Fatima is one of the most important catholic shrines in the world dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Fatima’s Sanctuary welcomes millions of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world. Fatima’s fame is due to the Apparitions of Our Lady of the Rosary that appeared to three shepherd children; Lucia dos Santos and her two younger cousins, Francisco and Jacinta. Between May and October of 1917, the three children witnessed several apparitions. The last one, on October 13th, was confirmed by a miracle witnessed by 60,000 people known in the catholic world as “the day the sun danced”.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, appeared six times to the three shepherd children (“the Three Seers”) near the town of Fatima, Portugal between May 13 and October 13, 1917. Appearing to the children, the Blessed Virgin told them that She had been sent by God with a message for every man, woman and child living in the century. Coming at a time when civilization was torn asunder by war and bloody violence, She promised that Heaven would grant peace to all the world if Her requests for prayer, reparation and consecration were heard and obeyed.

Our Lady of Fatima is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary by those who believe that she appeared to three shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on 13 May, the Fatima holiday. The title of Our Lady of the Rosary is also used in reference to the same apparition; the children related that the apparition specifically identified herself as “the Lady of the Rosary”.

There is a wide variety of locations and points of interest in and around Fatima. However, it helps to know in advance which are the main places to visit. One of the starting points may be the homes where the “Três Pastorinhos” grew.
These are approximately 3km south of the “Santuário de Fatima”, a small village called Aljustrel.

The houses have been preserved exactly as they were at the time of the apparitions and visitors can observe how simple and modest the physical conditions in which the children grew are. At the bottom of the garden of one of the houses is the pool where the Angel of Peace appeared for the second time.

The next important place to visit may be the Chapel of Apparitions, which is located at the Cova da Iria in “Santuário de Fatima” , in the exact spot of the apparitions and was built in response to the request of “Nossa Senhora” .

The Santuário de Fatima, also located in the Cova da Iria is one of the most important Marian shrines (santuarios marianos) in the world.