes as aspects of sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) that have been repeated time and time again over the past forty-seven years—which have proven themselves both persistent and consistent on a global basis—and are a challenge to science. Any future solution to the growing worldwide UFO enigma will have to deal directly with these UFO repetitions:
1) Sightings of unknown flying objects that demonstrate superior speeds and intricate maneuvers beyond those of present satellites, aircraft and missiles.
2) Radar trackings of UFOs.
3) Photographs and movies of UFOs.
4) Pursuits of UFOs by planes in the skies, by ships at sea and by cars on open highways.
5) Falls of “fragments” and “angel hair” from UFOs overhead.
6) Increases in background radiation, ground markings, changes in soil samples, and deposits of both metallic and nonmetallic residues after UFOs have been reported in the skies or on the ground (especially magnesium, aluminum, silicon, boron, and calcium).
7) Near-collisions, pacings and head-on passes by UFOs reported by civilian, military and commercial pilots.
The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Extraterrestrial Encounters Page 36
