Sunday out and about...

Today we ventured out from Fatima to visit a Cistercian monastery in nearby Alcobaca.  Like the other monasteries we’ve visited, it was truly impressive, though sad that there are no longer vocations to fill it. Maybe because we felt at home in a religious house or maybe just because we were all happy, we managed to find a hymn or song to sing in just about every room. Our tour guide is getting used to that by now!

The beautiful blue and white Portuguese tiles are everywhere. Often the images 

tell the story of the church or town.

Walking through the Romanesque style cloisters.

Showing the tour guide how religious walk two by two!

The cloisters are some of the most beautiful parts of every monastery. 

Wonder how we could get some of these at the Mount?!😉

This was the chapter room with huge statues of Cistercian saints.

The next stop was a fishing town called Nazare. The waves from the ocean here are the highest in the world! The city is on the top of a huge hill and the view is magnificent. We learned a little history of the place… including two stories about Our Lady.  In one, the monks hid a statue of Our Lady during the time of the Moorish invasions and it was only discovered hundreds of years later. At that time a beautiful church was built to house the statue and ever since, the people have a real and tender devotion to her. We saw the ancient statue, and sang several hymns to Our Lady there. Needless to say all these opportunities for singing together are going to be special memories of the pilgrimage!

The view of the ocean from the city above.

The chapel built to house the statue they found ... she is high above the main altar.

We went up behind the altar and were able to see and venerate the statue.

Later, a nobleman was hunting a deer and did not realize it was going to charge over the precipice.  The deer went over but the man called upon Our Lady of Nazare and his horse was saved from going over. He built a large cross and small chapel on the site in thanksgiving.

A painting in the large church shows the story.

Entering the small chapel ... too dark inside for pictures.

We ate lunch here and some of the sisters met a kind owner of a snack shop who sold them their food at a discount and told them much about himself and his family. He was a Catholic with ties to the fishing industry, but also had lived in Canada and Detroit, so spoke excellent English. We brought the other sisters in and sang for him before leaving.

The next stop was the quaint medieval town of Obidos. When Queen Isabel of Portugal first saw it she so liked it that the King gave it to her as a wedding gift. Future kings did the same. We visited the main church in honor of Our Lady, walked the beautiful streets, and climbed the walls of the castle ruins, and then headed back to Fatima for more time at the shrine and dinner, etc.

The streets are so narrow... but lovely!

The city walls are still partially standing, and give a great view.... but be careful!

 No railings or safety measures of any kind....

Inside one of 11 chapels in the town ...see all the tile?

Quiet time in chapel is always part of the visit!