- by Krista Cornish Scott
This day was really the peak and culmination of our trip in terms of being meaningful and also the biggest part of the reason I wanted my mother to be able to come join us. My first visit to Fatima was incredibly moving and I wanted to get to share that joy of the first visit to a major Catholic pilgrimage site with my mom.
Brett and I had discussed a couple of times whether or not to take the whole family, meaning mainly Serrin. The two hour bus ride, three hours spent in a place that while not Unfriendly to kids, isn’t really aimed at them, and then two hours back, plus subway and walking on either side…. it really just sounded like a hideous recipie for a major meltdown. On my part. So instead we gave each child the option of coming with me or staying with Brett. Aedhan and Kenna both chose to come, and Colum decided he wanted to go to the zoo with Serrin, as his memories of Fatima were really clear and he didn’t feel like he needed to go back, as long as I promised to buy him a new rosary, which I did.
We set an alarm for the first time in many days, and got up and moving sooner than usual. Luckily our subway stop was the same for us to catch the bus to Fatima, and for Brett to take the kiddos to the zoo, so we all hiked down the hill to Martim Moniz and then grabbed the subway together.
(I’m finishing the draft post several years later, so bear with the scant details)
On the way there in the bus, Kenna barfed! Poor girl. We were able to clean her up pretty well and give her some water. The guy sitting in the middle of our family on the very back row of the bus was not impressed however. Oops. Seasoned mom didn’t even switch seats. I was like, Aedhan, hand your sister this roll of paper towels. Kenna, clench your jaw and look out the window. We have another hour to go! We washed the shirt in the bathroom and used the hand dryer and sponged the skirt as best we could. And of course with the free WiFi on the bus I even posted about it on Facebook!fat
Once we got to Fatima, we took some time to go to the Basilica of the Holy Trinity, which is the newer church on the opposite end of the plaza than the other one we’d gone to the last time we visited. It’s very austere and modern and I thought it was lovely.
Then it was time to go out into the main plaza. It was raining a little and we had umbrellas so walked around a bit. I had intended to do the prayer “walk” on my knees the whole way for the intention of my sister Kerri being able to conceive. It…. was really hard, lol! Seriously. That marble under my knees was pretty challenging. So I’d kneel-shuffle as long as I could and then I’d stand and then kneel again. While I did that my mom walked around with Aedhan and Kenna.
We then made our way to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. The most powerful thing for me both times was getting to visit the graves of Francisco, Lucia and Jacinta. I loved the artwork above the graves that was done before Lucia died, so I believe was meant to represent Jacinta.
Outside the Basilica is a fountain with a tap where you can fill up your bottles with water to be blessed as Holy Water.
My mom really loved this part of the trip and it was very moving for me to be able to take her there, her first big pilgrimage to a really big Catholic holy site.
The chapel of the apparitions is very modest and has a statue that is reportedly on the spot where Mary appeared. It contains a bullet in the crown that was given to the shrine by Pope John Paul II, that was the assasin’s bullet that almost killed him
Outside the shrine there is this amazing selection of classic Catholic kitsch, which I love. Glow-in-the-dark Mary statues, wax representations of body parts that you’re praying for, it’s all there. And gazillions of rosaries. We had a lot of fun picking out souveniers to bring home. I do really love the red beaded rosaries that smell like roses even if it’s heavy perfume.
If I were to advise anyone traveling here, it’s just to leave time to BE and not expect to see a lot of stuff. Plan around going to mass, there are masses in a bunch of languages so google to see what time the English one is. Be prepared that you will be expected to take communion on the tongue. But also try not to go during one of the feast days or anniversaries as that is the most crowded time to visit.
whyyesweare 