The Miracle of the Sun

The Miracle of the Sun is a miraculous event which, it is claimed, was seen by an estimated 70,000 people on October 13, 1917 in the Cova da Iria fields near Fátima, Portugal (De Marchi 1952a:183-194). Estimates of the crowd size range from "thirty to forty thousand" by Avelino de Almeida, writing for the Portuguese newspaper O Século (De Marchi 1952a), to one hundred thousand, estimated by Dr. Joseph Garrett, Professor of Natural Sciences at Coimbra University (De Marchi 1952a:177), both of whom were present that day (De Marchi 1952a:185-187).

The miracle was attributed by believers to Our Lady of Fatima, an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three young shepherd children in 1917, as having been predicted in advance by the three children on July 13 (De Marchi 1952b:74), August 19 (De Marchi 1952b:107), and September 13 (De Marchi 1952b:118), 1917. The children reported that the Lady had promised them that at mid-day on October 13 in the Cova da Iria the Lady would reveal her identity to the childen (De Marchi 1952b:46) and perform a miracle "so that all may believe" (De Marchi 1952:118).

According to many witness statements (De Marchi 1952b:139-150), after a downfall of rain, the clouds broke and the sun appeared as an opaque, spinning disk in the sky (De Marchi 1952b:139-150). It was said to be significantly less bright than normal (De Marchi 1952b:139-150), and cast multicolored lights across the landscape, the shadows on the landscape, the people, and the surrounding clouds (De Marchi 1952b:139-150). The sun was reported to have careened towards the earth in a zigzag pattern (De Marchi 1952b:139-150), frightening some of those present who thought it meant the end of the world (De Marchi 1952b:143,149). Witnesses reported that the ground and their previously wet clothes became completely dry (De Marchi 1952b:150).

According to witness reports, the alleged miracle of the sun lasted approximately ten minutes (De Marchi 1952b). The three shepherd children, in addition to reporting seeing the actions of the sun that day (De Marchi 1952a:207-210), also reported seeing a panorama of visions, including those of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of Saint Joseph blessing the people (De Marchi 1952b:151-166).

Descriptions

The most widely cited descriptions of the events reported at Fatima on 13 October 1917 are taken from the writings of John De Marchi, an Italian Catholic priest and researcher. De Marchi spent seven years in Fatima, from 1943 to 1950, conducting original research and interviewing the principals at undisturbed length (De Marchi 1952b:10-12). In The Immaculate Heart, published in 1952, De Marchi reports that, "ranks (those present on 13 October 1917) included believers and non-believers, pious old ladies and scoffing young men. Hundreds, from these mixed categories, have given formal testimony. Reports do vary; impressions are in minor details confused, but none to our knowledge has directly denied the visible prodigy of the [sun" (p. 143).

Some of the witness statements follow below. They are taken from John De Marchi's several books on the matter.

"Before the astonished eyes of the crowd, whose aspect was biblical as they stood bare-headed, eagerly searching the sky, the sun trembled, made sudden incredible movements outside all cosmic laws—the sun 'danced' according to the typical expression of the people." —Avelino de Almeida (1952b:144), writing for O Século (Portugal's most widely-circulated (1952a:174) and influential newspaper, which was pro-government and anti-clerical at the time (1952b:144). Almeida's previous articles had been to satirize the previously reported events at Fatima) (1952a).
"The sun, at one moment surrounded with scarlet flame, at another aureoled in yellow and deep purple, seemed to be in an exceeding fast and whirling movement, at times appearing to be loosened from the sky and to be approaching the earth, strongly radiating heat."—Dr. Domingos Pinto Coelho, writing for the newspaper Ordem (1952b:147).
"...The silver sun, enveloped in the same gauzy grey light, was seen to whirl and turn in the circle of broken clouds.... The light turned a beautiful blue, as if it had come through the stained-glass windows of a cathedral, and spread itself over the people who knelt with outstretched hands...people wept and prayed with uncovered heads, in the presence of a miracle they had awaited. The seconds seemed like hours, so vivid were they."—Reporter for the Lisbon newspaper O Dia (1952b:143).
"The sun's disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl, when suddenly a clamor was heard from all the people. The sun, whirling, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was terrible."—Dr. Almeida Garrett, Professor of Natural Sciences at Coimbra University (1952b:146).
"As if like a bolt from the blue, the clouds were wrenched apart, and the sun at its zenith appeared in all its splendor. It began to revolve vertiginously on its axis, like the most magnificent firewheel that could be imagined, taking on all the colors of the rainbow and sending forth multi-colored flashes of light, producing the most astounding effect. This sublime and incomparable spectacle, which was repeated three distinct times, lasted for about ten minutes. The immense multitude, overcome by the evidence of such a tremendous prodigy, threw themselves on their knees." —Dr. Formigao, a professor at the seminary at Santarem, and a priest (1952b:146).
"I feel incapable of describing what I saw. I looked fixedly at the sun, which seemed pale and did not hurt my eyes. Looking like a ball of snow, revolving on itself, it suddenly seemed to come down in a zig-zag, menacing the earth. Terrified, I ran and hid myself among the people, who were weeping and expecting the end of the world at any moment."—Rev. Joaquim Lourenco, describing his boyhood experience in Alburitel, eighteen kilometers from Fatima (1952b:149).
"On that day of October 13 1917, without remembering the predictions of the children, I was enchanted by a remarkable spectacle in the sky of a kind I had never seen before. I saw it from this veranda....”— Portuguese poet Alfonso Lopes Vieira (1952b:148-9).

Critical evaluation of the event

No scientific accounts exist of any unusual solar or astronomic activity during the time the sun was reported to have "danced", and there are no witness reports of any unusual solar phenomenon further than forty miles out from Cova da Iria (1952b:148-50, 282).

It has been alleged that the fact that an unspecified "miracle" had been predicted in advance, the abrupt beginning and end of the alleged miracle of the sun, the varied nature of the observers as including both skeptics and believers alike, the sheer numbers of people present, and the lack of any causative factor, all reasonably preclude the theory of a mass hallucination (1952b:150, 278-82). That the activity of the sun was reported as visible by those up to 18 kilometers away, also precludes the theory of a collective hallucination or mass hysteria (1952b:150, 278-82).

Our Lady of Fatima had promised in July, August, and September, that a miracle would occur on 13 October 1917 "so that all may believe". Pio Scatizzi, S.J. describes events of Fatima and concludes "The... solar phenomena were not observed in any observatory. Impossible that they should escape notice of so many astronomers and indeed the other inhabitants of the hemisphere...there is no question of an astronomical or meteorological event phenomenon...Either all the observers in Fatima were collectively deceived and erred in their testimony, or we must suppose an extra-natural intervention" (1952b:282).

Stuart Campbell, writing for the 1989 edition of Journal of Meteorology, postulated that a cloud of stratospheric dust changed the appearance of the sun on October 13, making it easy to look at, and causing it to appear yellow, blue, and violet. In support of his postulation, Mr. Campbell reports that a blue and reddened sun was reported in China as documented in 1983. Mr. Campell's article does not attempt to provide evidence that might explain the reported zigzagging of the sun towards the earth."The Miracle of the Sun at Fatima", Journal of Meteorology, UK, Vol 14, no. 142, October, 1989

Joe Nickell, a skeptic and investigator of paranormal phenomena, claims that that the position of the phenomenon, as described by the various witnesses, is at the wrong azimuth and elevation to have been the sun.Joe Nickell (1993) Looking for a Miracle: Weeping Icons, Relics, Stigmata, Visions and Healing Cures Prometheus, ISBN 0879758406 He suggests the cause may have been a sundog. Sometimes referred to as a parhelion or "mock sun", a sundog is a relatively common atmospheric optical phenomenon associated with the reflection/refraction of sunlight by the numerous small ice crystals that make up cirrus or cirrostratus clouds. A sundog is, however, a stationary phenomenon, and would not explain the reported appearance of the "dancing sun". Nickell suggests an explanation for this and other similar phenomena may lie in temporary retinal distortion, caused by staring at the intense light and/or by the effect of darting the eyes to and fro so as to avoid completely fixed gazing (but thus combining image, afterimage and movement). Nickell concludes that there was "likely a combination of factors, including optical and meteorological phenomena (the sun being seen through thin clouds, causing it to appear as a silver disc; an alteration in the density of the passing clouds, so that the sun would alternatively brighten and dim, thus appearing to advance and recede; dust or moisture droplets in the atmosphere, imparting a variety of colors to sunlight; and/or other phenomena)".

Paul Simons, in an article entitled "Weather Secrets of Miracle at Fatima", states that he believes it possible that some of the optical effects at Fatima may have been caused by a cloud of dust from the Sahara."Weather Secrets of Miracle at Fatima", Paul Simons, The Times, February 17, 2005.

Kevin McClure claims that the crowd at Cova da Iria may have been expecting to see signs in the sun, as similar phenomena had been reported in the weeks leading up to the miracle. On this basis he believes that the crowd saw what it wanted to see. Kevin McClure stated that he had never seen such a collection of contradictory accounts of a case in any of the research he had done in the previous ten years. Kevin McClure (1983) The Evidence for Visions of the Virgin Mary Aquarian Press, ISBN 0850303516

Leo Madigan believes that the various witness reports of a miracle are accurate, however he alleges inconsistency of witnesses, and suggests that astonishment, fear, exaltation and imagination must have played roles in both the observing and the retelling. Madigan likens the experiences to prayer, and considers that the spiritual nature of the phenomenon explains what he describes as the inconsistency of the witnesses.Leo Madigan (2003), The Children of Fatima Our Sunday Visitor Inc., ISBN 1931709572

Author Schwebel claims that the event was a supernatural (but non-miraculous) extra-sensory phenomenon. Schwebel notes that the solar phenomenon reported at Fátima is not unique - there have been several reported cases of high pitched religious gatherings culminating in the sudden and mysterious appearance of lights in the sky.Lisa J Schwebel (2003) Apparitions, Healings, and Weeping Madonnas: Christianity and the Paranormal Paulist Press, ISBN 0809142236 (see review)

It has been argued that the Fatima phenomenon and many UFO sights share a common cause D Scott Rogo (1982) Miracles Doubleday, ISBN 0385272022, or even that the phenomenon was an alien craft.^*

It has been alleged that Protestant commentators do not generally accept the miraculous nature of the phenomenon, and that some (principally evangelicals) accept the supernatural nature of the phenomenon, but ascribe it to Satan rather than God.J. D Johnson (1996) Signs of the Saucers: A Revealing Study of the Flying Saucer-UFO Phenomenon's Role in the Final Spiritual Crisis Between Christ and Satan and the Coming New World Order TEACH Services, Inc., ISBN 1572581336. See also numerous websites such as ^*

Many years after the events in question, Stanley L. Jaki, a Benedictine priest and author of a number of books attempted to reconcile science and Catholicism, proposed a unique theory about the supposed miracle.http://pirate.shu.edu/~jakistan/ Jaki believes that the event was natural and meteorological in nature, but that the fact the event occurred at the exact time predicted was a miracle.Jaki. (1999). God and the Sun at Fatima. Real View Books, ASIN B0006R7UJ6

That the event was a miracle was officially accepted by the Catholic Church on 13 October 1930. On 13 October 1951, papal legate Cardinal Tedeschini told the million gathered at Fatima that on October 30, October 31, November 1, and November 8 1950, Pope Pius XII himself witnessed the miracle of the sun from the Vatican gardens.Joseph Pelletier. (1983). The Sun Danced at Fatima. Doubleday, New York. p. 147-151.

Controversies of Recent Development

The anonymous website http://www.portcult.com/FAT.12.NEWSPAPER.2.htm alleges that a photographer named Judah Ruah was present on October 13 1917 and that he reported that he did not see the miracle of the sun that day, however this allegation by portcult.com is unsubstantiated by any reference to a citation, and no such allegation of such a report by anyone named Judah Ruah or by any photographer, can be traced back beyond the creation of the aforesaid website. The website further alleges that reporter Avelino de Almeida was a Catholic, however again citing no support. Avelino de Almeida's articles in O Seculo prior to October 13 1917 had been to satirize the events (De Marchi 1952a:174).

In 1992 was published the Documentae da Critica de Fatima/Documentação Crítica de Fátima, which contains documents whose authenticity cannot be traced, and which contains accounts which appear to dramatically contradict the well-known accounts published closer to the actual events.

References

Bibliography

Footnotes

External links

http://users.ev1.net/~seektress/fatima1.htm - Contains newspaper pictures of the crowd from 13th October, 1917
http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/tsfatima.htm - Contains the classic "The True Story of Fatima" by John De Marchi, contains many first-person witness accounts.

Religious philosophy and doctrine

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