Fatima, Portugal, May 12, 2026 (Lusa) - Thousands of worshippers are expected at Portugal's Shrine of Fatima on Tuesday and Wednesday for the international pilgrimage of 13 May, at which Rui Valério, the Patriarch of Lisbon, will preside.
The celebrations, marking 109 years since the events at Cova da Iria, in the Fátima district, are scheduled to begin on Tuesday at 9.30 p.m. with the recitation of the Rosary at the Chapel of the Apparitions, followed by the candlelight procession and the Celebration of the Word in the prayer area.
On Wednesday, following the recitation of the Rosary at 9 a.m. in the Chapel of the Apparitions, Mass will begin an hour later, featuring the blessing of the sick and concluding with the farewell procession.
“This will be the first time the Patriarch of Lisbon has presided over an anniversary pilgrimage at Cova da Iria since he was appointed to the Patriarchal See in 2023,” according to information from the shrine.
Speaking to the shrine's newspaper ‘Voz da Fátima’ (Voice of Fatima), Rui Valério, 61, said that he is bringing to the pilgrimage an urgent plea for global peace and a call to Christians to reach out to others, especially those living in sadness or abandonment.
"We pray that this peace may descend and dwell in the heart of every person, particularly in those in positions of authority and in those who bear the responsibility of determining the course of nations," he said.
By early Monday afternoon, 170 groups, totalling 7,550 pilgrims, had registered for this pilgrimage, according to the institution’s figures.
Of the 170 groups, 67 are from Portugal and 103 are travelling from 30 different foreign countries.
"The top 5 foreign countries from which most pilgrims come remain the same: Poland, Italy, France, Brazil and Mexico," the shrine said.
For this pilgrimage, the first major celebration of 2026 at the Shrine of Fatima, Civil Protection has deployed around 300 personnel, 170 of whom are from 29 fire brigades in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region, to assist and support the pilgrims.
As for the National Republican Guard, there will be around 200 personnel on duty daily.
SR/MYAL // AYLS
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