Pilgramage to Fatima

In 1916 three children herding sheep were visited by the Virgin Mary near the Village of Aljustrel in the parish of Fatima, Portugal. They were given the prophecy that prayer would end the Great War.

Today millions of faithful visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima. After my room steward lamented that he was sad that as many times he'd been to Portugal he'd been unable to get to Fatima because of its distance from port. I felt like I needed to go.

The start of my little pilgrimage was very easy. The train station was right across the street from where the ship docked in Lisbon. I took the train to Caxarais, the closest railway station. Then I took the equivalent of a city bus to Fatima, after waiting 45 minutes while the bus driver locked up the bus a the stop and went and got lunch. The railway clerk told me the bus to Fatima arrived at 1:45.  She did not say it left at 1:45. Details, I guess. When we did leave the bus zig-zagged across country and stopped at every little village and farm crossing.

Train station Lisbon.

Bus stop in Carxanias with train station in background.

It was a bumpy ride on this bus.

Once in Fatima, the cab ride across town was more than one hour bus ride. (2 euros) I got to my hotel and I had a wonderful view of the Sanctuary.  As soon as I opened up the window, the bells started toiling majestically across the town. It felt like a personal welcome.

The view from my hotel window.

I left early at 8:30 pm and found a little Portuguese restaurant in the basement of a retail building on the walk down to the sanctuary, Tas Quinha. They had great bread and thinly sliced beef that was grilled and so very delicious. That and some good Portuguese beer.  The meal ended with an aperitif of ginjinha or cherry brandy. I hope I can find this when I get back to Arkansas. 

I know, rice and fried potatoes. That's how it came and everyone else had sae sides.

Ginjinha.

Family in resturuant.

I walked down to the church and at least 10,000 people were on the large open plaza each with a candle. I joined in and listened to the elegy in Portuguese and the crowds responses.

The priests brought out a statue of the Virgin Mary and carried her around the plaza. The crowd folded in behind the procession and sang Ava Maria as she was paraded to the main sanctuary.  The crowd gathered at a large podium at the top of the steps and joined in prayer and song with church leaders.

The Virgin Mary being carried in procession.

Just before midnight.

The return trip was not to Lisbon, as my ship had already left port. I took a bus the two and a half hour ride to Oporto, Portugal. Northern Portugal is a beautiful hilly countryside. The only trouble was that my cab driver, nor any other spoke English.  One driver called over noticed the Oceania jacket I was waring with a cruise ship logo and pointed to it. It got me to the cruise terminal are but we had to find my ship.

Oporto

Once we found the Insignia, a went through the classiest port terminal so far on this around the world cruise.  It was very modern and beautiful both overall in a appearance and in all the detail in tile. 

One back to my cabin Sergio was anxious to see the videos and pictures of Fatima. He loved them.  I told him I lit a candle in blessing for him. I also lit 4 candles for his work pardner, Caesar, because he needed more help than Sergio.