We start with the description given by Sister Lucia in her Fourth Memoir:
We left home very early in the morning, anticipating the delays on the way. The crowd was massive and it was raining a heavy downpour. My mother, fearing that this might be the last day of my life, with her heart lacerated by the uncertainty of what might happen, decided to go with me.
On the way we encountered the same scenes as in the month before, but more numerous and touching. Not even the quagmire of roads impeded those people from kneeling down in a very humble and beseeching position. When we arrived at Cova da Iria, near the holm oak, driven by an inner impulse, I asked the people to put down their umbrellas to pray the Rosary.
Shortly after that we saw the flash of light and afterwards Our Lady over the holm oak.
"What do you want of me?"
"I want to tell you to have them build a chapel here in my honor; I am the Lady of the Rosary. Let them continue to say the Rosary every day. The war is going to end, and the soldiers will soon return to their homes."
"I have many things to ask of you. The cure of some sick persons, the conversion of some sinners, etc."
"Some, yes, others, no. It is necessary that they amend their lives, and ask pardon for their sins."
Her face became graver as she continued, "Let them offend Our Lord no more, for He is already much offended."
And opening her hands, she made the light emerging from them ascend to where the sun ought to be. And while she was arising, her own radiance continued, shining towards the sun.
Here you have... the reason why I shouted that they should look at the sun. My purpose was not to bring the attention of the crowd to the sun, because I didn’t notice them. I wasn’t even aware of their presence. I did so, moved by an inner force which impelled me to act thus. When Our Lady disappeared in the immense distance of the sky, next to the sun we saw Saint Joseph holding the Child Jesus and Our Lady dressed in white with a blue mantle. Saint Joseph and the Child seemed to be blessing the world, making the sign of the cross. Shortly after this vision had vanished, I saw Our Lord and Our Lady who reminded me of Our Lady of Sorrows. Our Lord was blessing the world just the same way as Saint Joseph. This vision vanished too, and it seemed to me I again saw Our Lady dressed as Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
At the end of the appearances of this sixth Fatima apparition, the over seventy thousand on-lookers reported seeing what is known as the "solar miracle." Thousands of accounts have described the solar miracle as the sun appearing like a silver plate spinning around in a circular motion and described as dancing in the sky. Seconds later, the sun was reported to have rushed downwards towards the earth, giving off various colors, and shortly before reaching the earth, it stopped in its course, and returned to its position in the sky. After the miracle of the sun the people present, who had been drenched by the constant rain, found themselves completely dry.
We now present eyewitness reports printed by newspapers of the day, newspapers that were secular and often anti-clerical. The fact that they were forced to admit of the miracle is a testament to the truth of what happened that day. We also present accounts given by people who witnessed the miracle of the sun, including Ti Marto, the father of the other two Fatima visionaries, Francisco and Jacinta.
From O Seculo, a Lisbon newspaper:
From the road, where the vehicles were parked and where hundreds of people who had not dared to brave the mud were congregated, one could see the immense multitude turn toward the sun, which appeared free from clouds and in its zenith. It looked like a plaque of dull silver, and it was possible to look at it without the least discomfort. It might have been an eclipse which was taking place. But at that moment a great shout went up, and one could hear the spectators nearest at hand shouting: "A miracle! A miracle!"
Before the astonished eyes of the crowd, whose aspect was biblical as they stood bareheaded, eagerly searching the sky, the sun trembled, made sudden incredible movements outside all cosmic laws—the sun "danced" according to the typical expression of the people.
… People then began to ask each other what they had seen. The great majority admitted to having seen the trembling and the dancing of the sun; others affirmed that they saw the face of the Blessed Virgin; others, again, swore that the sun whirled on itself like a giant Catherine wheel and that it lowered itself to the earth as if to burn it in its rays. Some said they saw it change colors successively....
From O Dia, another Lisbon newspaper:
At one o'clock in the afternoon, midday by the sun, the rain stopped. The sky, pearly grey in colour, illuminated the vast arid landscape with a strange light. The sun had a transparent gauzy veil so that the eyes could easily be fixed upon it. The grey mother-of-pearl tone turned into a sheet of silver which broke up as the clouds were torn apart and the silver sun, enveloped in the same gauzy grey light, was seen to whirl and turn in the circle of broken clouds. A cry went up from every mouth and people fell on their knees on the muddy ground....
The light turned a beautiful blue, as if it had come through the stained-glass windows of a cathedral, and spread itself over the people who knelt with outstretched hands. The blue faded slowly, and then the light seemed to pass through yellow glass. Yellow stains fell against white handkerchiefs, against the dark skirts of the women. They were repeated on the trees, on the stones and on the serra. People wept and prayed with uncovered heads, in the presence of a miracle they had awaited. The seconds seemed like hours, so vivid were they.
From Ti Marto, father of Jacinta and Francisco:
We looked easily at the sun, which for some reason did not blind us. It seemed to flicker on and off, first one way, then another. It cast its rays in many directions and painted everything in different colors—the trees, the people, the air and the ground. But what was most extraordinary, I thought, was that the sun did not hurt our eyes. Everything was still and quiet, and everyone was looking up. Then at a certain moment, the sun appeared to stop spinning. It then began to move and to dance in the sky until it seemed to detach itself from its place and fall upon us. It was a terrible moment.
From Maria de Capelinha, one of the earliest believers:
The sun turned everything to different colours—yellow, blue and white. Then it shook and trembled. It looked like a wheel of fire that was going to fall on the people. They began to cry out, "We shall all be killed!" Others called to our Lady to save them. They recited acts of contrition. One woman began to confess her sins aloud, advertising that she had done this and that.... When at last the sun stopped leaping and moving, we all breathed our relief. We were still alive, and the miracle which the children had foretold, had been seen by everyone.
From Dr. Almeida Garrett, PhD from Coimbra University:
I was looking at the place of the apparitions, in a serene, if cold, expectation of something happening, and with diminishing curiosity, because a long time had passed without anything to excite my attention. Then I heard a shout from thousands of voices and saw the multitude suddenly turn its back and shoulders away from the point toward which up to now it had directed its attention, and turn to look at the sky on the opposite side.
It must have been nearly two o'clock by the legal time, and about midday by the sun. The sun, a few moments before, had broken through the thick layer of clouds which hid it, and shone clearly and intensely. I veered to the magnet which seemed to be drawing all eyes, and saw it as a disc with a clean-cut rim, luminous and shining, but which did not hurt the eyes. I do not agree with the comparison which I have heard made in Fatima—that of a dull silver disc. It was a clearer, richer, brighter color, having something of the luster of a pearl. It did not in the least resemble the moon on a clear night because one saw it and felt it to be a living body. It was not spheric like the moon, nor did it have the same color, tone, or shading. It looked like a glazed wheel made of mother-of-pearl. It could not be confused, either, with the sun seen through fog (for there was no fog at the time), because it was not opaque, diffused or veiled. In Fatima it gave light and heat and appeared clear-cut with a well-defined rim.
The sky was mottled with light cirrus clouds with the blue coming through here and there, but sometimes the sun stood out in patches of clear sky. The clouds passed from west to east and did not obscure the light of the sun, giving the impression of passing behind it, though sometimes these flecks of white took on tones of pink or diaphanous blue as they passed before the sun.
It was a remarkable fact that one could fix one's eyes on this brazier of heat and light without any pain in the eyes or blinding of the retina. The phenomenon, except for two interruptions when the sun seemed to send out rays of refulgent heat which obliged us to look away, must have lasted about ten minutes.
The sun's disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl. Then, suddenly, one heard a clamor, a cry of anguish breaking from all the people. The sun, whirling wildly, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge and fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was terrible.
During the solar phenomenon, which I have just described in detail, there were changes of color in the atmosphere. Looking at the sun, I noticed that everything around was becoming darkened. I looked first at the nearest objects and then extended my glance further afield as far as the horizon. I saw everything an amethyst color. Objects around me, the sky and the atmosphere, were of the same color. An oak tree nearby threw a shadow of this color on the ground.
Fearing that I was suffering from an affection of the retina, an improbable explanation because in that case one could not see things purple-colored, I turned away and shut my eyes, keeping my hands before them to intercept the light. With my back still turned, I opened my eyes and saw that the landscape was the same purple color as before.
The impression was not that of an eclipse, and while looking at the sun I noticed that the atmosphere had cleared. Soon after I heard a peasant who was near me shout out in tones of astonishment: "Look, that lady is all yellow!"
And in fact everything, both near and far, had changed, taking on the color of old yellow damask. People looked as if they were suffering from jaundice, and I recall a sensation of amusement at seeing them look so ugly and unattractive. My own hand was the same color. All the phenomena which I have described were observed by me in a calm and serene state of mind, and without any emotional disturbance. It is for others to interpret and explain them.
As we approach October 13, let us continue to pray and sacrifice for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart predicted by the Blessed Virgin at Fatima, that Our Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix of all graces and Advocate might pour forth the healing balm of God's grace on our sad and suffering world. With the miracle of the sun the Mother of God showed her great power. Let us remember her words from the July 13 Fatima apparition, that "only she can help us."
Sister Lucia's account of the October 13, 1917 apparition of the Our Lady at Fatima was excerpted from her Memoirs, Fourth Memoir, the newspaper reports and other eyewintess descriptions were taken from EWTN.
