Portugal - What the pilgrims should see in Fátima

PORTUGAL

Fatima is a town located 142 km (88 miles) North of Lisbon. Fatima is one of the most important catholic shrines in the world dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The visit you are going to make will bring you into the atmosphere in which the little Shepherds lived. Try to feel the peace of these places and to live in such a way as to remember the message of the Mother of God.

Aljustrel and homes of the little Shepherds

Francisco e Jacinta Marto

Aljustrel is one of the places which make up the Parish of Fátima, and where the three Little Shepherds were born. The village lived its peaceful life which was marked by the seasons of the year and by the work in the fields, tending the livestock and the crops, as well as weaving. These activities were its chief means of subsistence. There lived here, among others, two related families: the Santos' and the Marto's. Of the few houses of the era which still stand, even though restored, there are two which now belong to the Sanctuary and where the little Shepherds were born and raised. These house deserve a visit because they are a part of the history of Fátima.

Poço do Arneiro 

Poço do Arneiro

At the bottom of the garden of Lucia's home is the WELL, where the Angel 2nd apparition took place in the summer of 1916. The Angel told them, "I am the Guardian Angel of Portugal. Offer all that you do, to the Most High, as prayers and sacrifices."

Sitting on the edge of the well, Jacinta had a vision of the Holy Father in a very large house, on his knees, in front of a table, with his face in his hands, crying. Outside the house were many people; some threw stones at him while others shouted ugly words. "Poor Holy Father! We have to pray much for him."

Valinhos

Valinhos, Fátima

On August 13, 1917 there was no apparition of Our Lady, because the Administrator of Vila Nova de Ourém took the three children to the prison where they were kept for three days and had thus not been at Cova da Iria as Our Lady had instructed.

On the following Sunday, August 19, 1917, Our Lady appeared, the fourth apparition, in Valihos at 4:00pm. The apparition site is marked with a monument of Our Lady. She said, "Pray! Pray much and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls are going to hell because they have nobody who prays and makes sacrifies for them." Here she told them to continue visiting the site the two following months.

Loca do Cabeço

Loca do Cabeço, Fátima [Photo]

Close to here, on a little hill called the “Place of the Angel”, is where the angel appeared to the children the first and the third time. 

In the spring and autumn of 1916, the 'Angel of Peace' appeared to the three little Shepherds. In the first apparition he taught them the prayer, "My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love you." On the third apparition, the Angel held up a chalice and a host, and prayed with the three little Shepherds. After that, He gave them communion saying, "Take and drink the body and blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Make reparation for these crimes and console your God." Here the Holy Way, which ends at the sanctuary itself, starts. 

Stations (Way) of the Cross and Calvary

Calvary & Chapel of St. Stephen [Photo by bbarna]

This has 14 little chapels in memory of the Passion of Jesus and a 15th in memory of the Resurrection. These stations begin at the South Rotunda of Saint Teresa, follows the path which the little Shepherds took when going from Aljustrel to the Cova da Iria, and finish by the Chapel of St. Stephen. The stations and the Chapel complex are called the Hungarian Calvary because they were a gift from Hungarians in exile throughout the world.

Cova da Iria

"Little Chapel of the Apparitions" [Photo]

The sanctuary itself is built on a site called the Cova da Iria, which was where the shepherds pastured their sheep and where they were visited five times by Mary. The heart of the sanctuary is a small, simple chapel known as the "Little Chapel of the Apparitions". This was the first building to be erected here and marks the exact spot of the apparitions. The holly oak above which Mary appeared has long since been destroyed by relic seekers, but a column with a statue of Mary stands in its place. The holly oak which grows close by is said to be where the children awaited the apparitions.

Parish Church

Parish Church, Fátima [Photo by roman-man]

Francisco spent long hours praying in this church, "consoling Our Lord". The children were baptized here. It was also here that Lúcia made first confession and had her first communion at six years of age.

Cemetery of Fátima

Just across from the Parish Church, two of the children, Francisco and Jacinta Martos, were buried here before being transferred to the sanctuary.

TIPS: If you rather have some spiritual peace time while visiting Fátima, you should avoid high seasons for pilgrimages in May and October as well as the 12th and 13th of each month.

Santuario Fátima

Google Fátima Map