Abstract:
This article analyses how the First Republic (1910- 1926) in Portugal defended and implemented the idea of a secular and modern state. Nevertheless, the “aparitions of Our Lady of Fátima” were used by the Church to oppose liberal ideas and, later, Fátima supported Salazarism and condemned communism. Religion was used to convince people to support the New State (1933-1975), which in turn defended colonialism overseas in order to expropriate the riches of the colonies.

Keywords: Fátima. Salazarism. Colonialism.