On May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared for the first time to three shepherd children—Lúcia dos Santos, Francisco Marto, and Jacinta Marto—at the Cova da Iria, a location near the village of Aljustrel, not far from Fatima, Portugal. Over the following months, these children experienced five additional visions of the Virgin Mary.

During the sixth and final appearance, the Virgin Mary revealed her name to the children: The Lady of the Rosary. Throughout these encounters, the children were given prophetic messages focused on prayer, penance, and peace, known as the "Secret." During one of these apparitions, the people of Fatima witnessed a remarkable event in the sky, which later became known as the Miracle of the Sun.