Last Year's Europe Trip: Fatima

by - Thursday, September 24, 2020

Day twelve - thirteen.

   (For other Pilgrimage photos, click here.)



DAY TWELVE - THIRTEEN: FATIMA

Right after our half day tour in Belem, we headed straight to our next destination: Fatima, the place three children witnessed the apparition of Mother Mary. Fatima was real chilly and drizzly when we arrived and it was eerily quiet but in a serene way, like you can hear your innermost thoughts. It was haunting yet comforting at the same time- well, at least for me anyway.

We had a private mass that afternoon and in the evening we heard mass and participated in a procession around the grounds. Not much photos here as I wanted to really concentrate on the mass, plus it rained that night so I was scared of getting my phone wet.

The view Santuário de Fátima, located in Cova da Iria. This area actually consists of several religious structures, including the Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário, the Capela do Lausperene, the Monumento ao Sagrado Coração de Jesus, the Capelinha das Aparições, and the Basílica da Santíssima Trindade.

Quick view of the Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário. We didn't enter the basilica that afternoon but it was part of our walking tour the next day.

The place where we mainly stayed in was the Capelinha das Aparições or the Chapel of Apparitions. I don't have a photo of the entirety of the chapel since it was raining but this is pretty much what the altar looks like:

(If you want to see what the chapel looks like, click here.)

The location of the Capelinha das Aparições is exactly where the apparitions happened. It was built to honor the Lady of the Rosary's request to the childen ("I want you to make a chapel here in my honour."). Construction began in 1919 and the first mass celebration was held in 1921. 

This was where we heard mass and participated in a novena and procession that chilly and drizzly evening. 


Oh, and dinner that night!


The next morning, we did a walking tour around the Sanctuary. Here we went inside the Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário. 

The basilica is also the burial site of cousins Francisco and Jacinta, who both died because of the flu pandemic in 1918. Francisco died in April 1919 while Jacinta died in February 1920.

The next place we went into was Basílica da Santíssima Trindade. It was built in 2004 with Alexandros Tombazis as its architect. 

(PS. Again, no photos of the exterior because, you guessed it, it was still raining the next day. But click here to view the exterior.
PPS. This church is totally on my list of where I want to get married in. Such a modern and sleek church!)


After visiting the churches, we went to Aljustrel, the place where Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta were born. I chose not to take photos of the place because I just wanted to really be in the moment and honestly, I didn't have the urge to take out my phone in that moment. I did, however, have the chance to take a photo with Lucia's niece.

And that's it for Fatima! I would love to visit Fatima again but maybe when it's summer when it's all nice and sunny, not damp and drizzly haha! I absolutely loved the Chapel of Apparitions and the chic and modern Basilica of the Holy Trinity. 
 

Next stop: Salamanca! (We're back in Spain, baby!)

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