The   most   important   apparitions   in   the   20 th    century   took   place   between   13   May   and 13   October   1917   in   Fatima,   Portugal,   in   a   place   called   Cova   da   Iria,   located   about   85 miles   north   of   Lisbon.   During   this   period   a   figure   of   a   Lady   appeared   six   times   to three   children:   Lucia,   Jacinta   and   Francisco   and   passed   to   them   certain   information which   later   became   known   as   the   secrets   of   Fatima.   When   the   apparitions   ended, about   50,000   people   witnessed   a   very   unusual   display   in   the   sky   which   made   a lasting    impression    on    believers    and    skeptics    alike.    It    was    the    first    ever    public manifestation of an previously announced inexplicable phenomenon.

Click   on   the   thumbnails   below   to   see   actual   photographs   taken   at   the   time   of   the   50,000 strong crowd.

Thanks   to   the   presence   of   mind   of   Lucia,   who,   during   the   meeting   on   July   13   asked the   Lady   for   a   “miracle”   for   people   to   believe   in   the   authenticity   of   the   apparitions, the    entire    character,    scope    and    the    impact    of    these    events    changed.    The    Lady promised   that   she   would   perform   a   “miracle”   on   October   13   for   every   one   to   see. This   information   was   widely   circulated   in   Portugal,   and   because   of   this,   the   display was   witnessed   by   many   thousands   of   people   who   received   3   months   notice   prior   to the event. The   display   in   the   sky   commenced   straight   after   the   apparition   finished.   All   the witnesses   stated   that   they   could   watch   it   directly   without   squinting.   So   why   did   this phenomenon   pass   into   history,   as   “the   miracle   of   the   sun”?   Probably   because   the disc was of a similar size and position in the sky to the sun. The   luminous   disc   did   not   shine   brightly   and   was   not   blinding.   The   disc   had   a distinct   edge   and   was   of   silver-blue   color   but   not   like   the   moon.   The   color   was   clear and   rich,   having   the   opalescence   of   a   pearl.   Witnesses   with   a   technical   background described   it   as   a   disc   of   opaque   or   frosted   glass,   illuminated   from   behind,   with   a rainbow   of   iridescence   on   its   periphery.   Some   of   the   witnesses   claimed   that   the colors   of   the   disc   were   lively   and   strong,   and   changing   from   white,   red   and   blue   to orange,   yellow   or   green.   Some   compared   it   to   stained   glass.   It   looked   as   thought   the periphery   of   the   disc   was   more   colorful   and   iridescent   than   the   center   and   changed cyclically,   according   to   some   repeating   pattern.   The   color   changes   were   not   random and   rapid,   but   slow   and   regular.   The   disc   sometimes   looked   as   if   it   was   surrounded with   an   aureole   of   flames,   at   other   times   by   yellow   or   purple   rays.   At   one   moment the    flames    disappeared    and    the    disc    became    dull    silver-blue    again.    One    of    the witnesses   noticed   that   the   clouds,   moving   at   that   time   from   west   to   east,   were   not obstructed from view by the disc but looked as if they passed behind it. The   disc   did   not   stay   in   one   place   but   moved   in   the   sky.   All   witnesses   agreed   –   it revolved   on   its   axis.   Some   people   noticed   that   it   whirled   very   quickly.   In      the   opinion of   Goncalo   Almeida   Garrett,   a   professor   of   mathematics,   only   the   peripheries   of   the disc   carried   out   this   rotary   motion.   The   movements   were   not   uniform   but   repeated three   times   after   intervals.   There   are   descriptions   comparing   the   disc   to   a   turning wheel    of    fireworks,    with    flashes    of    sparks    of    light    on    its    border,    similar    to    a Catherine   wheel.   Apart   from   the   whirling,   witnesses   noticed   other   movements.   They describe    that    the    disc    “danced”,    “jumped”    or    “trembled”    through    the    almost diaphanous clouds. The   most   dramatic   scene   happened   when   “the   sun   fell   down   to   the   earth”.   The whirling   disc   appeared   to   approach   the   earth,   and   its   movement   was   very   elaborate. It   looked   as   though   the   disc   was   spinning,   descending   in   slow   zigzags,   or   moving down   in   a   spiral.   When   the   disc   descended   so   low   that   it   looked   as   if   was   touching the   tips   of   the   trees,   a   panic   seized   some   people.   Next,   the   disc   started   climbing   back up   at   a   very   slow,   snail-like   pace,   all   the   way   to   it’s   initial   position.   The   entire   display lasted about 10 minutes. Witnesses   noticed   not   only   extraordinary   colors   of   the   disc   and   the   clouds,   they   also claimed   that   the   people,   the   trees,   the   fields   and   the   entire   surrounding   area   looked colorful.   Some   said   that   everything   around   them   turned   yellow,   others   gold,   purple, blue,    orange,    green    or    metallic.    Some    witnesses    noticed    that    the    color    of    the surroundings   changed   with   the   color   of   the   disc.   The   illumination   was   patchy   and the   witnesses   mentioned   seeing   stains   of   various   colors.   The   intensity   and   the   shapes of these colorful patches varied with time, as if under the influence of air movement.

Click on the video link below to hear more on the display.