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Blessed Francisco and Jacinta Marto

ROME, Italy, April 11, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) – The causes for canonization of two young siblings who witnessed Our Lady’s apparitions in 1917 at Fatima will be considered next week at a consistory convoked by Pope Francis.

The pope called for the gathering to consider several causes for canonization, including  Blessed Francisco and Jacinta Marto, the Holy See Press Office announced Tuesday.

The Ordinary Public Consistory is scheduled for Thursday, April 20, Zenit reported, three weeks before the 100th anniversary of the apparitions. The cardinals who reside in Rome will gather at the Vatican with the pope.

The news comes as Catholics anticipate the anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima and the Blessed Virgin Mary’s words to Francisco and Jacinta along with their cousin, Lucia Santos (Carmelite Sister Lucia).

Through six apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, between May and October 1917, Our Lady spoke to the children regarding the faith and the fate of the world. She made many predictions that subsequently occurred, and she requested establishment of various devotions to her in the world.

Disagreement persists over whether specific parts of the devotions have been fulfilled. Many contend that subsequent war and persecution of the Church has fulfilled some of what Our Lady had warned.

Focus on the Fatima anniversary and its implications for mankind and the salvation of souls has stepped up in anticipation that more of the Blessed Mother’s warnings will come to pass.

Pope Francis will travel to the Fatima shrine on May 12-13 for the Fatima centenary celebration, where he is expected to canonize Blessed Francisco and Jacinta. Sister Lucia’s cause is a separate case.

Fatima’s bishop said recently that he had hope the canonization of the two young shepherds would occur in time for the 100th anniversary of the appearance at Fatima.

“I would consider the centenary to be incomplete without the canonization,” Bishop Antonio dos Santos Marto of Leiria-Fatima said. 

Numerous other canonization causes will be taken up by the April 20 consistory along with the two young Fatima seers, according to the Vatican. These include:

The child martyrs of Tlaxcala, Mexico: Cristóbal, Antonio and Juan;

Diocesan priests Fathers Andrea de Soveral and Ambrogio Francesco Ferro, layperson Mateus Moreira and 27 companion martyrs from Brazil;

Religious priest Father Faustino Míguez of the Piarist order, founder of the Calasanzian Institute of the Daughters of the Divine Shepherdess;

Religious priest Father Angelo da Acri (formerly known as Luca Antonio Falcone) of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.