The Five First Saturdays devotion is a Catholic practice associated with devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It originated from the messages connected with the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fátima and the later revelations received by Sister Lúcia dos Santos. The devotion was presented as an act of reparation for offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and as a means of growing in love for Christ through His Mother.
The devotion consists of fulfilling four practices on the first Saturday of five consecutive months: receiving the Sacrament of Confession, receiving Holy Communion, praying five decades of the Rosary, and keeping Mary company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary. These acts are performed with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The Five First Saturdays devotion emphasizes repentance, Eucharistic devotion, prayer, and meditation on the mysteries of salvation. It encourages the faithful to deepen their spiritual lives, grow in virtue, and entrust themselves more fully to God’s will through the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Luke 1:26–38
Mary’s faithful acceptance of God’s plan at the Annunciation.
Luke 2:19
Mary treasures and meditates upon the mysteries of God in her heart.
Luke 2:34–35
Simeon foretells the sufferings that will pierce Mary’s heart.
John 19:25–27
Mary stands faithfully at the foot of the Cross and is given as mother to Christ’s disciples.
Messages of Fátima (1917–1925)
The devotion is associated with the apparitions at Fátima and later revelations concerning reparation to the Immaculate Heart.
Illustration by: Colton Rompala