Jacinta Marto was a young Portuguese shepherdess born in 1910 in Aljustrel. Alongside her brother Francisco and their cousin Lúcia, she is known for witnessing reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Fátima during 1917, following earlier angelic visions in 1916. She died in Lisbon in 1920 at the age of nine, having succumbed to the 1918 influenza pandemic. Recognized as one of the youngest saints in the Catholic Church, her life and spiritual experiences have made her a significant figure in modern religious history.
Life and visions
Living in the village of Aljustrel, Jacinta spent her time tending sheep. In 1916, she and her companions reportedly saw an angel, and in 1917, they experienced visions of the Virgin Mary. Following the death of her brother Francisco in 1919, Jacinta fell ill during the influenza epidemic. She passed away in a Lisbon hospital in February 1920, shortly after her brother.
Veneration and canonization
The Catholic Church has honored Jacinta through several stages of recognition. She was declared venerable by Pope John Paul II and beatified in May 2000. In 2017, Pope Francis canonized her, making her one of the youngest individuals to be named a saint. Her remains are currently interred in the Basilica of Fátima, where she is remembered annually on February 20.