Pilgrimage of the Luminaries of Holy Mary

On June 4, Pentecost Sunday, we had the pilgrimage of the Luminaries of Holy Mary to Fátima. From North and South of the country five busses made their way to the Shrine of “the Lady brighter than the sun”, who is for each of the Luminaries a maternal refuge and the way that leads to God.

A truly Pentecostal pilgrimage graced by the Centenary of the Apparitions and the much awaited canonization of Francisco and Jacinta, models of sanctity for the Luminaries of Holy Mary.

The Luminary groups, together with the Sisters, went on pilgrimage to Fátima

in the hope of rekindling the gift of joy

and strengthening the bond of unity

that is so characteristic of them.

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The pilgrims followed the Sanctuary of Fátima’s programme, with the Rosary prayer, the Eucharistic celebration and the Jubilee Catechesis.By exploring the gifts of the Holy Spirit and focusing on the spirituality of Fátima and of the shepherd children, on the love these children had for the Immaculate Heart of Mary as a place of encounter with God, and further experiencing the grace of going through the portico as a pilgrim willing to be transformed, each one was then able to deeply feel that which identifies them, that is

«(that) Fátima is above all this mantle of Light enveloping us,

when we take refuge under the protection of the Virgin Mother

to ask of Her “show us unto Jesus”»

(Pope Francis, homily of 13 May 2017)

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The prayer and testimonials the pilgrims took home were a reflection of a pilgrimage filled with the Light and Grace which had touched their lives, impressing upon them a committed desire to set alight and enlighten all those that journey alongside them on the road of life.

Sílvia Rocha, asm