Pinoy World Youth Day delegates visit Fatima shrine in Portugal

Philippine delegates to the World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain joined their counterparts from other parts of the world in visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the pilgrims went to the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima where the Virgin Mary was believed to have appeared to three children - Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia. Francisco and Jacinta had been declared blessed on May 13, 2000 by Blessed John Paul II. Sister Lucia died on February 13, 2005. Delegates assigned in Malpartida were joined by the town’s mayor at Mass on August 12, the CBCP said. Father Nitodel Soriano from Bacolod, was quoted in the report as saying, “First time ko din nakapasok sa bahay ng tatlong bata na pinakitaan ng mahal na Birhen na kung saan, talagang napreserve pa din yun bahay for many years. Nakita ko na madaming pilgrims ang pumupunta dun pero napakatahimik pa din na kung saan the pilgrims really maximize the silence because they are praying intimately." “Nakakapanindig balahibo kasi yun experience, you can really experience how the apparition really happened. You can still feel the ambience, na mafeel mo yung presence ng Panginoon sa lugar na ‘yun," Soriano said. "Other than that, maraming mga bata na pumunta doon, mga pilgrims ng WYD from different countries. It was an experience for young people from around the world to really see the place and to be touched by history and faith," he added. - VVP, GMA News