Alvorge

Pedaling away from the town of Fátima and into the calmer countryside, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. Cycling can be equally exhausting for the mind, navigating the circles and crosswalks. While I can appreciate the religious significance of Fátima for devout Catholics, I have to admit that it wasn't my favorite stop. Despite the town's beautiful statues, Basilica, relics, and rituals, I found its over-commercialization disappointing.

Our overnight stay at an old "nunnery" filled me with mixed emotions as memories of cleaning the nun's convent flooded back, a penance for my tardiness to children's mass.

Traversing through the tranquil countryside en route to Alvorge, my thoughts drifted to the three young shepherd children who were visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary back in 1917. The significance of the secrets, prayers, and prophetic messages that were revealed to them by the "Lady of the Rosary" on six separate occasions still continues to captivate and inspire pilgrims from all corners of the world. As I breathe the fresh, sweet Portuguese air, I don't think I need to go to Fátima to experience God as the most beautiful reality of human existence.Read more