Our Trip To Santiago De Compostela & Fatima

Our middle daughter, upon graduating from college, decided to enroll in an international program which involved teaching English at a Catholic High School in Seville, Spain. While planning her year long adventure, my husband and I decided to join her on the outbound flight, move her into her apartment, and then the 3 of us would take some time to visit Spain & Portugal. 

Our first stop was to Asturias where my Spanish relatives reside in a small town named Taramundi. It is 2 hours from Santiago Compostela where we visited the Cathedral of Santiago Compostela, the burial place of St. James, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ and it is the proud final destination of every pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago.

The next day we were on our way to Fatima, Portugal to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared 6 times to 3 young children there, (her chosen messengers) Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia. This happened between May and October of 1917. Through her apparitions and message, the Mother of God led the 3 young children to our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We were lucky enough to time it perfectly and enjoy outdoor mass. It was truly an amazing experience that we will never forget. We walked to most of the locations of the apparitions which surround the Cathedral grounds. Read more here: https://www.fatima.pt/en/pages/places-of-the-apparitions

We then observed a long line of people slowing making their way to a giant firepit and they were all holding candles anywhere from 10 inches long to 4 feet long. We proceeded to the area to purchase the beeswax candles and stood in the very long line with everyone else. After about an hour, we made it to the fire pit. This is the fire pit at the Shrine of Fatima, where Catholics from all over the world go to burn devotional candles as a way of making good on a promise to Our Lady of Fatima. Pilgrims burn several tons of wax every month at the shrine.

We are thankful and grateful to have experienced a day at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. We encourage you to read all about the Fatima apparition and the Marian message of hope as it is a sign of the presence of faith for the entire world.

Prayers taught by Our Lady