The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima Page #3

Goodbye.

If you children go

to the cova today,

you'll go without Lcia.

She's going with us

to Saint Anthony's Feast.

Psst. Psst.

I can't help it.

What will we say

to the lady?

Tell her my mother

wouldn't let me come.

MARIA ROSA:

Lcia?

Blow your nose and stop crying.

You're not going to the cova.

[SOBBING]

But, Mama, I promised.

Stop it, I tell you.

Senhor. We're from Carrascos,

senhor.

Can you tell us

where we'll find the field

in which the children

saw the Blessed Virgin?

They heard about it

as far as Carrascos?

And farther, senhor.

Also that the Holy Mother

will appear again today.

If you will direct us

to the field.

Oh, the cova is--

There's no such field.

No vision either.

Don't your children

dream in Carrascos?

Go home.

Or stay for

Saint Anthony's Feast,

and you'll have something

for your crazy journey.

Come on, Antnio,

we'll be late.

You see what your lies

have started.

[FESTIVE DANCE MUSIC PLAYING]

[CROWD CHEERING AND CLAPPING]

Here, here,

you can't eat that.

But I am eating it.

That's Saint Anthony's bread,

and Father Ferreira

hasn't blessed it yet.

Is that bad?

Could be.

Then let him bless me,

because it's right in here.

[ORGAN PLAYING SOLEMN MELODY]

Well, Senhora Carreira,

glad to see you are well again,

able to attend to your duties.

We've missed you.

Thank you, Father.

I'm not

completely well yet.

Should you be here then?

I couldn't miss

Saint Anthony's Feast Day.

Besides, I'm taking

my crippled son to the cova.

I'm sure Our Lady

will be there again today.

You believe that story?

Don't you, Father?

I cannot accept

the unsupported testimony

of three imaginative children.

And if word of this

should reach the authorities,

our church will be in danger.

Don't forget that,

senhora.

[CHILDREN SINGING

GRACEFULLY]

[SPEAKING IN LATIN]

[SPEAKING IN LATIN]

Amen.

There, I told you we'd be late.

Father Ferreira has blessed

the bread.

Go join your Communion class

and try to behave as they do.

Remember, I'm keeping an eye

on you.

Here comes the little saint

who saw the Virgin.

[LAUGHTER]

What's the matter?

Was the vision called off

for today?

MAN:

Her drunken father

put it in her head.

MAN 2:

I don't believe

she ever saw it.

Lcia, look.

There's Our Lady

on the church roof.

She's waving to you.

Fly up, little bird,

and give her a kiss.

[ALL LAUGH]

MAN 3:

Here comes the little thing

who saw the Virgin.

My mother says

you're in danger of hellfire.

Please don't say that,

Manuelita.

I guess my mother knows

a mortal sin when she sees one.

Leave her alone.

You be quiet, Manuelita.

You, priest.

Come here.

Yes, Senhor Administrator.

What can I do for you?

This is Manuel Marques Ferreira.

Parish priest of Ftima,

number 17793,

as you'll see

by my police card.

Senhor Machado Pais

has been appointed

magistrate of Ourm.

It's a pleasure,

senhor.

We're not here for pleasure.

Where are the children?

What children?

You know. You know the children.

The ones you've been using

to stir up people

with reports of a vision.

There, now you'll get it.

I, senhor?

Under the laws

of the republic,

reports of miracles

are a crime.

But I'm not an accessory

to this particular crime.

We'll see about that.

Those little puppets of yours

will tell us

who's pulling the strings.

Where are they?

Point them out.

I know of no children

who have seen

the Blessed Virgin.

You're lying.

What are their names?

Unreported, senhor.

Except that one was

a Lcia somebody-or-other.

These people must know.

They know every child

in the village.

You know the children, senhora?

You, senhor?

You?

You there,

you know the children?

You?

Well, speak up, somebody!

I want to know the children

who say they saw the Virgin.

Don't lie to protect

this priest.

The government's your friend,

not the Church.

Those who help the priest

in this fraud will...

Will go to jail with him.

Well, come on, speak up.

Who are these brats?

My,

you all look

very, very pretty

in your nice

Communion dresses.

Yes.

I'm sure that one of you

smart young ladies

can tell me all about

the children

who saw the miraculous vision

of the Holy Mother?

Mm?

Well, come on, come on.

What's the matter,

have you lost your tongues?

You, little one,

who is Lcia?

I don't know, senhor.

You, where is Lcia?

She--

Which Lcia,

Your Excellency?

We have dozens

of Lcias here.

Dreamers, stargazers,

fanatics

whose flights of fancy

can conjure up

anything from a flock of angels

to a devil on horseback.

[CROWD LAUGHING]

Now, as for me,

I think this latest one

about a lovely lady in a tree

is fascinating.

Personally,

I love climbing trees.

[MEN CHUCKLE]

Quiet, you fool.

My apologies,

Senhor Administrator.

I was only trying to point that

you gentlemen of the government

seem to believe more

in this miracle than we do.

You, senhora, why are you

taking that child away?

Is it because she can tell me

what I want to know?

She won't tell you,

senhor, but I will.

You're right,

my dear.

I was only trying

to shield you.

But he would have found out

sooner or later.

This, senhor, is the Lcia

you are looking for.

I am not.

Now, now.

Your first impulse

was a better one.

Go with the nice administrator

and tell him everything.

Get it off your conscience.

Be a nice girl, Lcia.

[SOBBING]

My name is Manuelita.

Lcia Manuelita de Costa.

No, my name is Manuelita.

Don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid.

I only want you

to face the priest

and tell the truth about it,

that's all.

[MANUELITA WAILS]

You nearly did it that time.

Make yourself scarce.

Take her home, Hugo.

Come on, little one.

[MANUELITA WAILING]

It's home for you,

my little one.

Or to some neighbor's house

until this thing blows over.

Don't take me home,

Hugo.

Take me to the cova.

To the cova? Ha!

Yes, Hugo.

The lady expects me there,

and it's nearly time.

Don't you see?

She must have sent you.

Me? Of all people...

Please, Hugo.

All right, my little one.

To the cova it is.

Stretch your legs,

my gallant Lucifer.

For today, we ride

for love and liberty.

Francisco.

I'm afraid.

Let's run.

It's all right.

I'm here.

But you can't hear her.

She can hear me.

LCIA:

Jacinta.

There's Lcia.

There's the cloud.

It's coming

toward the tree.

I knew it was true.

I knew it.

Are you there,

dear lady?

I know I'm late.

I almost couldn't get here.

Dear lady, dear lady,

I knew you'd come back to us.

I knew it,

I knew it.

You are unhappy,

my daughter.

Only because of my mother,

but not anymore.

You're here.

Tell us what you'd have us do.

Jesus wishes to use you

to make me known and loved.

He wishes to establish

throughout the world

devotion to me.

So you must learn

to read and write

in order that you may

convey his message.

Do you hear

a lady's voice?

I hear a buzzing sound,

like a bee in a bottle.

A bee in a bonnet.

Thou Mother of Divine Grace.

Thou purest Mother.

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