Exactly 13 years ago, I was invited to go on a pilgrimage that included Fatima, Portugal as our first stop…and that was just a very auspicious beginning. Yes, the beginning of my desire for further enlightenment by visiting various places and experiencing different cultures which can only enhance the appreciation of my own.
Our friend invited us to join her pilgrimage to the different sites where our Lady had appeared. At first, my husband and I were hesitant since we had never gone on a “pilgrimage” – and we’d much rather go and explore popular tourist places. But our friend was very persuasive, so we signed on to go with her group.
Like most people, I had the misconception that pilgrimages, referred to as faith-based travel in our industry, involved a lot of church visits and praying and more church visits. It cannot be farther from the truth and this trip disabused me of that notion. Yes, we had the choice to visit churches or attend Mass every morning but, other than that, the trip was very fulfilling in terms of expanding our knowledge of the places we visited – the history, the people, the customs and traditions that are attributable only to them.
I have included an excerpt from my Journal entry I wrote for that specific faith-based travel. Since October 13th is the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun, this entry is most appropriate.
————–My Journal Entries 2005 October ——————
On October 11th, Sister Christina shepherded 26 souls on a 9-day Marian Pilgrimage that covered, Fatima, Portugal to Avila, Spain and on to Lourdes, France where we were joined by a family of seven who traveled with us to Lisieux and Nevers, France.
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So the question is – what does a pilgrim make? As far as I was concerned, I was going to visit Europe to see some of the places where our Lady has appeared to some worthy people. I was going on a tour with a group of people, wearing name tags glaringly telling locals that I am not one of them, a guide to boss us around, and a strict schedule to follow with military precision. Doesn’t the make me a TOURIST?
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Oct. 12th, Wednesday – Fatima, Portugal: Tired and hungry, we arrived at Hotel Fatima for a late dinner. We were all asked to proceed to the restaurant while our tour guide, Paula, takes care of checking us (and our luggage) in. It was up to us if we wanted to go to the Shrine which is located in the Square right in front of our hotel since we were unable to participate in the candlelight procession that was ongoing. I believe each member of the group went to visit our Lady at the Shrine after dinner.
What a sight to behold! The teeming number of people praying, the atmosphere of complete reverence, the total immersion of mind and body in the here and now – all these but a palpable manifestation of faith. Even when the slight drizzle started, no one left although umbrellas started to sprout out like mushrooms and jackets/raincoats created beautiful slashes of color in the dark night.
After breakfast the next day, our tour guide gathered us bright and early to trace the steps of the three children, especially those of Sister Lucia who has died early part of this year, to whom appeared our Lady of Peace (as she declared herself to be). We even had a chance to drink water from the well which was dug upon our Lady’s instructions and meet with one of Sister Lucia’s uncle! I cannot imagine how it felt to have known Sister Lucia when seeing a living relative of hers leaves me in awe.
At night, we rushed through our dinner to be on time for the candlelight procession. It is the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun and the Square was already packed when we arrived. Our Lady’s image with the real crown of gold will be processed around the Square that night. The rosary was being said in different languages – I could only understand the Portuguese and English Hail Mary’s but a sense of oneness with all the people present could be felt.
The weather which is unusually fine for an October in Fatima I’m told had held until the time when our Lady’s image was going down its way around the Square. There was a rumble of thunder, a flash of lightning, and then a sprinkle of rain started. What an entrance! I thought. Then I saw the expression on the people’s faces: the look of total belief, the smile of acceptance, the stare of bewilderment, the bowed heads of reverence, the physical need to touch her image – all these with the powerful sounds of voices singing Ave Maria! may be heard in the background. Then I rushed into the path of the procession where her image was followed by a long line of priests and the faithful – and tried to get a glimpse of her myself. Right at the moment, I became a pilgrim.
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Lesson learned? Always keep an open mind. There is a whole world out there that wants you to discover it. Why not?
*The Miracle of the Sun: On October 13, 1917, multitudes of the faithful followed Lucia to Cova da Iria, the place where our Lady of Peace showed herself – the sun shone so very brightly but the people were still able to look directly at the sun without shielding nor hurting their eyes.
On this, I would defer to the eyewitness account of Dr. Joseph Garrett, professor of natural sciences at Coimbra University. Written in December 1917 “…The sun, a few moments before, had broken through the thick layer of clouds that hid it and shone clearly and intensely. I veered toward the magnet which seemed to be drawing all eyes, and saw it as a disc with clear-cut rim, luminous and shining, but which did not hurt the eyes…
It looked like a glazed circular piece cut from a mother-of-pearl shell…It could not be confused, either, with the sun seen through fog (for there was no fog at the time), because it was not opaque, diffused or veiled…The sky was mottled with light cirrus clouds, the blue coming through here and there, but sometimes the sun stood out in patches of clear sky…It was a remarkable fact that one could fix one’s eyes on this brazier of heat and light without any pain in the eyes or blinding of the retina…
The sun’s disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl, when suddenly a clamour was heard from all the people. The sun, whirling, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge fiery weight. The sensation during these moments was terrible.”