Portugal to Welcome Fatima Pilgrims
Friday, 11 May 2012 00:00
The famous shrine of Fatima is one of the main meeting points of Catholics from around the world. Located just over 60 miles from Lisbon and the town of Fatima has international fame thanks to appearances of Virgin in the first half of the 20th century.
Since the first apparitions in 1917, millions of devotees from around the world converge each year to honor the Virgin. They celebrate the story of the three shepherd children to whom the Virgin appeared in 1917 to reveal "three mysteries of Fatima." This became a major lure to attract the faithful to the shrine . Today, the flow of participants has increased so much that the sanctuary has evolved into a large complex of several buildings and spaces for prayer.
Fatima has added a boost tourism to the area, calling not just pilgrims, but more traditional tourists, and explorers. In 2011 some 3.5 million people (117,000 more than last year) attended the official Masses and 2.93 million people (192,000 more than last year) attending other celebrations in the Sanctuary.
Foreigners who made a pilgrimage to Fatima in 2011 were led by the Spanish, followed by Italians and Poles. Within the top 10 countries were pilgrims from more distant nations such as the U.S., Brazil, Ukraine, Germany, Ireland, Philippines and France.
More information: www.fatima.pt - www.santuario-fatima.pt
About Tourism in Portugal
With a unique geographical location and washed by the Atlantic sea, this land of light and sun has an inexhaustible source of energy. Portugal is the closest nation in Europe to the U.S., easy to get to, and offers some of the best values in Europe today for the American traveler.
Discover more castles per capita than anywhere else in the world and popular forms of music, like Fado that stretch back 1,000 years. Imagine the most modern of hotels rising like a cloud above mystic hills.
Since the first apparitions in 1917, millions of devotees from around the world converge each year to honor the Virgin. They celebrate the story of the three shepherd children to whom the Virgin appeared in 1917 to reveal "three mysteries of Fatima." This became a major lure to attract the faithful to the shrine . Today, the flow of participants has increased so much that the sanctuary has evolved into a large complex of several buildings and spaces for prayer.
Fatima has added a boost tourism to the area, calling not just pilgrims, but more traditional tourists, and explorers. In 2011 some 3.5 million people (117,000 more than last year) attended the official Masses and 2.93 million people (192,000 more than last year) attending other celebrations in the Sanctuary.
Foreigners who made a pilgrimage to Fatima in 2011 were led by the Spanish, followed by Italians and Poles. Within the top 10 countries were pilgrims from more distant nations such as the U.S., Brazil, Ukraine, Germany, Ireland, Philippines and France.
More information: www.fatima.pt - www.santuario-fatima.pt
About Tourism in Portugal
With a unique geographical location and washed by the Atlantic sea, this land of light and sun has an inexhaustible source of energy. Portugal is the closest nation in Europe to the U.S., easy to get to, and offers some of the best values in Europe today for the American traveler.
Lisboa Photo Gallery
To download high resolution images of Portugal, please visit Images of Portugal
Portugal National Tourist Office