Santuário de Fátima

The Santuário de Fátima (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima) stands as one of the most significant Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, visited by over 6 million pilgrims annually from across the globe. The sanctuary commemorates the Marian apparitions that occurred in 1917 when three shepherd children - Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto - reported six visions of the Virgin Mary between May and October in the rural village of Cova da Iria. During these apparitions, the children received messages emphasizing prayer, penance, and conversion, along with prophecies known as the 'Three Secrets of Fátima.' The events culminated on October 13, 1917, with the 'Miracle of the Sun,' witnessed by an estimated 70,000 people who gathered at the site. Today, the sanctuary complex encompasses an enormous esplanade (twice the size of St. Peter's Square in Vatican) that can accommodate over 300,000 pilgrims. The heart of the sanctuary is the Capela das Aparições (Chapel of the Apparitions), a small chapel marking the exact spot where Mary appeared, housing a statue of Our Lady of Fátima crowned with a precious crown containing 313 pearls and 2,679 precious stones, plus a bullet from the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary (1928-1953) features a 65-meter tower and contains the tombs of the three shepherd children, all now declared saints or blessed. The modern Basilica of the Holy Trinity (2007) is one of the world's largest Catholic churches, capable of holding 9,000 people. The sanctuary also includes numerous chapels, museums, pastoral centers, and accommodations for pilgrims. The site has been visited by three popes - Paul VI (1967), John Paul II (three times), and Benedict XVI (2010), and Pope Francis (2017 for the centenary). Pilgrims come to pray, seek healing, fulfill promises, and experience the spiritual atmosphere of this sacred place. The sanctuary hosts major pilgrimages on the 13th of each month from May to October, with the largest gatherings on May 13 and October 13 anniversaries. The Fátima message of peace, prayer, and conversion continues to resonate globally, making it one of Christianity's most influential Marian apparition sites.