On Sunday, May 13, 1917, in Fatima, Portugal, Lucia Santos and her two cousins, were in a grassland tending sheep. As usual the three children prayed the rosary after lunch. Then a beautiful young woman with an appealing white robe came to the children. She smiled at the children and said "I want you children to come here on the 13th of each month until October. Then I will tell you who I am". "Do you come from heaven?" asked Lucia. "Yes" replied the woman. "Will I go there?" asked Lucia for the second time. "Yes" replied the woman "if you say the rosary honestly".

Then the strange woman vanished and the three children hurried home to the small village to tell their parents. The parents thought the children were crazy, did not believe them at all, and became very angry. The woman came to visit every month as promised and during her visit in August, she kept her word and said that on the 13th of October a miracle would happen. On that day of October 13th the children arrived, followed by 70,000 people wanting to see the woman.

Finally, at noon the three children knelt down to pray the rosary. Then the miracle happened! The sun danced, whirled around, and came close without hurting anyone's eyes. The sun then went back to the sky. Then the young woman appeared in radiant brightness. "Who are you and what do you want?" asked Lucia. The young woman replied "I am the Lady of the Rosary, and I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. People must not continue to offend the Lord, who is already deeply offended. They must say the rosary."

The Virgin Mary then asked to have a church built where she appeared. Today there is a large Basilica were people visit every year. There is also a statue of Mary in front of the Basilica where Mary appeared.