Chapel of the Apparitions - Fatima

The Chapel of the Apparitions is an open-air chapel built on the site of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. Inside the chapel is a single white column over the site of a small holm oak tree over which the Virgin Mary began appearing on May 13, 1017. A statue of the Pilgrim Virgin is located there and is carried in the nightly rosary processions.

The chapel was built in 1919 in response to the request of Our Lady of the Rosary, who told the children, "I want you to make a chapel here in my honor."
This chapel was blown up by opponents of the Church in 1922, and shortly thereafter, reconstruction of the current chapel was begun.

The chapel is the most important site in the entire Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima complex and is visited by close to four million pilgrims each year.

Open-air Chapel of the Apparitions

Chapel from another angle

Inside the Chapel - Ready for Mass to begin

Inside the Chapel - During Mass

White column over the site of a small holm oak tree

where our Lady of Fatima appeared. 

Pilgrim Virgin statue on display.

Cork Trees in Portugal

Cork is a major product in Portugal, and we were able to see lots of cork oak trees in the Fatima area!

The versatile vegetable tissue known as cork is the outer bark of the cork oak tree. Cork is most easily stripped off the tree in late spring and summer when the cells are turgid and fragile and tear without being damaged. The tree quickly forms new layers of cork and restores its protective barrier. No tree is ever cut down. This simple fact makes cork harvesting exceptionally sustainable.

The bark of the cork oak is stripped away every nine to ten years and it takes at least 25 years for a new tree to become profitable. Each tree will provide a harvest of some 200 years.

Cork isn't just used for bottle-stoppers. The Portuguese make a variety of things from cork, and they sell them in tourist shops. One person in our group bought some cork sandals and wore them for the rest of the pilgrimage!

Check out the trees we saw and the products that are made from cork.

Cork is on top

Closeup of previous photo - Cork is very spongy.

View of the whole cork tree

Cork products

Cork products

Chapel of the Angel of Peace

The Angel of Peace appeared to the three visionaries in 1916 to prepare them for the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917.

We had Mass twice in the Chapel of the Angel of Peace while we were in Fatima.

Chapel of the Angel of Peace (in Portuguese)

Entering the Chapel

Mass in the Chapel

"Christus Est Pax Nostra" (Christ is our Peace)

(words are in the lower left corner of the image)

Fr. Chris celebrates Mass in the Chapel

Stations of the Cross -- Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary

On both sides of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, you'll find beautiful mosaics of all 14 of the Stations of the Cross.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Fatima

While in Fatima, we visited one of the most beautiful basilicas in the world, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The basilica is built at the site of the Marian apparitions in Fatima, and the tombs of the three visionaries, Saints Francisco & Jacinta and Sister Lucia, are located inside.

Scenes of the Marian apparitions are depicted in the stained glass windows. The 15 church altars are dedicated to the 15 mysteries of the Rosary (no Luminous Mysteries when the basilica was built).

The high altar painting depicts the message of Our Lady of Fatima to the three children. Included in the painting are figures of the local bishop as well as Pope Pius XII (who consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1942), Pope John XXIII, and Pope Paul VI. 

Outside, the basilica is flanked by monumental colonnades which overlook a large open plaza, the center of which is occupied by a monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This monument stands over a spring that was discovered there, and was, according to the shrine, "the instrument of many graces."

Statues of the four great apostles of the Rosary and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are located at the four corners of the basilica's colonnade: Saint Anthony Mary Claret (Saint Anthony of Lisbon, as he is known), Saint Dominic, Saint John Eudes, and Saint Stephen, King of Hungary. 

The basilica, colonnade with statues on top, and the open plaza remind me of St. Peter's Square in Rome! Very similar look!

A large statue of Our Lady of Fatima stands in the niche above the main entrance of the basilica and was sculpted by an American priest, Fr. Thomas McGlynn.

Basilica with Colonnade and Statues

Basilica - Covered area in front is where 

the pope said the canonization Mass

Colonnade 

Another Basilica Shot

 

Main altar with painting of Our Lady of Fatima 

appearing to the three children in the center, and

a crucifix and a statue of Our Lady of Fatima on the right

Beautiful image in the apse of Our Lady 

being crowned Queen of Heaven

Statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Statue of St. Anthony on top of the colonnade

Tomb of St. Francisco

Tombs of St. Jacinta and Sister Lucia

Lighting a Candle in Fatima

I'm sure you're all familiar with lighting a votive candle in a church for someone . . . well, Fatima takes it up a notch or two!

In many Catholic churches around the world, people drop a few coins into a box, light a small votive candle, and then pray for a particular prayer intention. 

At Fatima, they do it BIG!  No votive candles in sight! For a couple of Euros, visitors can buy candles as big as the Paschal candle lit for Easter. I saw people carrying armfuls of candles to the "pyre," which is located behind the Chapel of the Apparitions. It burns brightly with thick black smoke rising above the square and the smell of burning bees wax filling the air. Because the fire is so hot, I've read that pilgrims often don’t bother to light their candles but instead just add them to the flames. It doesn't take long for them to burn down.

Personally, I purchased 7 good-sized candles, lit each of them (each for a special intention), and then placed them in candle holders in the flaming pyre. I stood back and prayed for a while. It was quite an experience!

These photos will give you an idea of what I'm talking about . . .

All sizes of candles for sale

MY candles . . .

MY candles burning away

Busy place . . .

Very hot fire

Fatima Rosary Procession - Tuesday, April 25

Upon arrival in Fatima on Tuesday, April 25, we learned that some of the men in our group would have the honor of carrying the statue of Our Lady of Fatima during the Rosary Procession that evening!

Not only that, but our pastor and spiritual guide for the pilgrimage, Fr. Chris, was unexpectedly asked to give a meditation for the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery, the Carrying of the Cross! They needed an English speaker . . . and there he was!

What a blessed evening!

Lenny Steiner & Donald Krouse carry the statue of Our Lady of Fatima.

Fr. Chris offers a meditation for the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary, 

the Carrying of the Cross, before the procession. Note the statue of Our Lady of Fatima to the left -- that is the very location of Our Lady's apparitions to the three shepherd children.