Marco Pontecorvo’s film, Fatima, tells the story of three Portuguese children who, over the course of many months in 1917, encounter the Angel of Peace and the Blessed Virgin Mary in visions. These visions change them, their families, and ultimately, the world.
The cinematography is beautiful, the visions striking, but it is the relationships that are most engaging.
Lucia’s mother, pious and generous, grieves for her son away at war, creating a family dynamic heart-wrenching to watch. Pilgrims overrun the fields and ruin crops. The town leadership, powerless to stop the crowds coming to see the young visionaries, imprison the children to get them to recant.
The children, 10-year old Lucia and her younger cousins, Jacinta and Francisco, refuse the appeals of their parents, their priest, and finally, the strong arming of civil authorities that bring in a psychiatrist to no avail. The strength of their conviction — their obedience to the Blessed Mother’s urging to pray the rosary fervently — soon has the whole town on their knees in prayer.
The conceit to tell the story in flashback as a mature Sister Lucia converses with a writer grounds the events surrounding these visions in contemporary times. While I was not alive at the time of the Miracle of the Sun. I was alive during the last years of Sister Lucia’s life. Perhaps these glimpses of the older Lucia move the audience to accept — to believe — the story, but one need only to see how the townspeople and subsequently the thousands of pilgrims respond to the children.
Lucia understands the gravity of the Blessed Mother’s message and displays a maturity beyond her years. Sweet Jacinta joyfully shares Mary’s messages, but it is in Francisco that I find a connection. He sees what is happening and yearns to hear — to fully understand — but can’t. Don’t we all feel like that sometimes?
I’m also moved by the desperation of the people who descend upon this small village and the children, touching them, showing them mementos of their loved ones. In such desperate times as war, these people find hope in the innocence of children and the powerful messages from the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Fatima has inspired me to read more about the young saints, and the message from Fatima, and to pray my rosary more fervently.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us! Amen.
