The Five First Saturdays' Devotion

[Our Lady of Fatima Chapel]

The Five First Saturdays

"To whoever embraces this devotion, I promise salvation"

On December 10th, 1925, the Most Holy Virgin appeared to Sister Lucia. By Our Lady’s side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was the Child Jesus. The Most Holy Virgin rested her hand on Sister Lucia's shoulder and as she did so, she showed her Heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand.
 
At the same time, the Holy Child said:

"Have compassion on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother, covered with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment and there is none to make an act of reparation to remove them."
 
Then, the Most Holy Virgin said:

"Look, my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and announce in my name that I promise to assist, at the moment of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who:


(1) On the First Saturday of five consecutive months,
(2) Shall confess,
(3) Receive Holy Communion,
(4) Recite five decades of the Rosary and
(5) Keep me company for 15 minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary,
(6) With the intention of making reparation to me"
 
  
Conditions of the Promise
 
 Why Five First Saturdays? Our Lord Himself gave the answer to Sister Lucia:
 
"My daughter, the reason is simple. There are five types of offenses and blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
 
1 - Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception;

2 - Blasphemies against her virginity;

3 - Blasphemies against her Divine Maternity, in refusing at the same time to recognize her as the Mother of men;

4 - The blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the hearts of children, indifference or scorn or even hatred of this Immaculate Mother;

5 - The offense of those who outrage her directly in her holy images.
 
Here, My daughter is the reason why the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspired Me to ask for this little act of reparation..." 
 
 

+ THE CONFESSION +
 
Sister Lucia asked Our Blessed Lord: 

My Jesus!  Many souls find it difficult to confess on Saturday. Will Thou allow a confession within eight days to be valid?  
 
He replied: "Yes. It can even be made later on, provided that the souls are in the state of grace when they receive Me on the First Saturday and that they had the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary."
 
Sister Lucia replied: "My Jesus! And those who forget to form this intention?"
 
 "They can form it at the next confession, taking advantage of their first opportunity to go to confession."
 
In brief, therefore: 
 
(a) The confession should be made as close as possible to the First Saturday

(b)  We must be sorry for our sins, not only because we have offended God but also with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 
+ THE HOLY COMMUNION +

If one cannot fulfill all the conditions on a Saturday, can it be done on Sunday? Our Lord gave the answer to Sister Lucia:
 
"The practice of this devotion will be equally acceptable on the Sunday following the First Saturday when My priests - for a just cause, allow it to souls."

 
Important: It is to His priests - not to the individual conscience that Our Lord gives the responsibility of granting this additional concession.
 

+ THE ROSARY +
 
Since it is a question of repairing for offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, what other prayer could be more pleasing to Our Lady than that which she requested the people to recite every day?
 

+ THE 15 MINUTE MEDITATION +
 
This is in addition to the recitation of the Rosary.
 
It requires, in Sister Lucia’s words:
 
"...to keep Our Lady company for 15 minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary."
 
Note: It is not required to meditate on all fifteen mysteries. Meditation on one or two is sufficient.
 

+ THE INTENTION OF MAKING REPARATION +
 
"You, at least, try to console me." 
 
Without this general intention - without this will of love which desires to make reparation and consolation to Our Lady - all these external practices are worth nothing for the Promise.


Source: Our Lady of Fatima Chapel