Fatima

=History of Fatima =

· In 1917, Pope Benedict XV turned to the Virgin Mary to carry out a task to obtain world peace during the First World War. · During this time Pope Benedict wrote a letter, known as an appeal, stating his request for peace and later made another appeal after · Pope Benedict “ordered that the invocation of //Queen of Peace, pray for us// to be permanently added to the Litany of Loreto.” o The Litany of Loreto is a prayer or worship that contains formal and informal words to address the Virgin Mary which is recited in question or in song in a group setting that was approved by the Catholic Church in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V. · By doing this Pope Benedict was placing world peace in the hands of the Virgin Mary · Eight days later, it is said that the Virgin Mary answered Pope Benedict’s plea by making an appearance at Fatima. · The Virgin Mary appeared to three young Portuguese shepherds named Lucy dos Santos, who was nine, Francisco Marto, who was eight, and Jacinta Marto, who was six. · Before the Virgin Mary appeared to them an angel came to them, the children were playing and saying the Rosary and suddenly a strong wind blew and a figure began to approach them. Lucy depicted the figure as having “the appearance of a young man of fourteen or fifteen, whiter than snow which the sun rendered transparent as if it were of crystal, and of great beauty.” · The angel, known as the Angel of Peace, prayed three times with them and told them to pray this exact prayer: “My God, I believe in Thee, I adore Thee, I hope in Thee and I love Thee. I ask pardon for all those who do not believe in Thee, do not adore Thee, do not hope in Thee and do not love Thee.” And then disappeared. However Francisco was the only person who could not hear the words of the angel, and had to be told of what was said. This was known as the first apparition. · The meaning of the first apparition was to instill the children with grace, and to show them the attitude and passion they should pray to God . · The second apparition of the angel was during the summer of 1916. The children were playing and once the angel came, the angel told them to continue to pray a great deal at sacrifice themselves to the “Most High.” The angel told them by making everything a sacrifice and offering it to God was the way to bring peace upon their country, Portugal. The angel stated that he was a Guardian Angle and the Angel of Portugal. · The meaning of the second apparition was to show important it is to make sacrifices to God, whether small or big. · The third apparition of the angel was during the autumn of 1916. It was in the same place as the first apparition. The children were reciting the prayer the angel gave them when the angel appeared. The angel held a Chalice in his left hand with a Host floating over it, where drops of the blood fell into the Chalice. While the Chalice and the Host were suspended in the air, the angel said this prayer three times: Most Holy Trinity, father, son and Holy Ghost, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He, Himself is offended. And I draw upon the infinite merits of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Marry, that You might convert poor sinners.” He then gave the Host and the Chalice to the children telling them to eat and drink of the “Body and Blood of Jesus Christ” and departed saying the same prayer. · The meaning of the third apparition was for the children to see the Blood of the Lord fall from the Host to the Chalice and receive Holy Communion from the angel as well as converting poor sinners. This final apparition was to show that through sacrifices and prayer in unity will lead to awards of the Sacred and Immaculate Heart. · As a result, these apparitions were a preparation for them to receive the appearance of the Virgin Mary. · May 13th, 1917 was the first apparition of the Virgin Mary. After Sunday morning mass, when the children were playing the Virgin Mary appeared above a holm-oak tree at Cova da Iria. Lucy described her as “all dressed in white, more brilliant than the sun, radiating a light clearer and more intense than a crystal glass dilled with clear water pierced by the most burning rays of the sun.” The Virgin Mary did not tell the children who she was but gave them instructions to come the specific spot she was at in that moment for six months, on the 13th day, and at the same hour. Over the six month period, the Virgin Mary told the children that she would tell them who she was and what she wanted, but after the six month period she would return a seventh time. · During the apparitions, some of the children had restrictions. Lucy was the only one who could speak to the Virgin Mary, while Jacinta saw and heard, but could not speak. As for Francisco, he could only see the Virgin Mary, but had to be told what was said by the Virgin Mary because he could not hear what she said. · June 13th 1917 was the second apparition of the Virgin Mary. This day was the feast day of St. Anthony, who was the patron saint of the children’s parish and of Portugal. Once the children went back to the spot where the Virgin Mary appeared, there were about 50 people present because Lucy told about what she witnessed from the first apparition and the news had spread quickly. Only the children could see the Blessed Virgin Mary and not the crowd. The Virgin Mary explained how Lucy will be left on Earth and she would take Jacinta and Francisco to Heaven. All three of the children saw their reflection through the light of Mary. Jacinta and Francisco was a part of the light in heaven, while Lucy was a part of the light on Earth. At the end of the apparition, Lucy saw that the Virgin Mary was holding a heart with thorns piercing it which symbolized how sin was hurting her heart. · July 13th 1917 was the third apparition of the Virgin Mary. This time there was a crowd of at least 5,000 people. Before the arrival of the Virgin Mary, the crowd said the Rosary which was led by Lucy. During this apparition, the Virgin Mary told the children that a miracle would be performed in October and they were to return the next month. The Virgin Mary let the children have a view of hell. She told them that this was a place where poor sinners go, yet to save the world everyone must devote themselves to the Virgin Mary’s immaculate heart. The Blessed Virgin Mary told them that they should sacrifice themselves for sinners. If not, there will be an illumed light in the sky which is a sign that by God saying that he will punish Earth for the crimes they have committed. · August 13th 1917 more than 10,000 people waited for the arrival of the Virgin Mary. However, the three children were not present because Artur de Oliveira Santos, administrator of the district, had imprisoned them to confess that they were lying. The Virgin Mary still appeared although the children were imprisoned. The crowd saw a clap of thunder and then everything around them was the color of the rainbow. Six days later, once the children were freed, the Virgin Mary appeared to them while they were tending their sheep and told them that she still wanted them to meet at Cova da Iria. The Virgin Mary told them to collect money from the people of Cova da Iria so that a church can be built with it. Before she parted, the Virgin Mary reminded the children to make sacrifices. The children made sacrifices by attaching themselves with a rope which had a stone attached to it that served as a knife, which caused immense pain to the children . · September 13th 1917 was the fifth apparition which the Virgin Mary told Lucy that the Lord, Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Joseph would appear with Jesus in October to bless the world. She told Lucy that she would cure a few people but not all because God did not trust them. · October 13 1917 was sixth and final apparition and the Miracle of the Sun. 70,000 people were present the morning of the 13th. That morning it was raining, pouring and all of the land had become muddy. The Virgin Mary appeared at told Lucy to tell everyone that she was the Lady of the Rosary. In addition, she said that the war was coming to an end and that people must change their lives and ask pardon for their sins because was greatly offended of what sinners had done. The Virgin Mary parted and then the miracle took place. The sky cleared and the sun “danced”. The crowd was able to look at the sun directly without the sun hurting their eyes. The sun took on all the colors of the rainbow, yet for a few seconds the beauty of the sun became terrifying because it seemed that the sun was to plunge the earth with fire. Suddenly the sun began to dry the clothes of the crowd in an instant due the weather in the morning and hundreds of people began to convert. During the miracle of the sun, the children witnessed something else. Saint Joseph, Jesus, Our Lady of Sorrows and Mount Carmel blessed the world with their hands in form of a cross. The dominate message of the apparitions was the Rosary because the Virgin Mary asked the children to pray the Rosary all the time. “ With the vision of the Holy Family we find the Joyful mysteries; the Sorrowful mysteries are represented by the vision of Our Lord and Our Lady of Sorrows; and the Glorious mysteries are represented in the vision of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.” After the visions, the sun was back to normal and Lucy cried out the message of Fatima which was "Do penance! Do penance! Our Lady wants you to do penance!"



On a typical pilgrim the group will arrive in Lisbon airport and meet with their priest. They then travel to Fatima and go to mass at the Little Chapel of Apparitions. Then the group usually travels to the site of Francesco and Jacinta's graves, the Hamlet of Aljustrel, where the children lived, and Valinhos, the site of Our Lady's appearance after the children's return from prison. The group then joins in a candlelight procession as they do the rosary. Then they usually join in prayer with the group of pilgrims and go to bed that night relatively early.
 * What does the pilgrimage entail? Where do they go? What do they do?**

This is an example of Blue Army Tours Itinerary:

Day 1 New York, NY Depart for Lisbon on overnight flight.

Day 2 Fatima Arrive in Lisbon and take a brief tour of the capital city of Portugal. There they see the Belem Tower, Jeronimos Monastery, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Monument to the Discoveries and the Basilica of St. Anthony. Continue to Fatima with a stop in Santarem to take in the Miracle of the Bleeding Host. In Fatima, on the evenings, join in the moving Candlelight Rosary Procession beginning in the Chapel of the Apparitions (Capelinha).

Day 3 Fatima Then visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, starting at the pristine Basilica, with the tombs of Jacinta and Francisco, beatified in 2000, and Sr. Lucia. Continue to the Capelinha, where Our Lady appeared to the shepherd children. Light a candle near the shrine, walk the lovely grounds or shop for religious articles nearby. After dinner there is an option of once again experience the Rosary Candlelight Procession.

Day 4 Fatima This morning discover the hamlet of Aljustrel, the shepherd children's home. Go to Valinhos, where Our Lady appeared after the children's release from prison. Visit the church where they were baptized and the local cemetery. Take some time for private devotions before a video presentation on the history of Fatima. Later participate in the Rosary and the Candlelight Procession.

Day 5 Fatima Explore independently or visit the spectacular gothic monasteries of Batalha and Alcobaca and the colorful fishing village of Nazare on an optional excursion. Return to Fatima for some leisure time.

Day 6 Fatima Today enjoy some free time or visit the romantic city of Coimbra on an optional excursion). Located on the River Mondego, Coimbra is one of Europe's oldest college towns. Visit the university, where students still wear long black capes, Se Velha (Old Cathedral), and the Monastery of Santa Cruz.

Day 7 New York, NY Return back to New York Top of For
 * After breakfast, transfer to the airport for our homebound flight arriving the same day. (B) **
 * Who goes on it? What statistics can you find on the participants? What are their demographics?**

Most people that make the pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal, are members of the Roman Catholic Church but people from all different religions from all over the world make the pilgrimage to this scared place where Maria was seen. Mostly Roman Catholics venture to this pilgrimage because it is approved by the Pope to be true and this reassurance helps many people feel that this pilgrimage is sacred and true. 
 * Why do they go on the pilgrimage? What are the historical and contemporary reasons? How does it connect to the faith? What important beliefs does it express?**

· Every year, the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima receives over 5 million visitors due to its important role in the Catholic Church. As mentioned before, in 1917, the Virgin Mary was said to have appeared to three poor shepherd children. People go on this pilgrimage in Fatima to rejoice in Mary's presence and maternal protection. It is a place where the Church converges. There, people can pray, in union with Mary and other pilgrims, for the human family. Some people believe Fatima is not only beautiful and very moving, but also makes miracles.

· On May 13, Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Fatima on the anniversary of the apparitions. He is a deep believer in the supernatural events that took place there.

· He explained his reasoning for going on the pilgrimage: "I have come to Fatima ... in order to entrust to Our Lady the intimate confession that "I love" Jesus, that the Church and priests "love" him and desire to keep their gaze fixed upon him as this Year for Priests comes to its end, and in order to entrust to Mary's maternal protection priests, consecrated men and women, missionaries and all those who by their good works make the House of God a place of welcome and charitable outreach."

· He also went on to say, "I bring with me the worries and hopes of our times, the sufferings of our wounded humanity and the problems of the world, and I place them at the feet of Our Lady of Fatima. " Gray, Martin. "Fatima ." //Places of Peace and Power//. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2010. . [] Graham, Coralie. "APPENDIX II: What is Fatima?" //Fatima Crusador//. The Fatima Network, n.d. Web. 16 May 2010. . [] [] http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=36550 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100513/ap_on_re_eu/eu_pope_portugal
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