Francisco and Jacinta Marto were siblings. They lived in Aljustrel, a small village near Fatima, Portugal.

Francisco was born in 1908. Jacinta in 1910. They were cousins of Lucia dos Santos.

They were ordinary children. Poor. Without formal education. They tended sheep in the fields.

But God chose them for something extraordinary!

In 1917, Our Lady appeared to them six times. And these apparitions completely changed their lives!

But not just the apparitions - it was what they did AFTER that made them saints!

Francisco: The Silent Contemplative

Francisco was a gentle and quiet boy. He liked to play the flute for the sheep. He loved nature.

During the apparitions, he could SEE Our Lady, but he couldn't HEAR Her!

Only Lucia heard and spoke with Our Lady. Jacinta heard but didn't speak. Francisco saw but didn't hear!

Why? No one knows for sure. But this shaped Francisco's spirituality!

Since he didn't hear Our Lady's words, Francisco concentrated on seeing Her! On contemplating Her! On loving God silently!

After the apparitions, Francisco changed completely.

He said: "Our Lady said that Jesus is very sad because of sins! I want to console Him!"

Francisco began going to church secretly. He stayed hours kneeling before the tabernacle (where the Eucharist is kept).

"What do you do there?" they would ask.

"I'm consoling Jesus!" Francisco would answer. "He is so sad! Sinners make Him suffer so much! So I stay here keeping Him company!"

What extraordinary love! A 9-year-old boy wanting to console God!

Francisco also made sacrifices for sinners.

He gave his food to the poor and went hungry. He didn't drink water on hot days. He wore rough rope tied around his waist that hurt.

"Why do you do this?" they would ask.

"To console Jesus! To save sinners!" he would answer.

Once, the children found a thick rope on the ground. They decided to tie it around their waists under their clothes, even though it hurt.

Francisco wore it day and night! It hurt so much that sometimes he couldn't sleep!

Lucia said: "Francisco, take that off, it's hurting you too much!"

But Francisco answered: "No! I want to suffer for Our Lord to console His Heart!"

Jacinta: The Little Victim of Love

Jacinta was the youngest - she was only 7 years old at the apparitions!

She was a cheerful little girl who loved to dance and play. But after seeing hell in the July vision, she changed completely!

Jacinta became obsessed with saving souls! "Lucia!" she would say crying. "So many souls go to hell! We need to pray and make sacrifices!"

The vision of hell marked her deeply. She was never the same again!

Jacinta made even more heroic sacrifices than Francisco!

Once, on a very hot day, the children were terribly thirsty. They found fresh water at a well.

When they were about to drink, Jacinta said: "Don't drink! Let's offer this thirst to Jesus for sinners!"

And all three children spent the entire day in the strong sun without drinking a drop of water!

Another day, Lucia gave the children delicious grapes. When they were about to eat them, Jacinta said: "Let's give them to the poor! We'll go hungry for Jesus!"

And they gave all the grapes away!

Jacinta also prayed constantly for sinners.

She repeated the prayer that Our Lady taught:

Jacinta said this hundreds of times a day! Offering each little suffering, each little sacrifice!

She had special concern for certain sinners. She prayed a lot:

- For priests who didn't live holily

- For immodest fashions that offended God

- For people who blasphemed

- For those who didn't love Our Lady

The Spanish Flu Arrives

In 1918, the terrible Spanish flu arrived in Portugal.

Millions died worldwide! It was a devastating pandemic!

Francisco and Jacinta caught the flu. They became gravely ill!

But instead of complaining, they offered their suffering! "It's for sinners!" they said.

Francisco became very weak. He had high fever. He coughed constantly. But he kept smiling!

"Francisco, are you suffering a lot?" they would ask.

"Yes! But I offer everything to console Our Lord!" he would answer.

Jacinta also suffered terribly. But she said: "I want to suffer more! To save more souls!"

Francisco knew he was going to die. Our Lady had said She would take him to Heaven soon.

He wasn't afraid! He was happy! "I'm going to Heaven! I'm going to see Jesus and Our Lady!"

Before dying, Francisco asked forgiveness from everyone he had offended. He confessed. He received First Communion (which was his last!).

On April 4, 1919, Francisco was dying. He was 10 years old.

His family was around the bed. Francisco smiled and said: "Look at that beautiful light!"

And then, peacefully, Francisco died. His face became radiant, as if he were seeing something wonderful!

He went straight to Heaven, to "console Jesus" forever!

Jacinta was even sicker than Francisco had been.

The flu caused an abscess in her chest. It was too painful! Doctors tried several operations.

Jacinta suffered agonies! But she offered everything! "For sinners! For sinners!" she repeated constantly!

Our Lady appeared to Jacinta several times during her illness, consoling and strengthening her!

Jacinta made surprising prophecies before dying:

- She predicted World War II

- She predicted that Portugal would be preserved from war

- She predicted immodest fashions to come

- She predicted persecutions of the Church

Jacinta was taken to a hospital in Lisbon, far from her family.

She died alone in a hospital room, at 9 years old (almost 10), on February 20, 1920.

But she wasn't really alone - Our Lady was with her!

Before dying, Jacinta told the nurse: "I'm going to Heaven! I'm going to see Our Lady!"

And with a smile, little Jacinta died.

When they opened her coffin 15 years later, her body was incorrupt - perfectly preserved! Her face had an expression of peace and happiness!

The Legacy of Francisco and Jacinta

These two children lived very short lives - 10 and 9 years!

But in their short lives, they loved God with extraordinary intensity!

Francisco teaches us: Silent contemplation! We don't need many words. Just being with Jesus, consoling Him, loving Him is enough!

Jacinta teaches us: Sacrifice for sinners! Offering small difficulties can save souls from hell!

Both teach us: Holiness is possible for children! We don't need to wait to be adults! We can love God heroically now!

On May 13, 2017, exactly 100 years after the first apparition, Pope Francis canonized Francisco and Jacinta!

They are now officially Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto!

They are the youngest non-martyr saints in Church history!

Millions visit their tombs in Fatima. They ask for their intercession. They learn from their example!

They proved that holiness is not a matter of age, but of love!