Pilgrims flock to Fatima shrine

The statue of Our Lady of Fatima is carried during a procession in Fatima

FATIMA, Portugal -- More than 600,000 people have flocked to the shrine of Fatima to mark the 84th anniversary of the first "apparition" of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children.

Fatima -- 130 kilometres (80 miles) north of Lisbon -- is one of the Roman Catholic church's most revered sites.

Millions of visitors visit the area between May and October -- the time when the Virgin was said to have appeared five times in 1917.

Many pilgrims make the last leg of the journey to the shrine on their knees to show their gratitude for favours they believe were granted by the Virgin.

Ligia Maria Aguiar, 32, who made the journey to Fatima by foot from some 250 kilometres away, said: "My husband was in the hospital between life and death and I asked Our Lady to cure him. I am here on my knees to thank her for answering my request."

Pope John Paul II believes the Virgin saved his life 20 years ago when he was shot and seriously wounded by a gunman in Saint Peter's Square.

He had the bullet placed in the Madonna's crown at Fatima as a sign of gratitude.

Last year, he travelled to Fatima to beatify two of the three shepherd children.

There he revealed that the attempt on his life was the last of three secrets revealed to three Portuguese shepherd children. The other two secrets had been long since revealed, but the Vatican had held tightly to the third..

This year's event coincides with regional elections in Spain's Basque Country, where ETA has been fighting for an independent homeland for 30 years.

Local police superintendent Levy Correia said extra security was necessary because a Spanish cardinal who is an outspoken critic of the Basque separatist group ETA presided over the event.

Roman Catholic Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela recently said anyone collaborating with ETA or its followers "would not deserve to be called Christians."

Fatima sources said there were some 1,000 police on duty including 60 special agents and others providing helicopter surveillance.

Security agents guarded the three entrances to the alter from where Cardinal Varela delivered his sermon.

The Madrid-based cardinal did not refer directly to ETA during his sermon but said Catholics had to work to ensure that "man does not stray from God, but if he does, he returns like the prodigal son who returns to the paternal house."

Vatican ends mystery of the third prophecy of Fatima
May 13, 2000
Pope beatifies shepherd children in Fatima
May 13, 2000

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