The Miracle of the Sun was an event on 13 October 1917 in which 30,000 to 100,000 people, who were gathered near Fátima, Portugal

Fátima, Portugal

Fátima is a city in Portugal famous for the Marian apparitions, recognized by the Catholic Church, that took place there in 1917. The town itself has a population of 7,756 and is located in the municipality of Ourém, in the Centro Region and Médio Tejo Subregion...

, claimed to have witnessed extraordinary solar activity.

The people had gathered because three young shepherd children had predicted that at high noon the Blessed Virgin Mary

Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)

Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on Holy Scripture: In the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a virgin. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God...

 would appear in a field in an area of Fatima called Cova da Iria

Cova da Iria

Cova da Iria was a land belonging to Lúcia Santos' family in Fatima, Portugal. Lucia was one the three visionary children who, according to Roman Catholic Church, received several visitations and messages by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God...

. According to many witnesses, after a period of rain, the dark clouds broke and the sun appeared as an opaque, spinning disc in the sky.