St. Jacinta Marto: A Saintly Child Martyr

St. Jacinta Marto was a young shepherdess who lived in Fatima, Portugal in the early 20th century. She was born in 1910 and was the youngest of the three children who were visited by the Virgin Mary in 1917, known as the Marian apparitions of Fatima.

Jacinta, along with her brother Francisco Marto and cousin Lucia dos Santos, witnessed several apparitions of the Virgin Mary between May and October 1917. The Virgin Mary imparted several messages to the children, encouraging them to pray and sacrifice for the conversion of sinners, and for world peace. These apparitions were later officially recognized by the Catholic Church as worthy of belief.

Jacinta was deeply touched by the messages of the Virgin Mary and devoted herself to a life of prayer and sacrifice. She spent much of her time praying the rosary and offering up her sufferings for the conversion of sinners. She also had a great devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and was known for her love of the poor and her desire to help them.

Jacinta’s health began to deteriorate due to the Spanish flu pandemic and she was sent to the hospital in Lisbon, where she died on February 20, 1920, at the age of 9. Her death was widely mourned and her remains were later transferred to the Capelinha das Aparições in Fatima.

St. Jacinta’s devotion to prayer and sacrifice, and her love for the poor and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, made her a shining example of holiness for many Catholics around the world. Her cult has been growing and her canonization was approved by Pope Francis in 2017, making her one of the youngest non-martyr saints in the Catholic Church.

St. Jacinta’s feast day is celebrated on February 20th, and she is invoked as a patron saint of the sick and of children. Her intercession is sought by many people who are suffering from illness and by parents who are looking for guidance and protection for their children.

The life of St. Jacinta Marto serves as a reminder that even the youngest among us can make a difference in the world and be an inspiration to others through the power of prayer and sacrifice. Her devotion to God and her willingness to help others make her a shining example of what it means to be a true Christian.

St. Jacinta’s message of prayer and sacrifice for the conversion of sinners and for world peace continues to be relevant and inspiring today, reminding us of the power of these simple acts to bring about change in the world.

Next up: Biography of St. Jacob of Nisibis