Fátima

[sanctamaria17]

Lately, I’ve become devoted to Our Lady of Fátima and feel a strong desire to go to Fátima. The earliest I could go is probably next year. I have a few questions:

1. What exactly do you do on a pilgrimage? Mass? Group rosary? Processions? I don’t know what goes on.
2. How long would I stay there? A couple days? A week and see other sites, pilgrimage or not? Inside or outside Portugal?
3. Where would I stay? Hotel? Hostel? Boarding house?
4. If I take some traveling companions, whom should I take?
5. What should I bring? Aside from clothes, toiletries, money, passport, etc?

Thanks

 

[childofmary1143]

Lately, I’ve become devoted to Our Lady of Fátima and feel a strong desire to go to Fátima. The earliest I could go is probably next year. I have a few questions:

1. What exactly do you do on a pilgrimage? Mass? Group rosary? Processions? I don’t know what goes on.
2. How long would I stay there? A couple days? A week and see other sites, pilgrimage or not? Inside or outside Portugal?
3. Where would I stay? Hotel? Hostel? Boarding house?
4. If I take some traveling companions, whom should I take?
5. What should I bring? Aside from clothes, toiletries, money, passport, etc?

Thanks

Having been to Fatima perhaps I can help.

A pilgrimage is a spiritual trip. So your energies should mostly but not totally be focused on Fatima. As for how long and where you stay I would advise you search out travel agencies that offer packages to Fatima. They do exist. You should ask companions that would want to come with you to Fatima.

Lots of film or a large SD for your digital camera as you would want to take lots of photos. Be sure to get traveller’s cheques rather than money as tourists are an easy mark for thieves there.

Hope that helps.

 

[Teakafrog]

If I was going to Fatima, I would go on an organized pilgrimage. There are many different companies that will organize groups of pilgrims to go to shrines, and help coordinate transportation and plan an itinerary while you are there. If you google ‘pilgrimages’ you should find several options. Of course, I’ve never traveled abroad, so that would be the least stress-inducing way for me. If you’re a seasoned traveler, you could do it yourself.

 

[PapaSquash]

I suggest you visit Braga in the north of Portugal. It is a small, slow-paced and very old city.

They say that Lisbon plays, Oporto works and Braga prays. So it would be in keeping with a pilgrimage.

Braga and the environs has a lot of beautiful old churches, I recommend Bom Jesus, Sameiro and the Se (Cathedral)

I stayed with family, so I have no personal experience, but you could consider the Pousadas: State-owned historic buildings that have been turned into lodgings. My aunt likes them.

Aveiro on the central coast is pretty. The Beach resorts in the south are like beach resorts anywhere else. Sintra is a nice day trip.

 

[puzzleannie]

I recently found out that our diocese keeps track of all the parishes and other organizations (KC etc) who are sponsoring pilgrimages, as of course the bishop has to approve the priest who will be leading it. great clearing center for info on really reasonable priced tours. might be worth a call to your diocese, or look at ads in diocesan newspaper or on the website.

get your passport updated if you have not gotten it recently, some rules have changed.

 

[Fergal]

Lately, I’ve become devoted to Our Lady of Fátima and feel a strong desire to go to Fátima. The earliest I could go is probably next year. I have a few questions:

1. What exactly do you do on a pilgrimage? Mass? Group rosary? Processions? I don’t know what goes on.
2. How long would I stay there? A couple days? A week and see other sites, pilgrimage or not? Inside or outside Portugal?
3. Where would I stay? Hotel? Hostel? Boarding house?
4. If I take some traveling companions, whom should I take?
5. What should I bring? Aside from clothes, toiletries, money, passport, etc?

Thanks

Having been there many times i would ask you to consider the following for a most beautiful pilgrimage to Fatima.

Do go any month from May to october and make sure to include the 12th and the 13th of the month. There are wonderful processions, and outdoor Masses on these days.
If you can get to Santarem, where the Sacred Host that turned to flesh and blood is kept it is a wonderful sight and a very movng experience. Then of course there is Coimbra, home to Sr Lucy until her death on Feb 13th 2005.

I would urge you to stay in Domus Pacis hotle which is directly behind the shrine and is the main hotel of the World Apostolate of Fatima. It has two chapels one Roman Rite and the other Byzantine Rite just above it. You can see it here at virtual-net.pt/DomusPacis/site/english/main.htm

This is where I stayed and I love it. I would never consider anywhere else. They have single rooms too if you are travelling on your own. very competitive prices.

If you want more info just contact me!