The Santuary of Fátima, in Portugal, is preparing to welcome thousands of pilgrims for the International Anniversary Pilgrimage on October 12 and 13, which commemorates the final apparition of the Blessed Virgin to the three shepherd children in the Cova da Iria in 1917. The celebrations will be presided over by José Cordeiro, Archbishop of Braga, and will include the recitation of the Rosary, Eucharistic processions, a night vigil, and the international Mass on the 13th.
According to the Santuary of Fátima, the pilgrimage will bring together the faithful from various countries and will conclude the annual cycle of major anniversary pilgrimages, which are held between May and October to commemorate the apparitions of Our Lady.
The event coincides with one of the most significant dates in the history of the sanctuary. On October 13, 1917, the Virgin appeared to the shepherd children as Our Lady of the Rosary and asked them to continue praying this prayer daily.
Rosary, Candlelight Procession, and Night Vigil
The celebrations will begin on Monday, October 12, with a Eucharistic procession at 5:30 p.m. in the prayer area. At 9:30 p.m., the Archbishop of Braga will preside over the Rosary in the Chapel of the Apparitions, built on the site associated with the manifestations of the Blessed Virgin.
Following the Rosary, the traditional candlelight procession will take place, one of the best-known celebrations in Fátima, in which pilgrims accompany the image of the Virgin while praying and singing. The program will continue at 10:30 p.m. with a Liturgy of the Word, and at 11:00 p.m. with the procession of silence.
During the night of October 12 to 13, a vigil of prayer will be held, including moments of Eucharistic adoration, veneration of Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto, the Stations of the Cross, and other Marian celebrations. The vigil will allow pilgrims to prepare for the anniversary day through prayer and participation in the sanctuary’s liturgical acts.
The International Mass on October 13
On Tuesday the 13th, the anniversary day, the program will begin at 7:00 a.m. with a Eucharistic procession. At 9:00 a.m., the Rosary will be prayed in the Chapel of the Apparitions, and at 10:00 a.m., the procession toward the altar in the prayer area will begin, where the international Mass presided over by Monsignor José Cordeiro will be celebrated.
The celebration will include the blessing of the sick and will conclude with the traditional farewell procession of the image of Our Lady of Fátima, known as the Procession of Farewell.
The Archbishop of Braga, who will preside over this anniversary pilgrimage for the first time in his capacity as metropolitan archbishop, is also vice-president of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference and president of its Episcopal Commission for Liturgy and Spirituality. His academic formation is closely linked to the study of liturgy, a discipline in which he earned his doctorate at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome.
October 13, 1917, and the Miracle of the Sun
The final apparition in Fátima took place on October 13, 1917, after several months during which the shepherd children Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto claimed to have received visits from the Blessed Virgin.
That day, a large crowd gathered in the Cova da Iria, many drawn by the announcement of an extraordinary sign. Contemporary testimonies describe the phenomenon known as the miracle of the sun, during which numerous witnesses reported observing extraordinary movements and changes in the appearance of the sun.
In 1930, the Bishop of Leiria officially recognized the apparitions as worthy of belief and authorized public veneration of Our Lady of Fátima. Since then, the sanctuary has become one of the main centers of Marian pilgrimage in the world.
The message of Fátima is closely linked to the call to conversion, penance, reparation, and the daily recitation of the Holy Rosary. These requests hold a central place in the spirituality of the sanctuary and in the celebrations that each year commemorate the apparitions.
A New Certificate for Those Who Pilgrimage on Foot
This year’s program also includes the presentation of a Certificate of Pilgrimage on Foot to Fátima, intended to recognize the journey made by those who arrive at the sanctuary walking.
The presentation is scheduled for Monday, October 12, at 4:00 p.m., during a press conference attended by the Archbishop of Braga, José Cordeiro; the Bishop of Leiria-Fátima, José Ornelas; and the rector of the sanctuary, Carlos Cabecinhas.
The initiative highlights the importance of pilgrimages on foot, a practice deeply rooted in Fátima that each year mobilizes numerous faithful during the May and October celebrations.
With this international pilgrimage, the Portuguese sanctuary will conclude the major anniversary celebrations of 2026, once again gathering the faithful around the Eucharist and the message of Our Lady of the Rosary.