Type: Eyewitness Testimony
Source: A Ordem / Documentação Crítica de Fátima
Dr.
Gonçalo de Almeida Garrett, a professor of natural sciences at Coimbra University, provided a detailed scientific eyewitness account of the Miracle of the Sun that occurred in Fátima, Portugal, on October 13, 1917.
Although some sources attribute the testimony to his son, Dr.
José Maria de Almeida Garrett, Gonçalo’s report is characterized by his calm, scientific demeanor and his prior intent to disprove the apparitions.
Key observations from his testimony include:
Atmospheric Changes: He noted a bluish column of smoke rising near the children before the main event, followed by a sudden clearing of the rain-soaked sky.
Solar Phenomena: The sun appeared as a dull silver disc that could be stared at without eye damage, spinning rapidly like a Catherine wheel or ball of snow.
Color Shifts: The atmosphere and surrounding objects turned various colors, including amethyst, yellow, and blue, with the landscape appearing as if covered in old yellow damask.
Movement: The sun seemed to detach from the firmament and advance threateningly toward the earth before returning to its place.
Physical Evidence: Witnesses, including Garrett, found their wet clothes dry after the event, despite continuous rain earlier that day.
Garrett concluded that the phenomena were supernatural, stating he had never observed similar atmospheric or solar events before or after the occurrence.