Our Final Day

  Today is our final day. After Mass and breakfast we started the long drive toward Lisbon. We stopped at Bathala Monastery along the way.  This was a Dominican Monastery … we’ve seen Franciscan, Carmelite, Cistercian, Templar, Dorothean  and Augustinian monasteries on this trip!

The magnificent entrance.

The ceiling

Tombs like this are all around one of the rooms... this is one of the queens.

More of those beautiful Gothic cloisters!

The Portuguese tomb of the unknown soldier is in the monastery.  

Also a damaged cross which they rescued during WW1.

Look a the detail of the craftmanship!

Outside the monastery is a monument to Blessed Nuno; he was a nobleman, soldier and friend of the king, who helped win an important battle against the Spanish. After the war his young wife died and so he entered the monastery. He was very humble and pious, and soon became known for his sanctity. After his death he was eventually canonized.

Before reaching our hotel, our wonderful guide Helena surprised us with a stop at a Poor Clare Convent… it was formerly the orphanage where Jacinta Marto stayed before going to the hospital in Lisbon where she  died. Our Lady appeared to Jacinta here … we saw the chair where she sat! … and it was there she talked about modesty and fashions that would offend God, about treating priests with respect, and the need to pray for them.  We were able to kneel and pray by her bed, and from the balcony where she would attend Mass, since she was too ill to go down to the chapel. This was such a special way to end our trip…and a wonderful surprise from our guide (and Our Lady!)

Jacinta's room and the chair where Our Lady sat.

Sr. Rita told us about Jacinta's stay there.

Jacinta's dress

The balcony above the chapel.

From here we went back to the hotel for dinner and to pack. We leave for the airport at 3:00 AM!!