Portugal will once again set out under the protection of the Blessed Virgin. From October 10 to 12, the second edition of the Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Christendom – Portugal will take place, covering about 60 kilometers from Nazaré to the Sanctuary of Fátima, with the Traditional Latin Mass, the recitation of the Rosary, and penance as its central elements.
The initiative, which held its first edition in 2025, continues to spread to Portuguese lands the spirit of the pilgrimages of Chartres and Covadonga, which each year bring together thousands of Catholics, especially young people and families, around the traditional liturgy and devotion to Our Lady.
The chosen date has special significance. The pilgrims will arrive in Fátima on Monday, October 12, the eve of the anniversary of the Virgin’s last apparition to the three shepherd children on October 13, 1917.
Three days to the feet of Our Lady of Fátima
The pilgrimage will begin on Saturday at the Sanctuary of Nazaré, where the departure Mass will be celebrated. From there, the pilgrims will walk about 20 kilometers each day, divided into three stages.
The first day will end in Cumeiras de Cima, after passing through Alcobaça. On Sunday, participants will continue toward Batalha, with a new celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass at the monastery of that town. Finally, on Monday they will undertake the last stage to Fátima, where the closing Mass is scheduled.
During the three days, the pilgrims will walk organized in chapters, accompanied by the recitation of the Holy Rosary, singing, and moments of prayer. Families may also participate through adapted routes, approximately half the distance planned for adults.
The pilgrimage is promoted by Catholic laypeople with the support of the São Nuno de Santa Maria Institute, and centers on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass according to the Roman rite.
A pilgrimage to rediscover Catholic Tradition in Portugal
The purpose of Our Lady of Christendom – Portugal goes beyond reaching Fátima. Its promoters want to help Portuguese Catholics rediscover the richness of the Church’s Tradition and pass it on to new generations.
Portugal, whose history is deeply linked to the spread of the Catholic faith, holds a singular place in this initiative. The organizers recall that the country was for centuries an instrument of evangelization and express their desire that it once again place that heritage at the service of Our Lady and the Church.
The pilgrimage also takes as its reference the words of the message of Fátima: “In Portugal the dogma of the faith will always be preserved.”
Under the motto In viam pacis dirige nos —“Direct our steps on the path of peace”—, taken from the Gospel of Saint Luke, this second edition seeks to bring the faithful together in an experience of prayer, sacrifice, and public witness to the faith.
To Fátima on the eve of the anniversary of the miracle of the sun
The arrival on Monday, October 12, will allow the pilgrims to conclude their journey precisely when Fátima prepares to commemorate the last apparition of the Blessed Virgin.
On October 13, 1917, Our Lady appeared to the three shepherd children and identified herself as the Lady of the Rosary. That day also saw the so-called miracle of the sun, witnessed by a multitude gathered in the Cova da Iria.
The call of Fátima to prayer, penance, and conversion thus finds concrete expression in the three days of pilgrimage from Nazaré.
With this second edition, Portuguese Catholics will once again walk the path to the feet of Our Lady, united by the Traditional Latin Mass and the Rosary, in a pilgrimage that seeks to keep alive the faith received and transmit it to future generations.