Fatima Prayer (O My Jesus): Full Text, Meaning and When to Pray It
Our Lady of Fatima asked the shepherd children to add this short prayer to the Rosary. Millions of Catholics still pray it today.
The Fatima Prayer ("O my Jesus, forgive us our sins...") was revealed at Fatima in 1917 — prayed after each Rosary decade for reparation and conversion of sinners. Our Lady asked for its spread; it is central to Fatima devotion and First Saturday communions.
The Fatima Prayer Full Text
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.
The prayer is sometimes called the Decade Prayer because Our Lady requested that it be recited after each decade of the Rosary. It asks for mercy, conversion, and the salvation of souls — especially souls in greatest spiritual danger.
What Does the Fatima Prayer Mean?
Each line has a clear intention: repentance ("forgive us our sins"), rescue from eternal loss ("save us from the fires of hell"), universal mission ("lead all souls to Heaven"), and special mercy for the weakest ("especially those most in need of Thy mercy").
When to Pray the Fatima Prayer
- After each decade of the Rosary (after the Glory Be), as Our Lady requested.
- During Fatima novenas or the months of May and October.
- When interceding for sinners, the dying, or loved ones far from God.
Is the Fatima Prayer Required?
The Church encourages the Rosary and the Fatima devotions, but private revelation never replaces the Gospel or the liturgy. The Fatima Prayer is a beautiful ecclesial custom that unites millions of Catholics to Our Lady's call for penance, prayer, and reparation for sinners.