There will be opportunities for both individual and group visits when the National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima and relics of St Jacinta and St Francisco come to our diocese.
The visit will begin on Saturday September 9 at St Charles Borromeo in Hull, where there will be a service of evening prayer and Marian devotions.
It will leave Hull on Monday September 11 and travel to be received during the 12.10pm Mass at St Wilfrid’s in York. There will also be Mass in the extraordinary form during the statue’s stay at the church.
On Wednesday May 13 the statue and relics will be received at St Mary’s Cathedral in Middlesbrough during the 6pm evening devotions.
Pope Francis has granted a special Fatima Centenary Plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, for those who go on pilgrimage to Fatima or visit an image of Our Lady of Fatima which is being publicly venerated on the 13th of each month until October. Those who cannot travel can fulfil the conditions in front of a small image of Our Lady of Fatima.
Two of the child visionaries, Jacinta and Francisco, were canonised by Pope Francis in Fatima on the 100th anniversary itself.
At each resting place in our diocese, representatives from the World Apostolate of Fatima (WAF) will be available to show a DVD and presentation about the apparitions, helping people understand more about the Our Lady’s message.
She spoke of the necessity of personal conversion, penance and prayer, and particularly the importance of praying the Rosary for peace.
She also asked for the Five First Saturdays devotion of reparation and the consecration of Russia and promised that in the end her Immaculate Heart would triumph and a period of peace would be given to the world.
You can see more details about the WAF England and Wales at www.worldfatima-englandwales.org.uk