Fátima

Fátima is a become Portuguese small town celebrates in 1917, when three young shepherds on several occasions state to have seen there the Virgin Mary. This appearance gave rise to the sanctuary of Notre-Dame de Fátima , place of famous a catholic Pèlerinage. The Virgin Mary would have required of them the daily prayer of the rosary for peace. Moreover in 1915-16 an angel would have taught another Prière to them. The events are especially known general public by its famous Secrets of Fatima.

The locality counts: 10302 inhabitants, it belongs to the town of Ourém in the District of Santarém.

History

The name of the city (which was only one village in the beginning) comes from Arabic Fatima, and derives from the name of a fore-mentioned local princess Fatima who, after being captured by the Christian forces during the Moorish occupation of Portugal, was promised in marriage to the Count d' Ourem, was converted with the Catholicisme, and was baptized before marrying the Count in 1158. It took the name of Oureana (Oriane). The name of the town of Ourém drift of Oureana.

Fátima became famous thanks to the sanctuary of Notre-Dame de Fátima , built to commemorate the appearance of 1917 when three young peasants said to have seen the “Virgin of the Rosary”, Notre-Dame de Fátima. The children paid to have seen the appearance in the Cova da Iria (“Handle of Irene”) close to the village to Aljustrel, with approximately 2 kilometers of Fátima.

Fátima attracts today the believers of the four corners of the world, particularly the days of Pèlerinage, and the sanctuary was increased to be able to accommodate them. The great processions with the torch, which are done of night, are very impressive.

The pilgrims gather on Cova, a gigantic esplanade on which was built a small vault where the Virgin appeared to the young shepherds. Around the esplanade, a considerable number of souvenir shops religious were born.

On the other side of the esplanade rises an imposing basilica, from neo-classic style, with a 65 height meters central tower, its construction began the May 13rd 1928. It is equipped with colonnades which connects it to the convents and the hospital buildings. In the basilica one can see the tombs of two of the three shepherds, Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto, which died respectively in 1919 and 1920, and were béatifiés in 2000. The third, Lúcia back Santos, died only in 2005, and its tomb is also in the basilica.

See too

Gallery

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