Fátima

Fátima

Fátimahe Portuguese town of Fátima is known to Catholics all over the world as a sacred pilgrimage site, and attracts over 4 million devoted pilgrims and visitors every year. Situated an hour’s drive from Praia D’El Rey, the Sanctuary of Fátima is a serene, spiritual place with a grand neoclassic Basilica.

Situated in the heart of the sanctuary, the imposing Basilica was built in 1928, with the tombs of the shepherd children consecrated within. The Little Chapel of Apparitions marks the exact spot where Our Lady of Fatima appeared, commemorated with a statue of ‘Our Lady’ which is decorated in pearls and precious stones. A large block of the Berlin Wall can be found near the chapel – a symbol of the end of communism, as revealed in one of Fatima’s secrets.

Mass is held daily in Portuguese and an international Mass is held on Sundays in a number of languages, and also in sign language.

[tabs] [tab title=”Culture and History” icon=”icon-key”]Legend tells of three shepherd children who saw an apparition of ‘Our Lady’ on 17 May 1917. Over the next five months, ‘Our Lady’ reappeared on the same day at the same time, and the shepherd children were entrusted with three prophecies, known as the ‘Secrets of Fátima’. The last apparition was attended by 70,000 people, who witnessed the ‘Miracle of the Sun’, which was later recognised by the Catholic Church as a true miracle. Many enter on their knees in devotion and wax limbs are also burned as offerings. The Candlelit Procession on the evening of 12 May is a remarkable sight, with thousands of candles lighting up the esplanade.[/tab] [tab title=”Sports and Nature” icon=”icon-leaf”]Every year, on the anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima (especially 13th May and 13th October), the shrine fills with hundreds of thousands of devout Catholic pilgrims.[/tab] [tab title=”Gastronomy” icon=”icon-food”]Local cuisine.[/tab] [/tabs]Fátimahe Portuguese town of Fátima is known to Catholics all over the world as a sacred pilgrimage site, and attracts over 4 million devoted pilgrims and visitors every year. Situated an hour’s drive from Praia D’El Rey, the Sanctuary of Fátima is a serene, spiritual place with a grand neoclassic Basilica.

Situated in the heart of the sanctuary, the imposing Basilica was built in 1928, with the tombs of the shepherd children consecrated within. The Little Chapel of Apparitions marks the exact spot where Our Lady of Fatima appeared, commemorated with a statue of ‘Our Lady’ which is decorated in pearls and precious stones. A large block of the Berlin Wall can be found near the chapel – a symbol of the end of communism, as revealed in one of Fatima’s secrets.

Mass is held daily in Portuguese and an international Mass is held on Sundays in a number of languages, and also in sign language.

[tabs] [tab title=”Culture and History” icon=”icon-key”]Legend tells of three shepherd children who saw an apparition of ‘Our Lady’ on 17 May 1917. Over the next five months, ‘Our Lady’ reappeared on the same day at the same time, and the shepherd children were entrusted with three prophecies, known as the ‘Secrets of Fátima’. The last apparition was attended by 70,000 people, who witnessed the ‘Miracle of the Sun’, which was later recognised by the Catholic Church as a true miracle. Many enter on their knees in devotion and wax limbs are also burned as offerings. The Candlelit Procession on the evening of 12 May is a remarkable sight, with thousands of candles lighting up the esplanade.[/tab] [tab title=”Sports and Nature” icon=”icon-leaf”]Every year, on the anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima (especially 13th May and 13th October), the shrine fills with hundreds of thousands of devout Catholic pilgrims.[/tab] [tab title=”Gastronomy” icon=”icon-food”]Local cuisine.[/tab] [/tabs]

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