Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Fatima and
Santiago de Compostela
I guess I
necessarily need to share an experience of such magnitude – a pilgrimage to Our
Lady of Fatima (Portugal) and Santiago de Compostela (Spain). To go to Our Lady
of Fatima has been always among the many destinations I have in my so called
little priority projects. And I have fulfilled it. I only have to admit that by
now it has become a habit to take advantage of some peoples’ generosity and it
looks like I have almost demanded this pilgrimage from Anna & Rita ormai I
have become part of the family.
We left (6th
September 2012) from Aeroporto Roma Fiumicino for Porto in Spain to arrive at
Santiago de Compostela. We were 28 in the group. We put up in a comfortable 4
star hotel (less you be scandalized, we do not have to spend longer time in the
hotel as we kept moving all the time). I must admit, I had very veiled idea
about Santiago de Compostela but turned out to be a surprised discovery of the great
history of the city of St. James the Apostle - the Basilica, the tomb, the grand
thurible, the tradition of the saint, of the conchiglia (the sea shell), etc. On
7th, we made the pilgrimage to the basilica on foot for about 4 km.
We celebrated the Holy Mass (International) presided by Cardinal Antonio Cañizares,
Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship. We made a detailed tour of the
Basilica with the guide, visited the quite beautiful city as well.
On 8th we left for Fatima, feast of
the Nativity of our Blessed Lady. On our way we visited the city of Coimbra and
Porto, two very important cities of Portugal. At Fatima, we celebrated the Holy
Mass in one of the chapels and later joined the Holy Rosary prayed in various
languages around the Chapel of apparition followed by procession with Our Lady around
the square. It was altogether an awesome experience. (I shall upload few visual
clips on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/rkhonsan).
On 9th
we spent the whole day at Fatima – visit to the museum, Eucharistic Celebration
(International), visit to the houses of Francesco, Jacinta and Lucia (the three
little shepherds), the places of apparitions, the way of the cross, the
Basilica, etc. Everywhere we went there was an absolute atmosphere of prayer
and deep recollection. In this place people come to pray and contemplate.
There was quietness everywhere.
On the 10th
we left for Lisbon, made a tour of the city and for the last Eucharistic
celebration together with the group at the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua (the
birth place of St. Anthony and the basilica is built on it). After our lunch we
exchanged greetings and left for the Airport for the home return.