Publication date
The 13th of each month has been, from the beginning, the date of publication. It is believed that the only exception happened in September 1985, when Voz da Fátima was published on the 8th of that year, the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Our Lady, according to tradition.
Property and edition
Voz da Fátima was owned by Manuel Marques dos Santos, who was also its director and editor until December 13, 1929. On this date, the edition was owned by União Gráfica, of Lisbon. Manuel Marques dos Santos was again the owner and editor from June 13, 1937 to July 13, 1954, when the newspaper became the property and edition of Gráfica de Leiria. On March 13, 1974, Voz da Fátima is owned by the Shrine of Fatima; from that date on, the administration and the editorial office is located at the Shrine. The Shrine had always had the property although the reference of the property of Gráfica remained until December 1975.
Editorial, administration staff
The first director of the newspaper was Manuel Marques dos Santos, a position he held until his death on July 2, 1971; his name was kept in the masthead until September 13 of that year. In the newspaper of October 13, 1971, the name of Gaspar Joaquim Domingues appears as interim director, job that he already carried out for a long time. From October 13th of the following year, for the fiftieth anniversary of the publication, he became its official director and editor. On May 13, 1976, Luciano Gomes Paulo Guerra succeeded him, and remained as director of the monthly journal until September 2008. From October 13 of that year to July 2011, the direction was held by Virgílio Antunes Nascimento. The present director of Voz da Fátima is, from August 13, 2011, Carlos Manuel Pedrosa Cabecinhas, currently rector of the Shrine of Fatima.
From 1922 to present day, the editorial work of this publication was ensured by a large number of persons. Its head office was located in the Seminary of Leiria until July 1933. Since August 13 of that year, administration and editorial work are referred to as of the Shrine of Fatima, although it had remained in the diocesan seminary. From October 13, 1941, administration and editorial work are located at the Episcopal seat of Leiria, until June 13, 1954, when it was located at Gráfica de Leiria. On March 13, 1974, editorial and administrative services of Voz da Fátima are seated at the Shrine of Fatima.
Composition and printing
Voz da Fátima began to be printed in the Imprensa Comercial, of Carlos Silva, near the Cathedral of Leiria. From the issue nº 52 of January 13, 1927, it is composed and printed in União Gráfica, in Lisbon. Later, with the issue nº 382 of July 13, 1954, a new phase began with its composition and printing in Gráfica de Leiria. Since its thousandth edition of January 13, 2006, Voz da Fátima has been composed and printed in Empresa do Diário do Minho, in Braga.
Formats, mastheads and colors
The format of Voz da Fátima went through some changes since its first issue. Since its launch until December 13, 1926, Voz da Fátima was published in a 26 cm by 35.5 cm format; from January 1927 to April 1931, 27 cm by 40 cm; from May 13, 1931 to December 1935, the format started to be 35 cm by 44 cm. The issue nº148 of January 13, 1935, inaugurated the largest monthly publication format of all time: 40.5 cm by 61 cm, dimensions that remained until July 1937. The format of the issue of August 13 of that year reduced, due to the high cost of paper and consequent publishing costs increase (this reduction was the possible alternative found to economic impossibility of publication). From July 13, 1954, the format was again reduced to 25 cm by 37 cm, and the printing in two colors started, black and other color. From June 13, 1977 on to present day, the format changed to 30.5 cm by 43.5 cm. Polychrome was introduced and remained.
Regarding mastheads, they had changed too with time, grosso modo at the pace of the changes done in the format; there are some exceptions like the changes accomplished on May 13, 2001, on January 13, 2006 and January 13, 2007, edition from which some masthead’s elements, such as the secondary color or the guiding theme of the pastoral life of the Shrine now listed, became changeable.
