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Rosary & Mercy

The Fatima Prayer

Updated October 15, 2026

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need of thy mercy.

Traditional English version. Say after the Glory Be at the end of each decade.

Pray the Fatima Prayer every day with a reminder.

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Key takeaways

  • It is said after the Glory Be at the end of each Rosary decade.
  • Sister Lucia said Our Lady taught it to the Fatima children on July 13, 1917.
  • It asks for forgiveness and for the salvation of all.

What is the Fatima Prayer?

The Fatima Prayer comes from the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, Portugal in 1917. Sister Lucia reported that Mary asked the three children to add it after each decade of the Rosary. The Church approved the apparitions as worthy of belief in 1930. Belief in private revelations such as Fatima is not required of Catholics.

When to pray it

Catholics pray it after the Glory Be at the end of each Rosary decade. It is also prayed alone as a short prayer for sinners and the dying.

Questions people ask

Is the Fatima Prayer required in the Rosary?

No. It is an optional addition. The Church does not require it, but it is a common custom.

Do Catholics have to believe in Fatima?

No. The Church holds that private revelations do not add to the deposit of faith (CCC 67). Catholics are free to accept them as an aid to devotion.

What does "those most in need of thy mercy" mean?

It asks God to give special help to those who are furthest from him, and those who are dying.

Related prayers

Hail MaryThe Hail Mary greets Mary with the words of the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation and of her cousin Elizabeth at the Visitation, then asks for her prayers.Glory BeThe Glory Be is one of the oldest Christian prayers, a brief doxology that gives praise to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.Our FatherThe Our Father, also called the Lord's Prayer, is the one prayer Jesus taught his disciples when they asked how to pray.Eternal Rest PrayerThe Eternal Rest prayer comes from the Latin Requiem aeternam, the entrance chant of the Mass for the Dead.

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Sources: Catechism of the Catholic Church 67, 2674-2677 · Memoirs of Sister Lucia · USCCB