Between May and October of 1917, three young shepherds were reportedly visited six
times by an apparition of the Virgin Mary near the town of Fátima in Portugal. At the final
apparition event, approximately 70,000 visitors gathered to witness a prophesied miracle intended to
convince the public that the children's visions were of divine origin. The miracle took the
form of a solar anomaly; witnesses claimed that the sun began to "dance." Exploring the early
development of the cult of the Virgin of Fátima and the overthrow of the liberal, secular
government by pro-Catholic elements, Jeffrey Bennett offers the first book-length scholarly
study of the cult's relationship to the rise of authoritarian politics in Portugal.
When the Sun Danced offers a fascinating look at the cultural dynamics that
informed one of the most turbulent periods in the nation's history.
Copyright:
2012
Book Details
Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
ISBN-13:
9780813932507
Related ISBNs:
9780813932491
Publisher:
University of Virginia Press
Date of Addition:
05/07/13
Copyrighted By:
the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
