The 108th Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun: October 13, 2025

 

The Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun: October 13, 2025

Today, October 13, 2025, marks the 108th anniversary of one of the most extraordinary events in modern religious history: the Miracle of the Sun, which occurred in Fátima, Portugal, in 1917. This phenomenon, witnessed by tens of thousands of people, is deeply tied to the apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima and remains a cornerstone of Catholic devotion, while also sparking debate among skeptics, scientists, and scholars. In this post, we’ll explore the historical context of the event, recount what happened, delve into the story of Our Lady of Fátima, and examine possible psychological and physical explanations for the “dancing sun”—along with refutations of those theories from a perspective grounded in the accounts of the event.

 Historical Context of the Miracle of the Sun

The early 20th century was a tumultuous time in Portugal. The country was grappling with political instability following the overthrow of the monarchy in 1910, which led to the establishment of a secularist First Republic. The new government was often hostile to the Catholic Church, closing religious institutions and promoting anticlerical policies. This created a tense environment for religious expression, particularly in rural areas where faith remained strong.

In the small village of Fátima, located in central Portugal, three young shepherd children—Lúcia dos Santos (aged 10) and her cousins Francisco (9) and Jacinta Marto (7)—reported a series of visions beginning on May 13, 1917. They claimed to have seen a luminous lady who identified herself as the Virgin Mary, appearing above a holm oak tree in the Cova da Iria, a pastureland near their village. The apparitions occurred on the 13th of each month from May to October, except for August, when the children were detained by local authorities. The visions drew increasing attention, with crowds growing from a handful of locals to tens of thousands by October.

The children said the Virgin Mary, whom they called Our Lady of Fátima, delivered messages urging prayer, repentance, and devotion to her Immaculate Heart. She also reportedly shared three “secrets” with the children, which included visions of hell, calls for peace, and prophecies about the future of the Church and the world. The apparitions culminated in the promise of a miracle on October 13, 1917, which the Virgin Mary said would confirm the authenticity of her appearances.

By October, word of the promised miracle had spread across Portugal, drawing an estimated 30,000 to 70,000 people to the Cova da Iria. This diverse crowd included devout Catholics, skeptics, journalists, and even anticlerical officials, all eager to witness what would happen. The stage was set for an event that would become one of the most debated miracles in history.

 What Happened on October 13, 1917?

The day of the Miracle of the Sun began with dreary weather. Rain soaked the crowd gathered in the muddy fields of the Cova da Iria, many of whom had traveled great distances. The three children arrived at the site around noon, and Lúcia reported that the Virgin Mary appeared as promised. According to the children, Mary reiterated her call for prayer and sacrifice, particularly the recitation of the Rosary, and announced that the First World War would soon end. She then directed them to look at the sun.

What followed was a phenomenon that defied explanation for those present. Witnesses reported that the clouds parted, revealing a sun that appeared to “dance” or move erratically in the sky. According to accounts, the sun spun, emitted multicolored lights, and seemed to zigzag or plummet toward the earth before returning to its normal position. The event lasted approximately 10 minutes, and many in the crowd were overcome with awe, fear, or religious fervor. Some fell to their knees, praying or confessing their sins, while others wept or shouted in amazement.

Remarkably, the phenomenon was not confined to the immediate vicinity of Fátima. Reports later surfaced of people up to 40 kilometers away witnessing unusual solar activity. Another striking detail was that the ground and the clothes of the onlookers, previously soaked by hours of rain, were reportedly dry after the event, despite no natural explanation for this sudden drying.

The Miracle of the Sun was widely reported in Portuguese newspapers, including secular outlets like O Século, whose journalist Avelino de Almeida described the event in vivid detail, despite his initial skepticism. The sheer number of witnesses, from diverse backgrounds and beliefs, made the event impossible to dismiss outright, even for those who questioned its supernatural origin.

 Our Lady of Fátima: The Message and Legacy

The apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima are central to understanding the Miracle of the Sun. The Virgin Mary, as described by the children, appeared as a radiant figure dressed in white, holding a rosary and emanating light. She identified herself as “Our Lady of the Rosary” and emphasized the importance of prayer, penance, and conversion to avert divine chastisement and bring peace to the world. Her messages were deeply rooted in Catholic theology, calling for devotion to her Immaculate Heart and warning of the consequences of sin.

The three secrets of Fátima, revealed to the children during the apparitions, have been a focal point of fascination. The first secret was a vision of hell, intended to underscore the reality of eternal consequences. The second secret called for the consecration of Russia to Mary’s Immaculate Heart, predicting that failure to do so would lead to further global conflict. The third secret, kept confidential until 2000, described a vision of a bishop in white being attacked, interpreted by the Vatican as a prophecy of the 20th century’s persecutions of the Church, including the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II.

The apparitions and the Miracle of the Sun transformed Fátima into a global pilgrimage site. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, built at the Cova da Iria, now attracts millions of visitors annually. Francisco and Jacinta Marto, who died in 1919 and 1920 during the Spanish flu pandemic, were canonized as saints in 2017 by Pope Francis. Lúcia, who became a Carmelite nun and lived until 2005, documented the apparitions in her memoirs, which remain a primary source for the events. The Catholic Church officially recognized the apparitions as worthy of belief in 1930, and Fátima has since become a symbol of hope, faith, and divine intervention for millions.

 Possible Explanations for the Miracle of the Sun

While the Miracle of the Sun is celebrated as a divine sign by believers, skeptics have proposed alternative explanations rooted in psychology and physics. Below, we explore two prominent theories—mass hallucination and atmospheric phenomena—and refute them based on the historical record and witness accounts.

 Psychological Explanation: Mass Hallucination

Theory: One common skeptical explanation is that the Miracle of the Sun was a mass hallucination, a collective psychological phenomenon triggered by religious fervor, expectation, and group dynamics. Proponents of this theory argue that the crowd, primed by months of anticipation and the children’s claims of a forthcoming miracle, experienced a shared delusion. Psychological phenomena like mass hysteria or suggestibility can cause large groups to perceive events that align with their expectations, even if those events have no objective basis. The emotional intensity of the moment, combined with the crowd’s devotion, could have led people to misinterpret natural solar activity or visual distortions as miraculous.

Refutation: The mass hallucination theory struggles to account for several key aspects of the event. First, the crowd was not uniformly composed of devout believers primed for a miracle. Many attendees were skeptics, journalists, or anticlerical officials who approached the event with doubt or outright hostility. For example, Avelino de Almeida, the O Século journalist, was initially dismissive of the apparitions but reported the solar phenomenon in detail, consistent with other witnesses. A mass hallucination would likely require a more homogenous group with shared expectations, which was not the case.

Second, the phenomenon was reported by people far from the Cova da Iria, up to 40 kilometers away, who were unaware of the events in Fátima. These distant witnesses had no psychological priming or group influence, yet they described similar solar anomalies. This undermines the idea that the event was purely a product of collective suggestion.

Third, the physical effects reported—such as the drying of wet clothes and ground—cannot be explained by a hallucination, as these were tangible changes observed by many. Hallucinations affect perception, not physical reality. The diversity of the crowd, the consistency of accounts across distances, and the physical evidence all challenge the mass hallucination hypothesis.

 Physics-Based Explanation: Atmospheric Phenomena

Theory: Another explanation posits that the Miracle of the Sun was caused by a natural atmospheric phenomenon, such as a sundog (parhelion), a mirage, or a rare optical effect involving clouds and solar refraction. Sundogs occur when ice crystals in the atmosphere refract sunlight, creating bright spots or halos around the sun, sometimes with colorful effects. Alternatively, some suggest a temperature inversion or atmospheric turbulence could have distorted the sun’s appearance, making it seem to move or change. The drying of clothes could be attributed to a sudden shift in weather, such as a break in the clouds allowing intense sunlight to evaporate moisture.

Refutation: While atmospheric phenomena like sundogs or mirages can create striking visual effects, they do not align with the specific details of the Miracle of the Sun. Sundogs typically appear as static bright spots or arcs at fixed angles from the sun, not as a spinning, zigzagging, or plummeting object. Witnesses consistently described dynamic motion—spinning, dancing, and an apparent descent toward the earth—none of which are characteristic of known optical phenomena. Additionally, sundogs and mirages require specific atmospheric conditions, such as high-altitude ice crystals or temperature gradients, which were not documented in the rainy, overcast conditions of October 13, 1917.

The widespread observation of the phenomenon across a large geographic area also poses a challenge. Atmospheric effects are typically localized, yet people far from Fátima reported similar observations, suggesting the event was not confined to a specific atmospheric condition at the Cova da Iria. Furthermore, the sudden drying of clothes and ground is difficult to reconcile with natural weather shifts. The rain had been continuous, and no meteorological records indicate a rapid change sufficient to dry soaked materials in minutes without residual moisture.

Finally, staring at the sun, as many witnesses did, can cause visual distortions due to retinal afterimages or eye strain. However, this cannot explain the consistent descriptions of specific movements and colors across thousands of observers, nor the fact that many reported no discomfort from looking at the sun, which they described as dimmed or softened during the event. These factors collectively suggest that the phenomenon exceeded the scope of known atmospheric effects.

 The Significance of the Miracle Today

The Miracle of the Sun remains a powerful symbol for Catholics, representing divine intervention and a call to faith in a skeptical world. On this 108th anniversary, pilgrims will gather in Fátima to pray the Rosary, attend Mass, and honor Our Lady’s messages. The event’s enduring impact lies in its ability to inspire devotion while challenging rationalist assumptions about the nature of reality. For believers, the miracle is a testament to God’s presence; for skeptics, it remains an enigma that resists easy explanation.

The psychological and physical theories, while offering plausible mechanisms, fall short when confronted with the scale, consistency, and physical effects reported. The diversity of witnesses, the geographic spread of observations, and the tangible drying of the ground suggest an event that transcends ordinary phenomena. Whether one views it as a miracle or an unexplained anomaly, the Miracle of the Sun continues to provoke reflection on the boundaries between faith and reason.

As we commemorate this anniversary, the messages of Our Lady of Fátima—prayer, repentance, and peace—resonate in a world still marked by conflict and division. The Miracle of the Sun invites us to consider the possibility of the transcendent, challenging us to look beyond the visible and ponder the mysteries that lie at the heart of existence.

Sources:

- Lúcia dos Santos, Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words (Postulation Centre, 1976)

- O Século, October 15, 1917, article by Avelino de Almeida

- John De Marchi, The True Story of Fatima (Catechetical Guild, 1952)

- Vatican Archives, “The Message of Fatima” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2000)

- Joe Nickell, Looking for a Miracle (Prometheus Books, 1998)

- Stanley L. Jaki, God and the Sun at Fatima (Real View Books, 1999)