Return to Fatima

We are back in Fatima after our short and unsatisfactory first visit a couple of years ago. 

This time we arrived yesterday at mid-day and we could immerse ourselves in prayer with  mass, praying the rosary twice and finishing it off with the nightly candlelit procession in the square. We of course took time to visit the sights around the shrine, the religious art and artefacts, the highlight being the crown which holds the bullet removed from Saint John Paul II after the attempted assassination. 

Although I pray the rosary on my own every day, I have to say these communal rosaries are a source of light and blessing on their own. The sight of thousands of candles lifted higher in unison as we sang Ave Maria brings me hope for a better tomorrow and a confidence that we, humans, can fix our own messes if we lift our hearts in prayer. 

I am grateful for this time of grace, and I look forward to the next two days as P and I attempt to walk closer with Jesus and Mary in this sacred space.