The Fátima Sanctuary is a group of Catholic churches, chapels and a large prayer square at Cova da Iria, in the parish and city of Fátima, municipality of Ourém. It stands where three shepherd children said they saw the Virgin Mary six times in 1917, and the Catholic Church permitted the cult of Our Lady of Fátima on 13 October 1930.
The sanctuary is one of the main Marian pilgrimage sites of the Catholic Church, with its largest pilgrimages on 12 and 13 May and 12 and 13 October.
What to see at the Fátima Sanctuary
- Chapel of the Apparitions: the small chapel built in 1919 on the spot of the apparitions, which holds the original statue of Our Lady of Fátima by the sculptor José Ferreira Thedim.
- Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary: a church 70.5 metres long, designed by the Dutch architect Gerardus Samuel van Krieken and completed by João Antunes, with a bell tower 65 metres high and a carillon of 62 bells. It holds the tombs of Francisco and Jacinta Marto.
- Basilica of the Holy Trinity: a large modern church by the Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, dedicated on 12 October 2007, with 8,633 seats.
- Prayer square: the large open square between the two basilicas, where the pilgrimages and the candlelight processions take place.
- Colonnade: the colonnade by the architect António Lino, built from 1949 to 1954, which frames the square on the side of the Basilica of the Rosary.
- Statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: a statue 4.73 metres high in the niche of the tower of the Basilica of the Rosary.
History of the Fátima Sanctuary
- 13 May to 13 October 1917: Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto report six apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Cova da Iria and Valinhos.
- 1919: the Chapel of the Apparitions is built on the site.
- 13 May 1928: the Archbishop of Évora blesses the first stone of the Basilica of the Rosary.
- 13 October 1930: the Bishop of Leiria declares the apparitions worthy of belief and permits the cult of Our Lady of Fátima.
- 1935 and 1951: the remains of Jacinta are moved to Fátima in 1935 and to the basilica on 1 May 1951, and those of Francisco follow on 13 March 1952.
- 7 October 1953: the Basilica of the Rosary is dedicated, and Pope Pius XII grants it the title of basilica in November 1954.
- 13 May 2000: Pope John Paul II beatifies Francisco and Jacinta at Fátima.
- 12 October 2007: the Basilica of the Holy Trinity is dedicated.
- 13 May 2017: on the centenary of the first apparition, Pope Francis canonises Francisco and Jacinta at Fátima.
Visiting the Fátima Sanctuary
- Pilgrimages: the international pilgrimages of 12 and 13 May and 12 and 13 October are the busiest days, with the candlelight procession on the night of the 12th.
- Nearby: the houses of the shepherd children in Aljustrel, the Via Sacra and Valinhos are described on the Fátima page.
- Services: the sanctuary publishes the times of its masses and celebrations in several languages.
