It is now 91 years since ‘Our Lady Queen of Peace’ chose Fatima, a little hamlet in Portugal, to bring the message of love to the world divided in 1917 by the horrors of the First World War.

On the 13th May 1917 Our Lady appeared to three little shepherds while they were watching over their flocks at a place called Cova da Iria in the rocky unproductive area of central Portugal now known the world over as Fatima.

The three children, Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia had already been prepared for the advent of ‘A Lady brighter than the Sun’ by the apparition of a shining angel. The apparition gave an urgent request for continued prayer and was reinforced by the Blessed Virgin’s insistence upon greater devotion to the Rosary. The Lady from heaven asked the children to return six times at the same hour on the 13th of every month.

‘Our Lady of the Rosary’ subsequently made known that she wanted a chapel to be built there in her honour. She announced that the War was nearing its end and that Our Blessed Lord was outraged and offended by the behaviour of mankind. She stressed the importance of praying the Rosary every day and penance in reparation for the sins committed by man. Many pilgrims, sometimes up to one million at a time, some on foot, make the pilgrimage to Fatima to pray to Our Lady.

Fatima is approximately 75 miles north of Lisbon with a transfer time of 1 3/4 hours. The pilgrimages include return scheduled flight with in-flight catering, transfer plus courier and/or spiritual director and prayer book. Flight time is approximately 2 1/2 hours from London Heathrow.