26 March 2011
Categories: Portugal, From around the world | Topics: Aljustrel, cemetery, Cova da Iria, Fatima, Catholicism, memorabilia, sanctuary, temple
Sentences for this place are divided. I know people, convincing, feel that there some force, energy, divine power. Others are returning from Fatima disappointed, because the only force, we see, is the power of money. Indeed, the place is very commercialized, but for many Catholics is also extremely important. Secrets of Fatima, revelation, Our Lady – What happened at Fatima, and what you see out there today?
In a small Portuguese village in the early twentieth Aljustrel in. ten lived a girl named Lúcia (Łucja). She and her two cousins poorer, Seven Jacinta (Jacinta) and nine Francisco (Francis) 13 May 1917 r. As usual flock of sheep grazed in the valley of Cova da Iria, belonging to the parents of Lucy, w parafii Fatima. That day about noon children conspired rosary, and then the fun began. Suddenly they saw a bright light, and after a moment today at Chapel of the Apparitions appeared to them “Mrs. brighter than the sun”, who asked them to pray and return to the Cova da Iria on the thirteenth day of each following month. Łucja, Jacinta and Francisco so they wLucy site 13 June, July, September and October. The children were bullied by the secular authorities of Portugal and arrested but not yet denied the revelations. In August the children remained in custody, So Our Lady appeared 19 day of the month in Valinhos, near the village of Aljustrel.
Revelation 13 October watching some 70 000 people. Our Lady then asked to build a chapel in her honor at the revelation, and then a miracle has announced during the earlier meetings with the children. The sun suddenly ceased to dazzle people's eyes, became like a silver shield and began to fall from heaven to earth.
During the apparitions of Mary Mark gave the children three secrets. The first one showed a vision of hell, the second concerned the outbreak of World War II, and the third – not fully disclosed – assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II.
Today you can see in Aljustrel, lived like siblings Jacinta and Francisco Marto and his family home Lucy Santos and her family. Near the entrance to the house of Jacinta and Francisco hanging the last picture of three children was taken against the background of the house.
Lucy's house is bigger and can be seen clearly, that her parents were from wealthier families Marto.
At Lucy's parents, the estate still in 1916 r. children appeared to be an angel. Meetings with the angel, there were three – Spring, summer and autumn. Today, the site of one of the revelations of an angel is a monument.
Aljustrel Today is a quiet Portuguese village, where there are more tourists than residents of. In several places pootwierały the souvenir shops – both devotional, and typical for Portugal Pottery, stopper or kogucikami.
If someone chooses to see the church at Fatima that does not come to the famous shrine. The Basilica and the Chapel of Apparitions does not lie in Fatima. Here is a small church, to which the children went with their families. Here, children were baptized, Lucy here took the first Holy Communion.
Opposite the parish church is a cemetery, where is the family of Lucy, Jacinta and Francisco. The graves of three children are in the basilica at the Cova da Iria. What is interesting, on the graves of the family has no crosses. This is because, enough that once a cross positioned centrally in the cemetery, So no longer graves they erected.
On the way to Fatima to Cova da Iria passes a statue of Lucy, Jacinta and Francisco, which was founded by Portuguese children.
Cova da Iria is the place, where are now the most important objects connected with the cult of the Virgin Mary of Fatima, and where the main festivities are celebrated. The local basilica was built in 1952 r., a year later was consecrated, and a year later the church was given the status of basilica. Inside are the graves of three children.
Standing in front of the Basilica of the square, on which, during church services is even 500 thousands of people, we have left is the Chapel of the Apparitions, which was built in 1919 r. W 1922 r. chapel was blown up, and even in the same year rebuilt. W 1982 r. in tInrn, or the occasion of the visit of Pope John Paul II was built here Canopy.
Next to the Chapel of Apparitions tree grows. It's just a symbol, because the tree, that grew here when Our Lady appeared to have long since there is no. People take it piece by piece, until nothing was.
Opposite stands the Chapel of Apparitions retreat house. There, for a small fee you can watch the most interesting gifts for the sanctuary, and the original crown of Our Lady of Fatima statue. In the Cova da Iria, you can also see the monument contains a fragment of the Wall Berlin.
In the middle of the square there is a spring of water. Some people believe, it has a healing power.
When we face the basilica, We have a huge behind Holy Trinity Church. The fourth largest church in the world built in the years 2004-2007 at the expense of 80 million derived exclusively from the donations of pilgrims.
From the outside it may not seem such a big, but inside there are over 8 000 plenty of seating and standing. The Church by means of movable wall can be divided into two parts, and benches are positioned so, that from any place you could see the altar of pure gold. The miracle of technology.
The faithful pilgrim to Fatima come here very often the intention of healing. For such people in the Cova da Iria prepared piece (furnace?), where the pilgrim can put wax candle, preferably in the shape of body, a cure which he prays. Candles are sold everywhere around and within the sanctuary
Today, Fatima is not only a place of worship, but also a powerful machine to make money on the pilgrims. It is known, that each, who come here, will want to buy a souvenir, statue of Our Lady, key ring, plastic bottle of healing water, holy picture… A lot of these things is now imported from China, but in the area of Fatima still work – and prosper well – factory devotional.
Produces everything, which connected with the cult of the Virgin Mary. Small figures are the most popular, but also in the large are willing.
Strolling around the sanctuary, of course, everyone gets plenty of leaflets, papers, Booklet – This is normal. But one of the papers, I have fallen into the hands of Fatima honestly surprised me. On the one hand diary, the other – restaurant advertising. You can guess, but translating. Snack bar and restaurant, John Paul II. Unfortunately, I do not know, what they have on the menu… But you can always make an appointment with the other pilgrims to dinner at John Paul II.
And so it all looks in Fatima. I wonder, if you were there and what are your impressions? Or similar place of worship. What do you think of this type of commercialization? Exaggeration or normal development of the situation?
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power of money and religious kitsch
Personally I was born in October. Fatima , of, which toured to the end of his days niezapomnę, square and place of the apparitions filled with prayer and meditation, small wonders that I saw the souls who especially need prayer in the evening wolves rain during Mass in the square, 13.10, cloudless sky – I really recommend, a person can relax and go back to what the most important to its interior, reflect on the meaning of his being, not chasing after day everyday, there miss modlitwą.Anna
power of money is like a tornado – sweeps everything away…
Hello!
Many thanks for the entry of Fatima – we want to also visit the lipcu.Mam question – they just share the Aljustrel,Fatima the Cova da Iria? Coming from Lisbon to Fatima to follow?
This year will be held in Tomar “Festival of Litter”,celebrated every four years[Also we are going there, replenish].Maybe you were there during the ceremony?
Yours
Jack, distance between Aljustrel, Fatima knows the Cova da Iria nie duże. The Aljustrel perfectly visible church in Fatima, so the two eye-km. Z Fatimy the Cova da Iria to 2 kilometers, as of Aljustrel to Cova da Iria.
Here you have a map with marked locations described above: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=pl&msa=0&ll=39.624532,-8.660488&spn=0.019635,0.055189&t=h&z=14&msid=215839111901170049669.00049f670986e98c81f25 I hope, that link will work :)
Coming from Lisbon at first seems to Porto, and then bounce right at Fatima and Batalha. I understand, that you're going by car?
I was not in Tomarze, I regret what, because apparently it is worth. I can still recommend the said Batalha. Unusual unfinished chapels! Probably by July I'll make even describe. Yours!
Hello!
Link to work – dziękuję.Po Portugal will be moved by trains and buses,after a week stay we go from Tui to Santiago de Compostela.
To Fatima easily take a bus, from what I remember it to Fatima depart from Sete Rios (Metro Jardim Zoologico at the blue line). Bus travels in one direction about half an hour.
Once the summer between the Cova da Iria and rode Aljustrel Adults are such tourist, I do not know, it still goes…
For me and for my husband, Fatima did not do the best impression. We saw there mainly strength and power of money – as you wrote. I personally was appalled so many figures, key holder, memorabilia – I somehow it all weighed down. On the other hand, it may issue a different mentality. I do not know. These souvenirs, tourists are not allowed to focus for a moment, prayer, etc.. Somehow I could not find quite there.
The only thing that upset me for a moment from the all-engulfing consumerism were two people, one of which traveled the road to the church on their knees. These people were for me the only sign of religiosity. But as I wrote it in Polish Catholicism may look different than in Portugal.
In Aljustrel we were not – awidzę that this place would like us to be more – I think :-)
Day, in Aljustrel actually is quieter, but even there the coaches full of tourists arrive in, which barely fit in the narrow streets of the village. There are, however, much less than in the proper sanctuary.
The least people think the same goes Fatima, the local church and cemetery. All around there is no souvenir stands, and is quietly.
Hello!
Ewo – Thank you for your continued,valuable information.
As for places of worship in Fatima,to see how we place.
I was in 2010 in Medjugorje,in Bosnia and Hercegowinie.Komercja and called.”safe” there is little visible,little shop of devotional,large church-run św.Jakuba zakonników.Może is caused by the,acknowledged that the Vatican did not officially objawień.Miejsce worship is modest,full of people and can be felt the seriousness of,the power of prayer,putting people care Gospy.Można,Having little luck find the home one of the women [Then a girl],who suffered objawień.Chętnie talk about revelations,is very friendly and open to ludzi.Reszta “children” moved out,or does not comment publicly,having a bad experience,mainly with the press.
In Medjugorje I was somehow 10 years ago and really everything was somehow on quite a smaller scale. Sure you're right, that is the official non-recognition of the apparitions. I do not recall, something that surprised me, so there is even a restaurant like John Paul II in Fatima.
Known shrines in Europe, I liked the most in franciskim La Salette. Isolated monastery in the mountains conducive to prayer and silent. Well, on the nearby Mount Gargas I said to his current wife :-)
There was no. But I watched some pictures on the net, looks like a peaceful place. And these mountains all around!
Impressions of Fatima? My disappointment is probably. Fatima imagined as a modest place of worship the Virgin Mary, and on the spot turned out to be, it is a very commercialized (trade there is nothing in the supermarket) and some concrete place. After all it is worth to go and form their own opinions.
I agree, worth to go and see for yourself. The more, I've met also with the opinions of people, which is simply a place of mystical.
This was such a person. a guide, with whom I worked in the Algarve. She traveled to Fatima at least once a week or two and always spoke, that comes from there “renewed”, even work in this place so it worked…
I believe, that for many people it can be a special place. In the end everyone is different, has other goals in traveling, other things inspire him. And the glory for it, because otherwise it would be veeery boring :)
Well, as for me, a visit to Fatima, can only be a spiritual experience, certainly no visual ;)
I would add more auditory – very melodious Masses are conducted. Portuguese!
A crop of local mini kościeliczku :)
In a small've never been. But sometime in the Easter I went to Basílica da Estrela, and although I am unbelieving, and in addition did not understand almost anything, I must admit, it was a pleasant and interesting service…
Welcome. I also question whether the entire area: Sanctuary, city and the village of Fatima shepherds visited on foot? Are there are good grounds and marking of individual objects? And where the bus stops from Lisbon? At Fatima, or maybe somewhere in the vicinity of the Basilica? Thank you for the power of valuable information :)
Be, walk can be a little difficult to see everything – Look on the map, give you a little guidance as to the distance. Summer seems to be between the basilica and the tourist train rides Aljustrel. I do not know, if it takes you to the Fatima.
Lisbon bus stops at the station / car a few steps from the Basilica. It is impossible to miss the walk along the street full of souvenir stalls, devotional and wax body parts.
Yours!
Thanks a lot!
Really great blog! :)
Thank you and I'm glad, that I had a little help :)