Why is this statue historic and so unique?

This statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Child Jesus from the image above is so unique and historic for several reasons. First of all, it is a real 44-inch statue that the Communal First Saturdays Apostolate (CFSA) helped design and commission. This statue depicts Jesus and Mary’s request for the spread of the First Saturdays devotion. It is also hand-carved and hand-painted. 20 different artists worked on this statue. It was blessed en el first day of the new Vatican-Declared Jubilee, on the 100th Anniversary of the apparition, on December 10, 2025 where the actual apparition took place in Pontevedra, by His Excellency Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, Apostolic Nuncio to the Czech Republic. The blessing took place on the grounds of the apparition site but also in the specific area where the Child Jesus came back 2 months later, on February 15, 1926, to ask all of us through the person of Lucia if the First Saturdays have been spread throughout the world. 

This image was blessed for evangelical and catechetical purposes. In this apparition, Jesus asks us to look at Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart surrounded by thorns, which she holds in her hand. The plan for this statue is to visit parishes to help bring the Gospel Message that the Church-approved Los Primeros Sábados Comunitarios® contains and the catechesis that the Church-approved CFSA provides. The Communal First Saturdays Apostolate’s mission is to answer this question made on February 15th, 2026 with a resounding “yes”. The Apostolate establishes devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by establishing the Church-approved Los Primeros Sábados Comunitarios® with its inseparable devotional book in parishes throughout the world. It has already been translated into 9 major languages and already in 12 countries. [3] Please continue reading to learn more about the story of this statue and why it is a dream come true! 

How is the New Vatican-declared Jubilee related to the First Saturdays?

The Vatican has declared a Jubilee year for the apparition that revealed the First Saturdays devotion of reparation. The Jubilee year began on December 10, 2025 and will continue until December 11, 2026. It began on the 100- Anniversary of the apparition that took place in Pontevedra, Spain on December 10, 1925.

December 10, 1925 Apparition and the Fatima Message

This apparition is part of 12 apparitions that make up the Fatima Message. According to Fatima in Lucia’s own words (con imprimatur)  [1] and the book Fátima y los Primeros Sábados. [2] (with imprimatur):

  • The first 3 apparitions were the apparitions of the Angel in 1916, in Fatima, to the 3 Fatima Children (now St. Jacinta, St. Francisco, and Venerable Sr. Lucia).
  • The next 6 were the apparitions of Our Lady in 1917, in Fatima, to the 3 Children.
  • The last 3 apparitions took place from 1925-1929 in the province of Pontevedra, Spain, close to Santiago de Compostela. Sr. Lucia was sent to Pontevedra from Portugal, so she could begin her religious life.
    • The apparition that took place on December 10, 1925 was for Our Lady to fulfill the promise she made on July 13, 1917 in Fatima to come again to ask for the First Saturdays Devotion, which is in reparation for sins against her Immaculate Heart. The Child Jesus also came with Our Lady on this day to explain and ask for the spread of this devotion.
    • On February 15, 1926, the Child Jesus appeared to Ven. Sr. Lucia and asked if the First Saturdays Devotion has been spread throughout the world.
    • On June 13, 1929, St. Anthony’s Feast Day, the Holy Trinity and Our Lady appeared to her confirming the need for the First Saturdays devotion.

February 15, 1926 Apparition and the Fatima Message

We celebrate the Centenario of this apparition this coming February 15th, 2026! On this day, Jesus asked all of us through the person of Lucia if the First Saturdays devotion has been spread throughout the world. [1,2,3]

To commemorate this special 100- Anniversary, a historic statue will be making its first US visit at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in the Woodlands, TX on February 15, 2026.

First Saturdays reparation

A dream came true: The Historic Story of the Statue

If you have read “Fatima in Lucia’s own words”, and if you are a Fatima devotee, you will recall our Lady’s appearance during the Fatima apparitions: “… we beheld a Lady all dressed in white. She was more brilliant than the sun, and radiated a light more clear and intense than a crystal glass filled with sparkling water….”. You will also recall her appearance on December 10th, 1925, when Our Lady appeared to Sister Lucia. In this apparition, the Child Jesus was with her: “and by her side […] was a child. The most holy Virgin […] showed her [Lucia] a heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand”. 

Through the years, we tried to find a statue that could represent not only the apparitions, but also the holiness and beauty of the Child Jesus and Our Lady, based on Sister Lucia descriptions in her memoirs. The dream finding this statue seemed very distant. The statues we had seen in the past either had gowns of different colors, a heart that did not seem to be pierced enough, or a Child Jesus that did not point to Our Lady’s Heart.

After years trying to find the very statue, entregar el realization of a long-held wish came true. The CFSA had the wonderful blessing of helping design this hand-carved and hand-painted statue, depicting Jesus and Mary’s request for the spread of the First Saturdays devotion. Much attention was paid to the details. The statue has delicate features of Our Lord’s and Our Lady’s faces that remind us their peace and their inner immaculate souls. Also, the color of Our Lady’s gown is consistent with Ven. Sister Lucia description in her memoirs. Our Lady’s heart has really sharp thorns, so that they can remind us of blasphemies and ingratitude that need to be repaired by us. In the statue, the Child Jesus is pointing to Our Lady’s heart, helping us understand that reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is something that God wants and is asking us to do.

Next to the statue of Jesus and Mary, pictured from left to right: Canon Jason Jones, National Director for the World Apostolate of Fatima for England and Wales, Paola Rodriguez, Communal First Saturdays Apostolate, Dr. Katrina Leyden, President & Co-founder of the Communal First Saturdays Apostolate, Dr. Timothy McTigue, Vice-President & Co-founder of the Communal First Saturdays Apostolate, His Excellency Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, Apostolic Nuncio to the Czech Republic, and Nuno Prazeres, Secretariat for the World Apostolate of Fatima

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in the Woodlands, TX to be very first US Parish for Historic CFSA Statue to Visit

All are welcome at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church on February 15, 2026 to join in this special 100- Anniversary Celebration! To have the statue visit on this 100th Anniversary of the February 15, 1925 apparition is extra special!

The historic CFSA statue will be in the Main Church at all the Sunday Masses from 7am – 7pm.

More Background of Significance of Great February 15, 2026 Visit & Celebration

Promises related to the First Saturdays Devotion

There are 2 promises associated with the First Saturdays devotion. The promise regarding fulfilling 5 consecutive First Saturdays is for our own personal salvation. Continuing to fulfill the First Saturdays devotion monthly is necessary to bring about the peace and salvation of many souls that Our Lady promised on July 13, 1917 in Fatima. (Source: Fátima y los Primeros Sábados. libro (con imprimatur). [2]

How to fulfill the First Saturdays Devotion

In order to fulfill the First Saturdays devotion, and receive Our Lady’s promises, you must do all 4 practices in reparación to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the first Saturday of the month.

To fulfill the First Saturdays devotion, each of entregar el following needs to be done in reparation to entregar el Immaculate Heart of Mary:

  1. Confesión*
  2. Pray the Rosary
  3. Receive Holy Communion
  4. Fulfill a separate 15-minute Meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary in Our Lady’s company.

*One can go to Confession on this day or on another day as long as one receives Holy Communion in the state of grace, and goes to Confession with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There should be one Confession for each First Saturday (source: The Communal First Saturdays libro (con imprimatur) [1]

The Communal First Saturdays Apostolate beginnings and mission

  • The Communal First Saturdays Apostolate (CFSA) began in the Woodlands, TX almost 18 years ago to help expedite Our Lady’s promise in regards to the First Saturdays.
  • The mission of the CFSA is to establish, maintain, and sustain the canonically and liturgically approved Los Primeros Sábados Comunitarios® (CFS) with its inseparable devotional in parishes throughout the word.
  • To do this, the book has been translated into 9 major languages.
  • Además, el Los Primeros Sábados Comunitarios® is currently in parishes in many states throughout the US and in 12 countries; more are in process.
  • By fulfilling its mission, the CFSA helps bring many graces into parishes.
  • The CFSA’s Los Primeros Sábados Comunitarios® (CFS) with its inseparable devotional book has been elevated to the status of a public devotion in the Catholic Church. The reason is because the devotional book is canonically and liturgically approved for use in parishes. [4]

Some of the benefits of the Communal First Saturdays® (CFS):

. Los Primeros Sábados Comunitarios® arranges the practices of the First Saturdays devotion in an order that disposes the faithful to more fruitfully receive the Holy Eucharist. It also offers the practices in a way that reflects Magisterial teaching on the relation of devotions to the Eucharist.

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church  and the CFSA

  • In 2008, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church became the very first parish with the Los Primeros Sábados Comunitarios®.
  • So, STAOP has the honor of being the first among parishes in 12 countries that now have the Los Primeros Sábados Comunitarios®!

Please invite others to attend by sending them the link to this page: www.CommunalFirstSaturdays.org/statue-STAOP.

Additional Parish Visits

The plan for this statue is to visit parishes to help bring the Gospel Message that the Church-approved Los Primeros Sábados Comunitarios® contains and the catechesis that the Church-approved CFSA provides. The schedule of addditional visits has not yet been released.

To schedule the historic CFSA statue to visit your parish, or for any questions, please send an email to: info@communalfirstsaturdays.org or call 713-997-6371. 

References

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