The real meaning of the number 13 in the apparitions of the Virgin of Fátima

Most of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Fátima (Portugal) occurred on the 13th of each month, a number with great meaning that shows the relationship of the Mother of God with the salvation of the world.

In an article by National Catholic Registerthe writer and author of the book Fruits of Fatima — Century of Signs and WondersJoseph Pronechen, indicated that the numbers have “great meaning and symbolism for the Jewish people.”

“Particular meanings were given to numbers in the Old Testament that continued in the New and were mentioned by the Church Fathers,” he added.

The relationship between the Virgin and Esther

Pronechen highlighted that the number thirteen in the apparitions of the Virgin of Fatima has a connection with the biblical story of Esther, which was considered by the Fathers of the Church “as a representation of the Blessed Virgin Mary” in the Old Testament.

Esther was part of the Jews exiled to Persia, where she was cared for by her uncle Mordecai, a diligent servant of the monarch. King Ahasuerus needed a queen and of all the women he chose Esther.

“He loved Esther more than all other women; of all the virgins she won his favor and devotion, so he put the royal crown on her head and made her queen” without knowing that she was Jewish, Pronechen quoted in the article.

Haman, a person jealous of Mordecai’s position and eager to become the king’s right hand with all the power that entailed, achieved his goal through deception. To consolidate his authority, he drafted a decree stating that, on the 13th of the Jewish month of Adar, all Jews in the kingdom were to be exterminated.

Faced with this sentence, Esther revealed to King Ahasuerus her Jewish origin and Haman’s plans. Outraged by the betrayal, the king “killed the villain and gave the order to save the Jews.”

Thus, the 13th, which the enemies of the Jews had chosen to “gain power over them, became a day in which the Jews gained power over their enemies,” Pronechen noted. “Esther saved her people. They lived,” he added.

Pronechen highlighted that this relationship shows how, in her appearance in Fatima, the Virgin Mary “came to save her people by showing them the correct path to follow.”

He added that, according to the New Advent Catholic Encyclopediathe name Esther “comes from the Hebrew meaning ‘star’ and ‘happiness’.” In addition, he recalled that Sister Lucía Dos Santos, one of the three visionaries of Fatima, commented to Father Thomas McGlynn that the Virgin “always had a star on her tunic.”

“Heaven was once again making the connection to tell us that Mary would also come to Fatima to save her people and the Church from evil,” he indicated.

The Rosary and Pentecost

Likewise, he said that the Virgin Mary directs the faithful to pray the Rosary, a message that is especially reflected during her appearance in Fatima on October 13, the month that the Church dedicates to the Holy Rosary, where she identified herself as Our Lady of the Rosary.

The writer highlighted that in a conversation with some Carmelite friars, Sister Lucia pointed out that “the scapular and the Rosary are inseparable. The scapular is a sign of consecration to Our Lady.”

“It was in the 13th century when Our Lady gave the Rosary to Saint Dominic. And it was again in the 13th century when she also gave Saint Simon Stock the brown scapular,” Pronechen indicated.

Finally, he highlighted that the Virgin Mary guides the faithful towards the Holy Eucharist, and that her appearances on the 13th of each month have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, since thirteen people in total –she and the twelve apostles– were present at the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

“The number 13 connected with Fatima, whether directly or indirectly, is another reason why the message and meaning of Fatima should be relevant to us,” he concluded.