News

“Share with joy, like Jacinta”

Besides the preparation, in a festive atmosphere, of the visit of Holy Father Benedict XVI, which will coincide with the tenth anniversary of the beatification of seers Francisco and Jacinta Marto (May 13, 2000), the Shrine of Fatima also marks, in 2010, the Birth Centennial of Jacinta Marto. In the context of the celebration of this Centennial, there will held in June – on a date and with a program still to be announced - a congress that will start off with the life and testimony of Jacinta Marto. Also, during the annual Children’s Pilgrimage, on June 9/10, the little seer of Fatima will be the inspiring figure.

"Celebration. Gratitude. Abstraction – Christ-King 50 Years”

From October 12 to November 30, 2009, the Shrine of Fatima welcomes the Exhibition “Celebration. Gratitude. Abstraction. Christ-King 50 Years”, which shows works of Francisco de Noronha Andrade. It can be found next to the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, in the Complex of Most Holy Trinity Church.

Berlin Wall torn down 20 years ago

On November 9, 1989, the wall dividing Berlin in two zones began being torn down. Its construction had been ordered by the authorities of the Eastern sector of the city and began on August 12/13, 1961. After the tearing down began, some fragments of the “iron curtain” found their way to the Shrine of Fatima, some of which are in exhibition at two different sites.

Would you like to sing in a Choir?

The Shrine of Fatima has planned for Friday, October 9, at 19h00, an audition for new members of the children’s choir of the Shrine of Fatima Schola Cantorum Pastorinhos de Fatima. The audition will be held in the House of Our Lady of Sorrows, at the Shrine, and it is open to children with ages between 5 and 14.

Faro welcomes Pilgrim Statue about to say farewell to Algarve

The City of Faro welcomes, from September 19 to October 3, one of the pilgrim statues of Our Lady of Fatima. It is all part of a visit which concludes the pilgrimage the Marian Statue has been making through the Diocese of Faro, Algarve, since October 2007.

International Anniversary Pilgrimage of October 12/13.

We want to welcome the Holy Father with filial affectionDue to the fact that the Apostolic Nuncio in Portugal, Most Rev. Rino Passigato, was in Fatima taking part in the celebrations of October 12/13, where he concelebrated, the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, at the end of Mass, decided to send, through this representative of the Pope in Portugal, a message of appreciation to His Holiness Benedict XVI.This pilgrimage was presided over by the Patriarch of Lisbon, His Eminence José Cardinal Policarpo.

‘Day of the elderly’ - on Wednesdays

‘Day of the Elderly’, on Wednesdays In order to offer a more intimate and special welcome to elderly people visiting the Shrine of Fatima, the Shrine is proposing a special program for all those wishing to take part in it, either individually or in group. The ‘Day of the elderly’ is being launched in April, from Easter Sunday up until the end of October, always on Wednesday, with the following time schedule:

“A Day during Pilgrimage” - Until September 15

This project, besides the viewing of videos and the visit to the main sites related to the apparitions, includes also some moments for prayer.

International Anniversary Pilgrimage of September

The International Anniversary Pilgrimage of September 12/13 was presided over by the Most Rev. Carlos Azevedo, Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon. The theme of the Pilgrimage was: “Modesty protects the mystery of the human person and of its love” (CCC #2522). In his homily, during the Mass of the 13th celebrated in the Prayer Area, Bishop Azevedo prayed to God: “Free our political conscience so that we can fight, with determination, for a Portugal and a world guided by worthy and noble ideals, which may mobilize everyone to cheerfully unite wills so that life may be more beautiful”. More than ninety thousand pilgrims attended this Mass, which celebrated the anniversary of the fifth apparition of Our Lady at Fatima.

New exhibition has opened at the Shrine of Fatima ‘Eucharistic Miracles in the World’ can be seen at the Complex of Most Holy Trinity Church

In one of the halls in the Galilee of Apostles Peter and Paul, the one contiguous to the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, at the Complex of Most Holy Trinity Church, the Shrine of Fatima exhibits, until the end of September, ‘Eucharistic Miracles in the World’, an exhibition organized by St. Clement Institute, of Milan, Italy. Can be visited between 9h00 and 19h00, all week long, free of charge, as it is the case with all the other exhibitions open to the public at the Complex of Most Holy Trinity Church.

19th August - anniversary of the 4th apparition of Our Lady

The 4th apparition of our Lady of Fatima occurred on August 19, 1917, at Valinhos, distant about 500m from the Village of Aljustrel, because, on the 13th , the children had taken to Ourém by the County’s Administrator . The program for this year’s pilgrimage is this:

During the month of August: ‘Youth House’ A space for you at the Shrine of Fatima

The youth pastoral plan ‘Youth House’, promoted by the Shrine of Fatima, is being revived, during this month of August, after several years of interruption. With the collaboration of several religious institutions already used to work with youth, ‘Youth House’ will be located at the South Colonnade, in the former Reconciliation Chapel. It will be a space for listening and dialogue, prayer and reflection. It will be open every weekend in August.

August’s International Pilgrimage

August’s International Pilgrimage will be presided over by the Most Rev. Alessandro Carmelo Ruffinoni, Auxiliary Bishop of Porto Alegre, Brazil, who is in charge of the Pastoral Ministry for Brazilians living abroad.Regarding his second visit to Portugal and Fatima, Bishop Riffinoni speaks to the Shrine of Fatima about the invitation to preside over this pilgrimage and announces the special prayer intentions he brings with him as pilgrim to this shrine.

18-19 July

Pilgrimage of the Movement of Message of Fátima Prayer, Pilgrims and the Sick are areas of pastoral ministry that the Movement takes on, while seeking to understand the requests of Our Lady at Fatima and the manifestations of the first pilgrims venturing into Cova da Iria.

July 26: Day of Grandparents celebrated at Fatima

In order to celebrate the liturgical feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim, parents of Our Lady and grandparents of Jesus, on July 26, the Shrine of Fatima, with the collaboration of the Movement of Fatima, is preparing an encounter-pilgrimage at the Shrine, on the 25/26 weekend. The program is open to grandparents and grandkids. The admission is free. It is right now being prepared: it includes times for reflection and times for liturgical celebrations.

‘Prayer of the Rosary, Way to Peace’

The samples are particularly symbolic. This is more than an exhibition. It is a catechesis. It is an exhibition of 90 rosaries from a Portuguese private collection, belonging to a lady who owns more than eight hundred of them, with origin in various countries and made of various materials and in various colors and sizes. Open to the public at the entrance hall of the Convivium of St. Agustine, in the Complex of Most Holy Trinity Church, until October, the month of the Rosary, the admission to it is free of charge and the exhibition can be visited daily between 9h00 and 19h00.

On July 10, at 21h30, at the Paul VI Pastoral Center: Orquestra Clássica do Centro (Classical Orchestra of the Center) holds concert in Fatima

Following a request by the Orquestra Clássica do Centro, welcomed by the Shrine of Fatima, Paul VI Pastoral Center will be the stage for the performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. In stage will be found the Aeminium Choir, directed by Cristina Faria, the Landesjugendorchester Orchestra of NRW, Germany, and the Orquestra Clássica do Centro, directed by Maestro Virgílio Caseiro. Free admission

July 27 thru 31 XXXV National Encounter of Liturgical Pastoral Ministry

Paul VI Pastoral Center welcomes, on July 27 thru 31, the XXXV National Encounter of Liturgical Pastoral Ministry, which is being planned by the National Secretariat of the Liturgy. The Encounter begins at 17h00 on the 27th, with a short prayer and the first conference, and ends up on the morning of the 31st, with the celebration of Holy Mass followed by lunch. This year’s Encounter intends to reflect and educate on the topic of ‘Music in the Liturgy’.

Anniversary Pilgrimage of July A Prayer for the families of the entire world

Archbishop Rino Passigato, Apostolic Nuncio in Portugal, presided, on July 12/13, over the International Pilgrimage on the anniversary of the third apparition of Our Lady at Fatima. On the vigil of the 12th, he called for the mobilization of Christians to announce the Gospel: “We need to mobilize at all times for the mission around us: in the family, at work, in the public square, that is, in all places where we live our daily life”. During the Mass on the morning of the 13th, he repeated that he had a special intention for his coming to Fatima: to pray for the family.

Te Deum – Hymn of praise to God

The cultural evening of the second day of the Congress ‘To Grow into the Gift’ (June 18-20) will have a music concert written by Paul Lameiro for a children’s choir, which will be performed by the Children’s Choir of the Shrine of Fatima plus some soloists and a small instrumental group. The Te Deum will be held in the Salão do Bom Pastor (Good Shepherd Hall), in the Paul VI Pastoral Center, starting at 21h30. Admission is free, even for those not attending the congress.

International Anniversary Pilgrimage of June

The International Anniversary Pilgrimage of June 12/13, 2009, will be presided over by the Most Rev. João Lavrador, Auxiliary Bishop of Porto, and the theme will be: “Since we live by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s lead” Gal 5, 25).

June 14: First National Encounter of Children’s Choirs at the Shrine of Fatima

In order to incentivate the development of children in what pertains to musical animation of the liturgy and to look for a musical practice with more quality in the celebrations involving children, the Shrine of Fatima is going to hold, on June 14, its First National Encounter of Children’s Choirs. The concert begins at 15h00 and it will be held in Most Holy Trinity Church. Admission free.

Upon its return to Fatima, Statue of Our Lady welcomed by hundreds of people

Relics of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in Portugal

In their travels through the Portuguese dioceses, the Relics of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, from the Monastery of Paray le Monial, France, will visit the Diocese of Leiria-Fatima. At the Shrine of Fatima, they will be exposed to the veneration of the faithful in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, on May 21/22. The name of this French Saint – Margaret Mary Alacoque – is intimately linked to the fervorous devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.