News

Shrine of Fatima is joining the Day of Prayer for the Church in China

The Shrine of Fatima is joining the Day of Prayer for the Church in China which Holy Father Benedict XVI has called for May 24. The announcement was made on the afternoon of May 12, during a press conference, by the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima and the Rector of the Shrine of Fatima. Let us remember that – in his Letter to the Bishops, Priests, Religious and Faithful of the Catholic Church in the Popular Republic of China – His Holiness addressed to Christians the invitation to a Day of Prayer for the Church in China.

Centennial of the Birth of Francisco Marto

The Shrine of Fatima started celebrating on June 10, 2008, the second day of the Children"s Pilgrimage to Fatima (always held on June 9/10), the Centennial of the Birth of Francisco Marto, the Little Shepherd of Fatima, born on June 11, 1908; and intends to conclude these celebrations on June 2009, also at the time of the next Children"s Pilgrimage. The commemorations in memory of the Blessed Little Shepherd will last a year. Francisco was beatified, together with his sister, the little Jacinta Marto, on May 13, 2000, by Pope John Paul II.

‘Way of Light’ inaugurated in Fatima

In Fatima, on June 2, a Via Lucis (Way of Light), composed of 14 panels representing the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, will be inaugurated in the zone of Reconciliation of Most Holy Trinity Church. The inaugural ceremony will be held after the 11h00 International Mass and will be presided over by the Most Rev. António Marto, Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, who also will have presided over the celebration of Holy Mass. The fourteen stations were designed by Italian artist Vanni Rinaldi, who was born in Soverato, Italy, in 1937, and who, since 1950, resides and works in Rome. He is a painter, engraver, designer and illustrator who began his career in 1968 in the ‘Biennale d’Arte’ in Rome.

Cardinal Saraiva Martins will preside over the May PilgrimageOn May 12/13, 2008

On May 12/13, 2008, the Portuguese Cardinal His Eminence Joseph Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints, will preside, at the Shrine of Fatima, over the International Anniversary Pilgrimage commemorative of the first apparition of Our Lady 91 years ago. The theme of this pilgrimage, proposed, for reflection, to all the pilgrims of Fatima , is ‘"That they may be consecrated in truth". It is based on the eighth commandment: “Thou shall not bear false witness” (Ex. 20, 16). In an interview, by phone, from Rome, with the head of the Press Department of the Shrine, the Portuguese Cardinal talks about his first pilgrimage to Fatima, when still young, and other ones later. He says that every visit to the Little Chapel of Apparitions is “to remember one of the greatest Marian epics, perhaps the greatest one of the past century”. (..)

Leiria-Fatima celebrates Vocational Jubilee at the Shrine of Fatima

The Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, Most Rev. António Marto, has invited the couples, priests, religious and other consecrated persons of the Diocese who in 2008 complete 25, 50 and 60 years of vocation to a common celebration. This celebration will be held at the Shrine of Fatima, on Saturday, April 19. The program will begin at 09h00, in the Chapel of the Resurrection of Jesus (on the underground floor of the compound of Most Holy Trinity Church), with the encounter of presentation and testimony, followed by Holy Mass in Most Holy Trinity Church. It will end with a get-together luncheon in the Pilgrims Shelter.

Reverend Fr. Virgilio Antunes named Rector of the Shrine of Fatima

Fr. Virgilio Antunes has been named by the Most Rev. António Marto, Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, Rector of the Shrine of Fatima. The new Rector, named by the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima for a mandate of five years, will take charge at the beginning of the coming pastoral year.

Secil Engenharia 2007 Prize Awarded to Most Holy Trinity Church

Secil Engenharia Ci-vil (CivilEngineering) 2007 Prize, promo-ted by Secil Com-panhia Geral de Cal e Cimento, SA (General Company of Lime and Cement) and by the Board of Engineers, was a-warded to Most Holy Trinity Church, Fatima, because of the structural project done by Eng. José Fonseca da Mota Freitas, associated with ETEC, Ltd, a project drawing firm.

More than 199,000 Confessions in 2007

Chapel of Reconciliation More than 199,000 Confessions in 2007 at the Shrine of Fatima Fatima is more and more sought as a place of encounter with God’s Mercy Taking into account that the year 2000’s theme is ‘God is Merciful Love’, we are glad to notice how the Mother of God guides Her children towards an encounter with the Mercy of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The numbers speak for themselves. In 2007, at the Shrine of Fatima, 1999,333 people went to Confession, 9,016 more than the previous year. From amongst them, there were 34,653 foreigners, 1,049 more than the previous year. The 190 priests hearing confessions throughout 2007 did a good job. They came from Brazil, Angola and Mozambique, Portuguese speaking countries; but also from Malta, Italy, Spain and other foreign-language speaking countries. A heartfelt thanks to these priests for the good work they did, for they are God’s main collaborators in the realm of grace. Fatima, 2007.03.03 Fr. Clemente Dotti Shrine’s Chaplain in charge of Reconciliation

February 20: Liturgical Feast of Blesseds Francisco and Jacinta Marto

Children Blessed at Fatima on Feast Day of Blesseds Little Shepherds At the Shrine of Fatima, on the morning of February 20, day of the Liturgical Feast of Blesseds Francisco and Jacinta Marto, which coincides with the anniversary of death of Blessed Jacinta (88th anniversary this year), children and babies present at the Mass of 11h00, celebrated in Most Holy Trinity Church, received a blessing from the hands of the Rector of the Shrine. At the end of Mass, all boys and girls, some of them little children, were invited to climb the steps to the altar in order to receive the blessing. (...)

VI Annual Blessing of the Cyclist

Organized by the Cyclists Union of Leiria, cyclists from all over Continental Portugal pilgrimaged to Fatima on January 28, 2008, for the VI Annual Blessing of the Cyclist. ...

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

December 7 21h00 – ROSARY in Little Chapel and CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION towards Most Holy Trinity Church, followed by Hymn ‘Akathistos’ (sung) December 8 10h00 – ROSARY in Little Chapel 11h00 – MASS in Prayer Area 14h00 – HOUR OF REPARATION to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Little Chapel. 17h30 – SUNG VESPERS in Basilica

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE - 1 JANUARY 2008

In the light of these significant anniversaries, I invite every man and woman to have a more lively sense of belonging to the one human family, and to strive to make human coexistence increasingly reflect this conviction, which is essential for the establishment of true and lasting peace. I likewise invite believers to implore tirelessly from God the great gift of peace. Christians, for their part, know that they can trust in the intercession of Mary, who, as the Mother of the Son of God made flesh for the salvation of all humanity, is our common Mother. To all my best wishes for a joyful New Year!

XX National Encounter of Pastoral Health Ministry

- Good Practices at the Service of the Person - The 20th National Encounter of Pastoral Health Ministry, planned and organized by the National Committee for Pastoral Health Ministry, was held in Fatima, on the 26th through the 29th of November, at Paul VI Pastoral Center and it was attended by more than 600 people from throughout the whole country. In the Conclusions of the Encounter, document read at the concluding session, late morning on November 29, the attendees ask the Portuguese State for “the permanent cooperation, specially through the Ministries of Health, Labor and Social Security, by approving the various projects in the area of health proposed by the Church, as well as for a State contribution for the respective program of each project”. To the Church in Portugal they ask, in turn, for “its practical involvement in people’s health”. One of the solutions proposed would be the creation of “Life Centers, to be created in every Diocese, capable of guaranteeing the defense and promotion of life since its beginning. These centers must provide unconditional support to mothers, in all situations, support the education of youth in their affective and sexual life, and accompany young couples in their decisions for a responsible paternity, in the treatment of infertility and in so many other problems which call for specific aid, respecting always everybody’s liberty.

Holy Father greets the pilgrims of Fatima

November 13, during the Mass of the Monthly Pilgrimage in the Shrine of Fatima, the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, who presided over the celebration, conveyed to the pilgrims present the greeting and blessing of the Holy Father Benedict XVI. Having arrived yesterday from Italy, after the visit ad Limina by the Portuguese Bishops, Most Reverend António Marto spoke to the pilgrims, in the Little Chapel of Apparitions, in these terms: “I salute you all from the bottom of my heart. I’m particularly pleased to be able to convey to you today, first hand, just after arriving from Rome, the blessing and greeting of the Holy Father to the pilgrims of Fatima”.

‘Ad Limina’ Visit of Portuguese Bishops

Shrine of Fatima expressed solidarity

This morning (Nov. 6), at the Shrine of Fatima, during the official Mass of 11h00 in the Basilica, Shrine’s Chaplain Fr. Clemente Dotti prayed for the fatal victims of yesterday night’s accident in Highway 23, in the District of Castelo Branco, Portugal.

International Pilgrimage of July

The International Pilgrimage on the 90th Anniversary of the third apparition of Our Lady in Fatima was presided over by Archbishop Jorge Ortiga, of Braga. Theme: Jesus Christ, the Face of Mercy “Be compassionate, as your Father is compassionate’ (Lk.6,36) In his homily, during the celebration of Holy Mass on July 13, the Archbishop of Braga and President of the Conference of Bishops of Portugal, His Excellency José Ortiga, remarked: ‘The mercy of God consists in His faithfulness, His eternal determination to lead man to the plenitude of life which is the Alliance of Love for the communion with Himself. God is tireless, His patience is infinite, and He is always disposed to give us another chance”. He asked the pilgrims to be makers of “justice, equality and brotherhood”, explaining that “the logic of justice and mercy is this: you received freely, freely give; there is more joy in giving than in receiving; as God has forgiven you, so too you must forgive; who practices mercy must do it cheerfully”. He also appealed to the pilgrims to grow “in faith and charity” and get inspiration for “a social intervention commensurate with the challenges of our time and with proposals in accordance with the doctrine of the Church”. The prelate is of opinion that we are currently noticing “a rapid turnaround towards a certain secularism which, openly or covertly, seeks to remove God from man’s history and life and from the traditional course of our country; therefore, all Christians must engage all efforts in the affirmation of the primacy of God and of Evangelic values, in order to build a more just society, with more dignifying life conditions for all our citizens”.

June 9/10, 2008: Children’s Pilgrimage to Fatima

Children’s Pilgrimage Tries to sensitize them for Culture of Truth The theme of the Children’s Pilgrimage to Fatima, to take place this year on June 9/10, 2008, will be the Eighth Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (nor any in way lie or defame him)”. This is theme of the culture of truth in opposition to the culture of lies – a theme very appropriate to today’s culture – whose catechesis, in this Pilgrimage, we sum up in the slogan which says the essential: “Jesus You Alone are the Truth!”

Children’s National Pilgrimage

Children’s National Pilgrimage, one of the most expressive pilgrimages held in the Shrine of Fátima, will take place, as usual, on June 9/10, with a peculiarity this year: it makes part of the commemorative activities of the 90th anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady in Fátima.

90th Anniversary of the Apparitions of Fatima

Welcome, Your Eminence!

Liturgical Feast of Blesseds Francisco and Jacinta Marto

On Tuesday, Feb.20, the Liturgical Feast of Blesseds Francisco and Jacinta Marto will be celebrated in the Shrine of Fátima. Holy Mass will begin at 11h00 in the Basilica of the Shrine.