Consoling Jesus and Mary, the mission of Saint Francisco Marto, the young seer of Fatima

Born on June 11, 1908, in the hamlet of Aljustrel, near Fatima, Portugal, Francisco Marto (1) was totally transformed by the apparitions of the Angel of Portugal in 1916, followed by those of Our Lady in 1917. This experience changed completely, revealing a mystical and consoling soul unlike any other in the history of the Church.

Busy consoling his God, who was overwhelmed with sadness at man's ingratitude, the child also developed a strong devotion to the Eucharist, even though he had been judged too young by his parish priest to make his First Holy Communion (the angel made him drink from the chalice of the Precious Blood, like his sister, giving the host only to Lucia, who made her First Communion at a very early age). "I'd rather stay in church and console the hidden Jesus" became his focus.

On December 23, 1918, Francisco and his sister, weakened by self-imposed deprivation, contracted Spanish flu. Francisco knew immediately that he was going to die, but refused to let his penitential cilice be taken away, and endured all his sufferings without flinching, "to console Our Lord; for Jesus, for Our Lady, sinners, and the Pope" as he would often say.

Francisco, knowing his time was short, asked to receive the Hidden Jesus for the first time in Holy Communion. Mrs Marto called the priest to administer the last rites.The next morning, he died peacefully at 10 a.m with a supernatural glow on his worn-out face.

Anne Bernet

Specialist in Church history, postulator of a cause for beatification, journalist for numerous Catholic media and author of over forty books, most of them on the subject of holiness.

www.1000raisonsdecroire.com

(1) Saint Francisco is one of the three visionaries of Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal.