Fatima

May is the month of Our Lady, and today, the 13th is the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, the anniversary of her first appearance to the children in Portugal. Today Fatima is one of the greatest centres of pilgrimage in the world, a shrine that I have visited twice with our September Pilgrims group, in 1996 and 2003. Like Lourdes, Guadalupe and others of the well-known shrines, it attracts huge numbers - you can get an idea from the photo. In fact, since I was last there they have built a new enormous church to hold goodnesss knows how many.

If you look at the aerial shot, to the left of centre you can see a square building, and this is the capelhina, the little chapel marking the spot where Mary appeared to the children. It is now protected by a striking modern structure with glass walls that open out onto the square when needed. The little hut-like building inside (left) marks the position of the tree where the children saw her, and the famous statue of Our Lady of Fatima sits in front of it encased in a glass case. At the centre is the altar. In 1996 my name literally came out of the hat to preside at the main daily Mass there one day, with about twenty other priests and thousands of pilgrims. So when I stood at the altar I was standing where Our Lady was... quite  a thought, and something I can vividly fremember now. 

 

I know that pilgrimages, statues etc are not everyone's spiritual cup of tea, and that's OK. But, you know I have just finished reading my second Neil MacGregor book during the epidemic. I moved onto Living with the Gods after finishing the brilliant History of the World in 100 Objects. It has fascinating observations about pilgrimages, shrines and various religious gatherings as human events, gathering people, sharing identity, giving life a different dimension. And this is beside the religious meaning they may have for a particular faith group. Pilgrimages have certainly been a wonderful experience for me.

So, Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us all in this time of uncertainty, of sickness and aloneness, wrap your cloak of protection around us all. Amen.