The Fatima children

Today we visited the homes of the three Fatima children. No one lives in them now, but they are preserved for visitors to see. What a wonderfully simple life they led!

The Marto home.

This is the room where Francisco died.

Jacinta's room.

Sheep outside Lucia's home.

The home of  Lucia.

The well behind Lucia's home is where the angel appeared the second time.  We prayed the prayers he taught the children and sang to St. Michael.

Moving on to the Cabeco

From here we went to the Cabeco where the angel appeared the other times.  We prayed a rosary walking along the path. Many other pilgrims were praying and singing as well ... it was a joy to see all the groups from different countries, here for the 100th anniversary of the angel's apparitions. Many stopped to say hello... groups from Spain, Germany, Portugal, and even Africa!

When we got to Valinhos...where Our Lady appeared on August 19 ... we took a group picture.

 

This group of Spanish pilgrims danced the flamenco for us, and we sang the 

Spanish Ave Maria for them!

 Here again at the feet of Our Lady we laid our petitions (and yours!) ... offering prayers and hymns in her honor. One  other group of pilgrims even joined us for a song!

 Then we boarded the bus and drove to the parish church of Fatima, seeing where the children were baptized, and where they were originally buried. Many of their relatives are still buried there, as well as some of the priests associated with the Fatima story.

Baptismal font where the 3 children were baptized...plaques on the wall give the dates. 

 It is such an amazing experience to walk where the children spent their days, and where an angel of heaven and Our Lady appeared! It makes you feel small ... and remembering Our Lady's words fills the heart with HOPE amidst all the sorrows and evils of our world.