| Page Views: 985 Last Visit to Fátima: - | Fátima by NunoF - last update: Dec 31, 2003 |
The sanctuary of Fátima is a devotional shrine on a prodigious scale, a pilgrim destination on a par with Santiago de Compostela in Spain or Lourdes in France. The Neo-Baroque limestone basilica, flanked by statues of saints, has a 65-m tower and an esplanade twice the size of St Peter’s Square in Rome.
On 13 of May and 13 of October thousands of pilgrims arrive to commemorate appearances of the Virgin to three shepherd children. On 13 of May 1917, 10-year-old Lucia Santos and her young cousins, Francisco and Jacinta, saw a shining figure in a holm oak tree. She ordered them to return to the tree on the same day for six months and by 13 October 70,000 pilgrims were with the children by the tree. Many spoke of “the miracle of the sun”, yet only Lucia heard the three “Secrets of Fátima”, spoken on her last appearance. The first talked of peace (this was during World War I), the second was about Russia, the third was never divulged as it supposedly prophesied a disater so terrible “the living would envy the dead”. |
Inside the basilica, begun in 1928, are the tombs of Jacinta and Francisco. Lucia, who became a Carmelite nun, is still alive today. The stained-glass windows show scenes of the sightings. In the esplanade, the Capela das Aparições marks the site of the apparition. Inside, the crown of the Virgin holds the bullet extracted from Pope John Paul II after the assassination attempt in 1981. A symbolic holm oak stands outside. |
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NunoF's Fátima Travel Tips
| Overview | Things to Do
Tips: 6 - Photos: 6 | | | | Restaurants | Hotels & Accommodations | | | | Nightlife | Off The Beaten Path | | | | Tourist Traps | Warnings Or Dangers
Tips: 1 - Photos: 1 | | | | Transportation | Local Customs | | | | Packing Lists | Shopping | | | | Sports Travel | General Tips
Tips: 2 - Photos: 2 |
 NunoF's Fátima Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for NunoF about Fátima | | | | |
mikelisaanna Sat Dec 2, 2006 06:49 UTC
We enjoyed your Fatima pages. We visited Fatima this summer during our visit to Portugal. | HotelMan Tue Aug 16, 2005 12:07 UTC
Fascinating information and wonderful photos, Nuno. I'm enjoying my visit to your pages! Mark | sim1 Fri Jan 2, 2004 23:51 UTC
Great page Nuno with great info on your tips! I also loved seeing the pictures in the travelogues. Although without words they describe by themselves what this place is about. Wonderful work! | gosiaPL Fri Jan 2, 2004 23:39 UTC
From your description I gather the Basilica must be really exceptional, hope to see it some day! We have a sanctuary of similar importance in Czestochowa :-) |
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