Our Lady of Fatima, May 13
On May 13, 1917, three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, saw a lady who asked them to pray the rosary for peace. She appeared to them on the 13th of each month until October, when tens of thousands witnessed the “miracle of the sun.” John Paul II credited her with saving his life when he was shot on May 13, 1981.
On the General Roman Calendar, May 13 is an optional memorial: Our Lady of Fatima.
Other saints on May 13
- St. Servatius, bishop of Tongeren (4th century)
Name days on May 13
In countries that keep name days, May 13 is the day for people named Fatima.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Fatima | May 13 |
May 13 on the calendar
May 13 is the 133rd day of the year (the 134th in a leap year), with 232 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | Thursday |
| 2028 | Saturday |
| 2029 | Sunday |
| 2030 | Monday |
Keeping May 13
May 13 falls in May, the month of Mary. As an optional memorial, each parish or priest may choose whether to celebrate it. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Fatima, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around May 13
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| May 10 | St. Damien of Molokai |
| May 11 | St. Mamertus |
| May 12 | Sts. Nereus, Achilleus and Pancras |
| May 14 | St. Matthias |
| May 15 | St. Isidore the Farmer |
| May 16 | St. Brendan the Navigator |
The day before, May 12, is the day of Sts. Nereus, Achilleus and Pancras. The day after, May 14, belongs to St. Matthias. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.