This is (obviously) more in the realm of speculation and not something we can actually argue/prove, but I’ve long thought that the Fatima miracle makes the most sense either as a vision granted to a large group of people, or perhaps more likely a miraculous local manipulation/redirection of the incoming rays of light (i.e. in a way that could be theoretically recorded by a camera, in a way that a vision could not).
In any case, I’d wager it’s also the same “type” of miracle as the biblical account of the sun standing still for Joshua, which again seems to have been a “local” phenomenon, not actually globally reported in the way you’d expect if the celestial bodies were actually being manipulated in such a mind-numbingly massive manner.
Fr. Jaki’s explanation involves the reported presence of cirrus clouds, which are made of ice crystals and are widely known to refract the suns ray’s into the colors of the rainbow. A strong west-east wind, also reported, could have contributed to the formation of what Jaki calls an “air lens” made of ice crystals, rotating in a way similar to the formation of tornados. Then the sudden temperature inversion reported by many present, and the interaction of cold and warm air masses, could propel the spinning air lens in an elliptical path down toward the crowd before boomeranging it up to its original position, perhaps in a diminishing spiral.
Jaki adds that he believes that God “greatly enhanced” what nature was doing, employing a “natural substratum” while supernaturally juicing the results. I don’t know that that supposition is necessary, nor do I think it’s necessary to answer the question. I think the religious interpretation of the miracle is warranted either way.
This is (obviously) more in the realm of speculation and not something we can actually argue/prove, but I’ve long thought that the Fatima miracle makes the most sense either as a vision granted to a large group of people, or perhaps more likely a miraculous local manipulation/redirection of the incoming rays of light (i.e. in a way that could be theoretically recorded by a camera, in a way that a vision could not).
In any case, I’d wager it’s also the same “type” of miracle as the biblical account of the sun standing still for Joshua, which again seems to have been a “local” phenomenon, not actually globally reported in the way you’d expect if the celestial bodies were actually being manipulated in such a mind-numbingly massive manner.
Thanks for your comment, Daniel!
Fr. Jaki’s explanation involves the reported presence of cirrus clouds, which are made of ice crystals and are widely known to refract the suns ray’s into the colors of the rainbow. A strong west-east wind, also reported, could have contributed to the formation of what Jaki calls an “air lens” made of ice crystals, rotating in a way similar to the formation of tornados. Then the sudden temperature inversion reported by many present, and the interaction of cold and warm air masses, could propel the spinning air lens in an elliptical path down toward the crowd before boomeranging it up to its original position, perhaps in a diminishing spiral.
Jaki adds that he believes that God “greatly enhanced” what nature was doing, employing a “natural substratum” while supernaturally juicing the results. I don’t know that that supposition is necessary, nor do I think it’s necessary to answer the question. I think the religious interpretation of the miracle is warranted either way.