Saint Jacinta Marto

Patron saint of: bodily ills, captives, people ridiculed for their piety, and sick people.

Feast day: February 20 

Jacinta longed to go to Heaven. She also loved to lighten the burdens of others by praying and offering sacrifices for them.

She and her brother, Francisco, loved the companionship of their older cousin, Lucia. As Lucia remarked, “Jacinta had a special liking for me.”

Jacinta had a deep love for the crucified Lord. In her memoirs Lucia says, “when the little one heard me telling of the sufferings of our Lord, she was moved to tears and saying: I’ll never sin again.”

She always strived for holiness. Her holiness increased when an angel and then a lady in white started appearing to them.

The lady said that she was from Heaven and that Jacinta and Francisco would go to Heaven soon.

She even showed them Hell and Jacinta was deeply moved. The lady said she would perform a miracle. The day came for the miracle, and the lady said she was the Blessed Mother.

Shortly after the miracle, Jacinta became very ill and died all alone in a hospital room.

Good examples to remember from the life of Saint Jacinta Marto: She cared about the sufferings of others more than her own. She was willing to lovingly sacrifice her own comforts to comfort others, especially Jesus.