But as time went by, Lucia became more and more serious and apprehensive . Soon she said to Jacinta , who was still playing, «Quiet. Our Lady is coming.»
It was near noon. Maria da Capelinha was feeling weak. «Will it be long before Our Lady comes?» she asked.
«No, Senhora,» Lucia unhesitatingly res- ponded. They all began the Rosary, and as they finished, one girl began the Litany. But Lucia stopped her, «There’s no time for it now.» Then she got up and shouted, «Jacinta, Jacin- ta, here comes Our Lady. I Just saw the flash.»
The three of them ran over to the smaller holmoak. Everyone followed and knelt upon · the brush and furze. Lucia raised her eves towards the skies, as if in prayer, and was heard to say, «You told me to come here today. What do you want me to do?»
The others heard something that sounded like a very gentle voice did not understand what was said. «It is like the gentle humming of a bee,» Maria da Capelinha whispered.
Lucia in later years tells us as follows: «l want yoo to come here on the thir-
teenth of the next month. Say the Rosary? inserting between the mysterie$ the fol- lowing ejaculation – ‘0 My Jesus, forgive us. Sa.ve us from the fire of Hell. Bring all ·soul to Heaven, especially those in most need.’ I want you to learn to read and write and later I will tell you what else I want.»
Then Lilcia asked Our Lady to·cure a sick person who was recommended to her. Our Lady answered.
«lf he is converted, he will be cured within the yr~ar.»
«I would like to ask you also to take us to Heaven!»
«Yes,» Our Lady answered; «l will take Jacinta and Francisco soon. . You, how- ever, are to stay here a longer time. Jesus wants to use you to make me know a,nd loved. He wants to establish-the Devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the World. I promise salvation to those who embrace it and their souls will be loved by God as flowers placed by myself to adorn His throne. »
«Am I going to stay here alone?» Lucia asked; full of sadness at the though of losing her beloved cousins.
«No My Daughter.» Lucia’s eyes filled with tears. «Does this cause you to suffer a great
deal? I will never leave you, my Immacu-
.late Heart will be your refuge and the .Wf1IJJ that will lead you to God.»
«As she said these last words,» Lucia tells, ~(the Blessed Virgin opened her hands and communicated to us for the second time the reflex of the immense light that enveloped her. We saW ourselves in it, as if submerged in God. Jacinta and Francisco seemed to be on the side that was ascending to Heaven, and I was on the side that was spreading over the earth. There was a Heart before the palm of the right hand of Our Lady, with thorns pierc- ing it. We understood that this was the Immac- ulate Heart of Mary, so offended by the sins of mankind, desiring reparation.»
The crowd now saw Lucia ·rise quickly to her feet. Stretching out her arm she cried, «Look, there she goes; there she goes!»
Maria da Capelinha reports that when Our Lady left the tree, it was like the his~ing of a distant rocket. She continues: «As for us, we saw nothing but a slight cloud, just a few inches away from the foliage, rising slowly to- wards the East.»
The children remained silent, their eyes fas- . tened in that direction, until a few minutes later, Lucia cried out, «There now!’ It’s all over. She has entered Heaven. The doors have closed.»
The people turned their eyes back to the blessed holmoak and were surprised to see the highest branches, which before were standi1tg upright, now inclined towards the east, as if
they had been tread upon. The onlookers then began to break of the branches and leaves from the. holmoak. Lucia asked that they take only the lower branches, as they had not been touched by Our Lady. Someone suggested that everybody say the Rosary before leaving, but because some had come such a long way, they said only the Litany at the Cova; then depar- ting in a group, they recited the Rosary toge- ther on their way home.
https://repository.library.nd.edu/view/344/832654.pdf