Tour: Fatima, Batalha,Nazare& Obidos

We walked to meet our tour guide, Jose. We were the only 4 on this tour and we travelled in a newer electric van. Jose was a very nice man and his English was excellent. We drove just under 2 hours to Fatima so had time to chat with him and ask questions. This post will focus on Fatima, the location of the older Basilica de Nossa Senhora do Rossario de Fatima and the newer Basilica da Santisimma Trinidade. This is the site where thousands of people flock to each year to celebrate the dates of the apparition of the Lady of the Rosary on the 13th of each month from May to October. This is based on the the 3 children who were witness to her apparition and she told the children to be devout to God and to return each month on the 13th for 6 months. Now people will make the pilgrimage to visit the site. Many will light a candle for loved ones, others walk or crawl down a specific white strip on the concrete praying or setting/thinking of a specific intention. The old and new Basilicas were each impressive in their own way. They were preparing for the night procession on the 12th and the Celebration of the Apparition of the Lady of the Rosary on the 13th. The brother and sister who saw the apparition were buried in the Basilica on one side and the 3rd child, who lived to an adult and became a nun is also buried in the Basilica on the other side.Read more