Marian Shrines Pilgrimage

About the Marian Shrines:

The story of the famous miracle of Fatima started in May of 1917 when three children (aged 7, 9, and 10) encountered Our Lady on their way home from tending the flock of sheep. Sister Lucia was the only one to speak to her, and She told them the children that she would appear to them on the thirteenth day of the next six months. The children told their parents, and the world spread. Thousands began to flock to Fatima, but the children were the only ones who have seen Her. While nobody else saw Our Lady, they began to doubt, and so Sister Lucia began to describe their visions. Our Lady appeared for the last time on October 13th, 1917 – which later became her most famous visit. The pilgrims were looking for a miracle, to see Our Lady’s final visit. She appeared to the three children and identified herself as the “Lady of the Rosary” and she urged them to not only repent, but to build a Church at that site. She predicted the end of World War I, and then she lifted her hands, and the sun appeared from behind the clouds. Some say it danced around the heavens, some say it zig-zagged toward earth, while others say it spun amazing colors. In the end, it was and has remained to be known as the “Miracle of the Sun”.

In Santarem, in a desperate attempt to save her marriage, she went to a sorceress to help. The sorceress said she would grant the womans wish of renewing the husbands infidelity in exchange for the woman bringing her a consecrated Host. She was reluctant at first, but decided to commit the sacrilege anyway. She attended Mass at the Church of St. Stephen, received the Holy Eucharist in her mouth, then took it out and wrapped it in a veil. Before she could take anymore steps, the Hos began to bleed. It bled so much it appeared as if she cut her hand. Out of embarrassment, she ran out of the Church, and when she arrived home, she threw the Host in a trunk. In the middle of the night, a light illuminated from the trunk. When the couple awoke, she explained what happened. They both kneeled down in adoration and repentance before the Miracle. The next morning they explained to the Priest what happened, and he placed the Host in a wax container and solemnly returned it to the Church. People began to make their way to venerate the Host, and when the Priest opened the Tabernacle – the wax container holding the Host had shattered – and it was now in a crystal pyx.

Saint Marie-Bernarde Soubirous, also knows as Saint Bernadette, saw her first of eighteen (18) apparitions in Lourdes on February 11th, 1858. On February 25th, Our Lady told Bernadette to drink the water from the spring flowing under the rock. On February 27th and March 2nd, Our Lady told Bernadette that the Priests should be advised to build a Chapel at the site and have people come there in processions. On March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes proclaimed her identity to Saint Bernadette. She said “I am the Immaculate Conception”. Saint Bernadette saw her last apparition on July 16th, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Location: Santarem is a 40 minute drive north of Lisbon. The nearest Airport is Lisbon Airport in Portugal

Fatima is a 2.5 hour drive north of Lisbon. The nearest Airport is Lisbon Airport in Portugal

Lourdes is a 50 minute drive northwest of Pau in France. The nearest Airport is either Pau or Lourdes.

Accommodations: There are many Three Star and Four Star accommodations in Lourdes, as well as Religious Houses. It is a modernized town with restaurants, and souvenir shops surrounding the property of the Shrine.

Official Recognition: The Apparitions in Fatima took place between May 13th, 1917, and occurred each month, until the last one on October 13th, 1917. The Apparitions were approved on October 13th, 1930 by Bishop Jose Alves Correia da Silva from the Diocese of Leiria. On May 13th, 1930, Pope Pius XII granted a Canonical Coronation to the venerated image of Our Lady to be enshrined at the Chapel of the Apparitions of Fatima. On November 11th, 1954, the Sanctuary of Fatima was raised to the status of a Minor Basilica. On May 13th, 2017, Pope Francis Canonized Jacinta and Francisco to Saint Jacinta and Saint Francisco. Their final resting place was moved into the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima.

Saint Teresa of Avila was born in 1515, and entered the Carmelite Convent of the Incarnation in 1535. After found many Monstaries throughout Spain – in Segovia, Seville, Soria, and Burgos, she passed away in Alba de Tormes in 1582.

Saint Bernadette spent the rest of her life at the Sisters of Charity Convent until she died in 1879. She was Beatified on June 14th, 1925 by Pope Pius XI, and then Canonized on December 8th, 1933 by Pope Pius XI. Thousand began to clock to Lourdes for healing, and it quickly became one of the Christian world’s most celebrated Pilgrimage centres. The first cure was reported in 1858, and by 1861, a commission of enquiry reviewed only fifteen of a hundred cures to be miraculous. Saint Bernadette’s body was exhumed on September 2nd, 1909, and found to be incorrupt. She was reburied, and exhumed again on April 3rd, 1919 and the body was still well preserved. She was exhumed in 1925 and reburied in the Chapel of St. Bernadette in the Sisters of Charity Convent.