Fatima, Portugal
A Marian Shrine, and an important
place of pilgrimage for Christians
Where is Fatima?
Fatima City
Why is it a place of pilgrimage?
• On the 13th day of May 1917, 3 children
had a vision of Our Lady
• Our Lady appeared 6 times, on the 13th
day of each month following
‘The little shepherds’
• Lúcia Santos
• Jacinta Marto
• Francisco Marto
1917
‘The Miracle of the Sun’
The children were
told that on her
final appearance
on October 13th
1917, Our Lady
would show a
miracle so that all
would believe
Over 70,000 people
came to see
What did they see?
• The sun rotating like a wheel and an array
of changing colours
• People claimed that they could stare at the
sun without hurting their eyes
• The children, at this stage were 10, 9 & 7
The 3 ‘Secrets’ of Fatima
• According to Sr.
Lucia, the last of the 3
visionaries to die
(2005) Our Lady
revealed 3 ‘secrets’ to
the children
Sr Lucia with Pope John Paul II
The 3 Secrets
1. A vision of hell
2. Our Lady appealing for the conversion of
people to Christianity
3. A vision of the death of a ‘bishop in white’
What became of the 3 children?
• Jacinta and Francisco died in 1919 and
1920 from influenza
• Sr. Lucia lived until old age, having spent
her life as a Carmelite nun, and died in
2005
• In 2000, Pope John Paul II beatified
Jacinta and Francisco
Pilgrimage
• On the feast days of May 13 and October
13 crowds of pilgrims (as many as 75,000)
throng the small town of Fatima
• Approximately 4 million people visit Fatima
each year
Pilgrimage
• On the days of the anniversaries, pilgrims
gather and wave white hankerchiefs
during a procession of the statue of Our
Lady of Fatima through the central square
• In the evenings, pilgrims light candles at
the Shrine of Fatima
• Many pilgrims approach the shrine on their
knees
Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
• The Chapel of Apparitions - The exact spot
is marked by a marble pillar on which the
Statue of Our Lady is placed.
• The Basilica- its 15 altars are dedicated to
the 15 mysteries of the Rosary.
• The Monument to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus