Une Minute avec Marie
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Jacinta de Jesus Marto (1910-1920) was the youngest visionary of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917. The other two were her brother Francisco de Jesus Marto, and their cousin Lúcia dos Santos (1907-2005). Jacinta was born on March 11, 1910, in Aljustrel, Portugal. Francisco was also born in Aljustrel, on June 11, 1908. Their parents were Manuel Pedro Marto and Olímpia de Jesus.
An Angel appeared to the three children in the spring, summer and autumn of 1916, at the Loca do Cabeço and on the well of Lúcia's house, and Our Lady of the Rosary appeared to them on May 13, June 13, July 13, September 13 and October 13, 1917, in Valinhos.
Francisco became ill with influenza and pneumonia on December 23, 1918, and died on April 4, 1919, after having received confession and communion. He was buried in the Fátima parish cemetery on April 5. His process for beatification began on April 30,1952, at the same time as that of his sister Jacinta, but it was not sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints until August 3, 1979. It was opened on December 20 of that same year.
In April 1981, a positive pronouncement was made on the possibility of recognizing the practice of heroic virtues on the part of children. They could therefore be beatified and canonized as non-martyrs. The decree on the heroic virtues of the two little shepherds was signed by St. John Paul II on May 13, 1989, granting them the title of Venerable.
The second miracle that paved the way for their canonization involved a Brazilian boy named Lucas, who was miraculously healed through the intercession of the shepherd children.
Saint John Paul II (Pope 1978-2005), beatified the young little shepherds Francisco and Jacinta Marto at Fátima on May 13, 2000, and chose February 20 (the day Jacinta died) as the date for their beatification. Their canonization was celebrated on May 13, 2017, at Fátima during Pope Francis' trip for 100th anniversary of the Marian apparitions at Fátima.