More than 270,000 pilgrims from across the globe converged on the sacred sanctuary of Fátima in Portugal on Monday, commemorating the anniversary of one of Catholicism’s most significant spiritual events — the first reported apparition of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children on May 13, 1917.
The annual pilgrimage, held at the site where the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared six times, was especially poignant this year as prayers were offered not only in remembrance of the apparitions but also for Pope Leo XIV, recently elected to lead the Catholic Church, and for global peace.
“I imagine that Leo XIV will soon visit this shrine, which is the centre of Marian spirituality, not only in Portugal, but throughout the world,” said Father Juan Carlos López, speaking to thousands gathered in solemn reverence.
Pope Leo XIV’s first address from St. Peter’s Basilica just days earlier echoed across the crowds, as he called for peace in war-stricken regions like Ukraine and Gaza. “I too address the world’s great powers by repeating the ever-present call: ‘never again war,’” the new pontiff urged during his debut Sunday message.
The Fátima pilgrimage has long been a beacon of hope and reflection for Catholics worldwide. In 2017, during the centenary of the apparitions, Pope Francis canonised two of the shepherd children and later revisited the shrine in 2023 as part of the World Youth Day celebrations.
This year’s gathering reaffirms the site’s status as a global spiritual landmark. In 2024 alone, the shrine welcomed a staggering 6.2 million visitors.
As part of upcoming commemorations, the original statue of the Virgin of Fátima is set to travel to Rome in October for the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality — its fourth journey to the Vatican.
For many in attendance, the shrine remains more than a religious monument; it is a place of deep spiritual resonance, now intertwined with the hopes placed on Pope Leo XIV’s leadership.
“He is the Pope that the Holy Spirit has chosen to manage the Church in these difficult times,” Father López added. “And I believe he will do it very well.”
