There are already tens of thousands waiting for it. Next Friday, Portugal will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the supposed apparitions of the Virgin. For this occasion, the Pope must go to the Shrine of Fatima around six in the evening (French time). There he canonized Francisco and Jacinta, two of the three shepherds to whom the Virgin Mary appeared in 1917.
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To see the Pope, many groups of pilgrims traveled on foot from several regions of Portugal to the city of Fatima, located in the center of the country. Some walked on their knees the last few meters leading to the small Church of the Apparitions, to pray in front of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima.
In a video message addressed to the Portuguese on Wednesday, May 10, the Argentine pope announced that he would come for a twenty-four-hour pilgrimage: “I will come among you with the joy of sharing with everyone the Gospel of hope and peace. »
400 thousand pilgrims in the square
Those with intense devotion to Mary will depart Rome early Friday afternoon to arrive at Monte Real military air base north of Lisbon. He will be welcomed upon getting off the plane by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, with whom he will hold a special meeting.
Then, Pope Francis will go directly by helicopter to Fatima, to enter the Marian shrine on board a “Pope Mobile” specially transported from Rome. He will pray alone in the Church of the Apparitions, then bless the 400,000 pilgrims expected for the occasion in the huge square at the foot of Fatima Cathedral. At nightfall, the faithful will follow the traditional torchlight procession, an occasion for the eagerly awaited second greeting of the Pope.
Visit under high security
The Pope's arrival prompted the Portuguese authorities to deploy a security system on an unprecedented scale. About 6,000 police and emergency services personnel will be mobilized every day.
Border controls have been re-imposed since Wednesday, vehicle movement will be completely banned around the sanctuary, airspace overlooking the fence will be closed and an electronic signal jammer will prevent drone overflights.
