Scene 26

setting: The Cova da Iria

people:
Lucia
Francisco
Jacinta
Our Lady
Carreira family
Maria Rosa
Olimpia
Manuel
Mrs. Gomes
Ti
Joano M.
Mr. do Varmo
Mrs. do Varmo
pilgrims

(The crowd gradually assemble, more pious than curious. Many of them have umbrellas to protect them from the sun, and most are praying the Rosary.)

(The Carreira family are putting on the finishing touches of a simple portico with a cross and two lamps, close to the tree. Mrs. C lights the lamp.)

Mr. C: I should very much like to see this Lady.

Mrs. C: Is everybody ready to ask her your petitions?

C Children: Yes, mama.

Mrs. C: And what are you going to ask our Lady when she comes, Joano?

Joano C: To make me holy, and take me to heaven.

Mr. C: Don’t you want the Mother of the Savior to heal you?

Joano C: Only if it makes me a better Christian, Papa.

(The parents smile and look over the portico.)

(The Marto family, Lucia, and Maria Rosa walk together. Maria Rosa stops frozen, Olimpia stops for Maria Rosa, and the rest move on.)

Olimpia: What’s wrong, Maria Rosa?

Maria Rosa: What are we doing here? There are more people here in the Cova than I’ve seen in my entire life. Why are they here?

Olimpia: Now, you heard what Mrs. Gomes and Mrs. Carreira said.

Maria Rosa: Mrs. Gomes is crazy.

Olimpia: But Mrs. Carreira isn’t. And Manuel even heard something. You can believe Manuel, couldn’t you?

Maria Rosa: What if nothing happens? It looks like there are hundreds… (Looks around, shocked by what she sees) My gosh! Thousands of people here, on my property. What if they came to see that my daughter is a liar?

Olimpia: Well, there’s only one way to find out, isn’t there? Let’s stay and watch from here.

(Mrs. DS goes in her purse and pulls out a blessed candle, her hands shaking from nerves.)

Olimpia: My goodness, Maria Rosa, what on earth is that for?

Maria Rosa: (Dead serious) Well, if it’s the devil, then we’ll give him what for and drive him away.

(The children come)

(Manuel paves the way for the three shepherds.)

Manuel: Make way! It’s the little shepherds.

(Mrs. Gomes stands with the do Varmos.)

Mrs. G: Don’t they look lovely! Yoo-hoo (waves)

(The children come up to the tree and kneel. Lucia leads the Rosary through a couple of Hail Marys when she gets up. When they kneel down, the crowd becomes silent.)

Lucia: Close the umbrellas! She’s coming!

(The sun dims and shines different colors. Our Lady comes on the branches. All kneel down. MR breaks down in tears on Olimpia’s shoulder.)

Jacinta: (to Lucia) Lucia! Lucia, speak! She wants to speak to you.

Lucia: What does Your Grace want of me?

Our Lady: I want you to come here on the 13th of next month, and to continue praying the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you.

Lucia: I would also like to ask you to tell us who you are, and to work a miracle so that everybody will believe that you are appearing to us.

Our Lady: Continue to come here every month. In October, I will tell you who I am and what I want, and I will perform a miracle for all to see and believe.

Lucia: Stefania would like help with her arm.

Our Lady: Tell her to pray much. Our Lady of the Rosary will help her.

Lucia: (Smiles) And help Mrs. Marros with her eyes.

Our Lady: She will need to pray much.

Lucia: Will Joano ever learn to walk? (Joano C's parents whisper to Joano C

Our Lady: No. In His wisdom, God has ordained that he will be poor his whole life. But if he prays the Rosary every day, he will always have enough. Tell them that only Our Lady of the Rosary can help you. She will obtain all the graces they need during the year. (More earnestly) Sacrifice yourselves for sinners and say many times, especially when you make some sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of you, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Replay shot of Our Lady opening her hands

(The children look down at something. A red light shines on them. Their eyes get wide and they shriek in fear.)
Sr. L: (offscreen) As she spoke, she opened her hands once more. The rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw it as if it were a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened and floating about in the fire and falling back, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks of pain and despair. If our Lady had not promised to take us to heaven, I think we would have died of fear.

(Our Lady closes her hands, and the children look up at her.)

Our Lady: You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end. But if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the reign of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given to you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, famine, persecutions of the Church, and persecutions of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, and the Holy Father will have much to suffer. Various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world. In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will be preserved…

[Parenthetical scene: sisters

Sr. L: I’m sorry, I spoke too much.

Sr. H: Go on, Sister.

Sr. L: Well, after she finished telling us the secret... ]

Our Lady: Do not tell this to anybody.

(Lucia looks over at Francisco)

Our Lady: Francisco? Yes, you may tell him. When you say your Rosary, say after each mystery, “O, my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls into heaven, especially those who are most in need.”

(A slight pause)

Lucia: Is there anything more you want of me?

Our Lady: No, I do not want anything more of you today.

(Amid silence, Our Lady leaves like she did before. The sun again brightens.)

Lucia: (Jumping up, looking in the air) There she goes! (pause, the hubbub starts again) She’s gone now!

(The children peel away ,Manuel, Mrs. G, and the do Varmos get closer to tree)

Manuel: My God! You saw the leaves bristle when she left, didn’t you?

Mrs. G: And the cloud!

Mr. DV: (to Mrs. DV) Well, what did you think, Rita?

Mrs. DV: Well, it was something.

Mr. DV: Do you believe it was the Virgin Mary?

Mrs. DV: I don’t know what to think.

Mr. DV: Neither do I. I think I know how to find out, though. (He laughs. They walk away)

(Ti and Joano M meet the seers, Manuel follows close by.)

Ti: Lucia, why did you scream?

Lucia: Did I scream?

Ti: Yes, you did.

Manuel: What was it, Lucia?

Lucia: (distracted and still shaken) She made us promise not to say.

Ti: (A little suspicious) Did she, now?

(all walk off, except Manuel, who looks at the tree.)