The Five First Saturdays Devotion
History
On the evening of Thursday, December 10, 1925, after supper, Sister Lucy dos Santos (then a postulant in the Dorothean house at Pontevedra, Spain) received a visit by the Child Jesus and the Virgin Mary in her convent cell. Showing the young nun, a heart surrounded by thorns, Our Lady said to her:
"See, My daughter, My heart surrounded by thorns which ungrateful men pierce at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude... Say to all those who, for five months, on the first Saturday, confess, receive Holy Communion, recite the Rosary and keep Me company for 15 minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, in a spirit of reparation, I promise to assist them at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for the salvation of their souls."
Charged with this mission by Heaven's King and Queen, the 18-year-old nun immediately began the work of making their requests for this new devotion known. She informed her Mother Superior at once as well as her priest-confessor, Father Lino Garcia. It was he, in fact, who ordered Lucy to immediately write down everything which concerned the revelation. Later, she would write at even greater depth to Bishop Pereira Lopes and many others, striving to establish in the hearts of those around her the urgency of promoting this wonderful new gift of grace.
Letters to Her Mother
Writing to her own mother two years following Our Lord and Our Lady's visit, Sister Lucy begged her to adopt this new devotion which "I know is so pleasing to God and which our dear Heavenly Mother has requested."
In another letter written after the first steps had been taken to gain official Church approval of the devotion, she emphasized its critical importance in saving souls: "[You] cannot imagine how great is my joy in thinking about the consolation ... that the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary are going to receive and of the great number of souls who are going to be saved through this amiable devotion."
Through the tireless efforts of Sister Lucy and others, this great, yet simple devotion has, over the last seven decades, spread around the world, uniting millions in a universal and continuous act of reparation that seeks to console the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and to save souls everywhere. Sister Lucy herself has written that "the greatest joy," she feels, "is to see the Immaculate Heart of our so tender Mother known, loved and consoled by the means of this devotion."
Sister Lucy Explains The Devotion of the Five First Saturdays
On November 1, 1927, Sister Lucy wrote to her godmother, Dona Maria de Miranda:
"I don't know if you already know about the reparatory devotion of the five Saturdays to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. As it is still recent, I would like to inspire you to practice it, because it is requested by Our Dear Heavenly Mother and Jesus has manifested a desire that it be practiced. Also, it seems to me that you would be fortunate, dear godmother, not only to know it and to give Jesus the consolation of practicing it, but also to make it known and embraced by many other persons.
"It consists in this: During five months on the first Saturday, to receive Jesus in Communion, recite a Rosary, keep Our Lady company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, and make a confession. The confession can be made a few days earlier, and if in this previous confession, you have forgotten the (required) intention the following intention can be offered, provided that on the first Saturday one receives Holy Communion in a state of grace, with the intention of repairing for offenses against the Most Holy Virgin and which afflict Her Immaculate Heart.
"It seems to me, my dear godmother, that we are fortunate to be able to give Our Dear Heavenly Mother this proof of love, for we know that She desires it to be offered to Her. As for myself, I avow that I am never so happy as when first Saturday arrives. Isn't it true that our greatest happiness is to belong entirely to Jesus and Mary and to love Them and Them alone, without reserve? We see this so clearly in the lives of the saints...They were happy because they loved, and we, my dear godmother, we must seek to love as they did, not only to enjoy Jesus, which is the least important -- because if we do not enjoy Him here below, we will enjoy Him up above -- but to give Jesus and Mary the consolation for being loved...and that in exchange for this love they might be able to save many souls."
Our Parish Celebration of the Devotion of the Five First Saturdays
Dates for Jubilee Year of Fatima 2017
June 3 * July 1 * August 5 * September 2 * October 7
Schedule
8:30 AM – Rosary
8:45 AM – 15 Minute Silent Meditation
9:00 AM – Mass
Elements of this Devotion
There are four elements to the Devotion of the First Saturdays, all of which are to be offered in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. One should make this intention prior to fulfilling Our Lady’s request on each Saturday.