The Fatima Five First Saturdays devotion is far more important that most people realise.

During the 13 July 1917 apparition, after Our Lady had shown the children the vision of hell, amongst other things she told them that various grave ills would afflict the world, and that the way to prevent involved her coming later to ask for the "consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays." She then went on to promise that finally: "The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world."

The Blessed Virgin did return in 1925 and told Sr Lucia the details of the First Saturdays devotion, as follows, promising "to assist at the hour of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months go to confession and receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary and keep me company for a quarter of an hour while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me."

But apart from this individual aspect, there is also a more general importance to this devotion, in that Our Lady explicitly linked it to the consecration of Russia, such that the two go together. Now, as is well-known, Pope John Paul II made the consecration on 25 March 1984, but the Five First Saturdays devotion has still not been widely implemented. This probably explains why the "conversion" of Russia is slow to take place, although there have been huge changes in the former Soviet Empire since the fall of Communism.

Sr. Lucia wrote to her confessor, Fr. Gonzalves, in 1930, to emphasize the importance of the First Saturdays devotion of reparation, and gave details of what was necessary to ensure the salvation of Russia:

"If I am not mistaken, Our Dear Lord God promises to end the persecution of Russia, if the Holy Father condescends to make, and likewise ordains the Bishops of the Catholic World to make, a solemn and public act of reparation and consecration of Russia to the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In response to the ending of this persecution, His Holiness is to promise to approve of and recommend the practice of the already mentioned devotion of reparation."

Unlike the case of the Divine Mercy devotion, the Pope has not made this recommendation, and the reason seems to be that not enough people are practising the Five First Saturdays devotion. The implication is that when enough people are doing this, on a world-wide scale, then the conversion of Russia will take place, and this will in itself have huge repercussions.

Essentially, the Pope and the Bishops have done their part by making the consecration, and now it is up to the priests and laity of the world to play their part by doing all they can to implement the Five First Saturdays devotion on as wide a scale as possible. When enough people are doing this, we will be a step nearer to the Triumph of Mary's Immaculate Heart and a period of genuine peace for the world.

What is the Practice of the Devotion
to the Immaculate Heart of Mary?

The devotion involves the following practices on five consecutive first Saturdays of the month, with the specific intention of making reparation for the five gravest offenses of man against the Blessed Virgin.

1. Go to Confession (within 8 days before or after the first Saturday)

2. Receive the Holy Eucharist

3. Pray five decades of the Rosary

4."Keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on fifteen mysteries of the Rosary."
This is separate from praying the Rosary as mentioned above, and is preferably done in the presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle or at Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament where available. Many also say the Litany of Loreto, also known as the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.