Blessed Jacinta Marto of Fatima


JACINTA MARTO OF FATIMA (March 11, 1910–February 20, 1920)
By Jim Dunning

(This article was originally published in "Irelands Own" magazine. The webmaster would like to gratefully thank the author, Jim Dunning, for his kind permission in reprinting it here.)

Jacinta was born on 11th March, 1910, the younger sister of Francisco and cousin to Lucia. Unlike her brother, she saw Our Lady during all six Apparitions, though she did not always hear what was being said to Lucia. A sensitive child, she cried bitterly at the age of five when she heard the Passion being read out, resolving not to make Our Lord suffer any more. She came under the spell of Lucia early on, regarding her more as an elder sister than a cousin. Her father, popularly known as Ti Marto, described Jacinta as the sweetest of his children. She called the moon ‘Our Lady’s Lamp.’

She had her faults, however, one of which was a tendency to sulk. During the first Apparition in May, 1917, Jacinta kept shyly in the background, but asked, charmingly, whether they should offer the Lady some of the bread and cheese they had brought for their lunch. Afterwards, Lucia insisted she should tell no one what they had seen. Jacinta vowed that she wouldn’t say a word, but later, when her parents returned from the market she rushed out exclaiming: ‘Oh, Mother! I saw Our Lady today!’ Over supper she related her story to the whole family. Her mother laughed but her father believed her, and Francisco supported her story, though he had neither seen nor heard anything.

Word spread quickly and Lucia’s mother, Maria Rosa, quizzed her fiercely. Since the parish priest refused to believe the children’s story, poor Lucia received a thrashing for telling lies. Jacinta got the blame for breaking her promise to stay quiet. Asked later why Our Lady never spoke to Jacinta, Lucia replied: ‘Because Jacinta’s tongue is tied. If she spoke, Our Lady would speak to her.’ Jacinta would smile shyly but never attempt to speak to the vision.

After interviewing the children the parish priest suggested they might be the victims of a trick by the Devil. Lucia was terrified, though Jacinta assured her the Devil was ugly and lived underground in Hell. When Lucia, worried by all the pressure, suggested telling everyone she had lied, Jacinta and Francisco told her indignantly that that would be a lie.

On 13th August, The Administrator, Santos, ‘kidnapped’ the children to prevent them going to Cova da Iria for the next Apparition, and threatened them with a cauldron of boiling oil. Jacinta cried bitterly, not at the thought of dying, but because she would never see her mother again. It may well be that she and Francisco connected the death threats with Our Lady’s promise to come soon to take them to heaven. A guard told them they could only save themselves by revealing the Secret. Jacinta trembled with fright but refused to speak and was marched off. Francisco was next, but when it was her turn Lucia found her two cousins alive and unharmed. Eventually, they were returned to the presbytery at Fatima.

On Sunday, 19th August, the children witnessed their fourth Apparition. Interestingly, Jacinta was late joining the other two and the Lady waited until the very moment she arrived before appearing. A neighbour commented to Ti Marto that Our Lady obviously had a special regard for his daughter.

After they had been taken ill during the Spanish Influenza epidemic in October, 1918, Jacinta told her cousin that Our Lady had come and said she would fetch Francisco very soon, that Jacinta herself would go to two hospitals and be alone. Lucia relates in her memoirs how her little cousin said she never tired of telling Our Lord and Our Lady how much she loved them. ‘I have a fire in my chest but it doesn’t burn me.’ She was obsessed by the thought of Hell and saving sinners.

Jacinta went on to develop pneumonia and then tuberculosis. A purulent abscess in her side caused her great agony. She was taken to the hospital in Vila Nova de Ourem. Although she hated being separated from Lucia she welcomed the opportunity it gave her to offer up her suffering as a sacrifice. After two months she was no better and returned home. A local priest advised her to say her prayers in bed, since she fell over whenever she got up to say them. Later she was taken to Lisbon, but as there were no beds available in the hospital she ended up in a kind of orphanage. She was happy there since she was able to receive Communion every day.

On 2nd February, Jacinta was finally admitted to the Estfania hospital where she was lonely and unhappy. On 10th February two of her ribs were removed under local anaesthetic. Although the daily dressing of the wound caused her agony she never complained. She told the lady in charge of the orphanage when she visited her that Our Lady had appeared and promised to fetch her soon and that her pain would stop. It did. On the evening of 20th February, 1920, she asked to receive the Last Rites. A priest heard her confession and promised to bring her Communion next morning, but Jacinta died peacefully that night. Alone. She was almost eleven.

Visitors who saw Jacinta in her open coffin exclaimed that she seemed to be alive, with the loveliest colour. The unpleasant odour due to her illness was replaced by ‘a fragrance as of the most delicious flowers’.

When Jacinta’s coffin was opened on 12th September, 1935, during its removal to a tomb especially built at Fatima, her face was seen to be perfectly incorrupt. Her relics and those of Francisco lie in the Basilica at Fatima, with the simple inscription: “Here lie the mortal remains of Francisco and Jacinta to whom Our Lady appeared.”

Jacinta and her brother Francisco were beatified, that is to say, declared ‘Blessed’, by Pope John Paul II on 13th May, 2000 at Fatima.

~Blessed Jacinta Marto, pray for us!

For more info on the visionary children of Fatima, see Blessed Francisco Marto and also Sister Lucia dos Santos. For more information on the events of Fatima see Fatima- Miracle of the Sun ____________________________________________
-Jim Dunning lives in the United Kingdom. His hobbies include watching rugby and writing short stories and religious articles.

24 comments:

Jacinta said...

I took my name after her :)

Peta said...

In 1999 i had a six week old child in my arms in the early hours of the morning when i accidently dropped her onto a concrete floor. I was terrified as she was listless and "floppy" but alive. the local hospital offered no support. I prayed to Jacinta and Francisco at this time of need and i heard in my subconscious that i was not to worry and the child would be ok. Now that child is almost 13. she is happy and healthy. I praise God and continually thank Blessed Jacinta and Francisco for their intercession in my time of need. Blessed be the name on Jesus and Mary and for having given us Jacinta and Francisco

Glenn Dallaire said...


Hi Peta,
Thanks for the inspiring story---God is so good--Blessed be God in His Saints! St Jacinata and Francisco, pray for us!
May God bless you and your loved ones,
Glenn Dallaire

Anonymous said...

A wonderfully inspiring article about Gods little children.
Thank you

Anonymous said...

anRI love these blessed Saints. So young in age yet so advanced in spirit. I now have a very strong bond with Our Lady because of them! Blessed Jacinta please pray for us!

Anonymous said...

Jacinta's life is a wonderful example to all of us

Anonymous said...

wow i cannot believe that Jacinta and Francisco did such marvelous things! i am doing a project on saints, and this is truly inspirational. THANK YOU PETA!

Michele Bondi Bottesi said...

Dear Glenn, you have an exceptional website and I am most grateful to you for creating it. Wonderful, wonderful! God is at work in you.

Glenn Dallaire said...


Thank you Michele for your kind comment. For me this website is really a "work of love" so to speak, and I have really been enjoying creating it and i hope to continue to add many more articles in the future, God willing.

May God bless you and your loved ones,
Glenn Dallaire

Anonymous said...

I had a vision of the Risen Christ in my mid-twenties, now I am 61 and have suffered tremendously in this life. What do I do? Who should I turn to for help? Why has life been so "unforgiving?" So full of misery.Please anyone help!? kunchien02@aol.com Carlos Adorno

Unknown said...

My friend turn to God for help and stop doubting,he will forgive you and bless you like the saint even in spite of your age. For saint too was also sinful,but God made them saint,so you too you can be one.
My friend saint theresa normally say "when the devil tempt you by bringing the memory of your past sin also to remember him about good future".So do not be brought down you are in the right place you have mama mary tell are your problems,for so many saint know their destiny from her and I tell don't doubt believe and be glad have trust for you have treasures around you which is the church,for I know saint who stated loving while in their old age,for nothing is impossible with God.
I pray that Jesus and Mary together with bl Jacinta may heal and strengthen you,remember seek God first and trust in his providence for he is love. Peace be with you!

Anonymous said...

My confirmation saint! <3

Anonymous said...

Dearest Jacinta & Francisco please help me in all
needs to promote Our Lady of Fatima and wearing
of the Brown Scapular,
I am growing discouraged but know soon Immaculate
Heart of Mary will Triumph, please make my family
members stop calling me mentally ill for professing
the Faith and promoting Fatima
Love Phil

Anonymous said...

Blessed Jacinta is a really good person. She has helped me throught times when I had felt the presents of a ghost or a spirit.

Veronica said...

Thank you for interceding for me, Blessed Jacinta! Thank you, My Dear Lady, for ministering to me in my suffering, and for reminding me to offer up all my pain as a sacrifice for the reparations of my sins, the sins of my family, and those Poor Souls in Purgatory. Amen

Veronica said...

Lifting you up in prayer,Phil. May God through the intercession of Our Lady and the Blessed Child Jacinta grant you peace from persecution

Anonymous said...

I am called Jacinta after "Jacinta of Fatima" so delighted she has just been made a saint.
I intend to visit Fatima in June of this year PG.
Have her statue and picture.
St Jacinta please watch over this Jacinta here in Ireland and keep my family safe and well.
Please ease my pain and worries as there seems to be no let up....
Protect me and mine always...

Jacinta x

Anonymous said...

It is a privilege and a blessing to be named after Jacinta of Fatima. I am also delighted that she has been made a saint. I have gratitude for my name and offer my prayers for compassion for all.

Thank you.

God bless.

Jacinta

Maria Heaven Even Ybo said...

Blessed Jacinta pray for us

Akpuaka nwanne doris said...

Blessed jacinta u always trust our blessed mother virgin Mary..... i love it. please pray for my family.

Severo said...

Hello

I am Sev Blanco from the Philippines, I am making the posts, to ask if how can I ask for a relic of Saint Jacinta and Saint Francisco, I am a devotee of spreading the Most Holy Rosary here in our little country in the Philippines. I hope somebody will respond. It will surely inspire me more. Thank you and Ave Maria!

severo.blanco@evsu.edu.ph is my email. Thank you and God Bless po!

Anonymous said...

I love reading all this & have learnt so much, given my name is jacinta. My mum told me the story about the vision when I was little. I have prayed to be healed from my spinal stenosis & spondylitis

Anonymous said...

I have just written a few moments ago, all the dates when the 3 children saw these visions coinside with my birth date 13th what a coincidence it's truly amazing love to all jacinta Ruffles xx

Anonymous said...

Due to inspirational scripture about St.Jacinta, I named my little gal after her. St.jacinta pray for us

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