Roman Catholics celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on Monday, May 13, marking the 107th anniversary of the first of the six apparitions of the Blessed Mother to three shepherd children- Lucia dos Santos and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinto Marto-at the Cova de Ira in Fatima, Portugal in 1917.
In the country, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Marulas, Valenzuela, Metro Manila will hold commemorative masses at 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and at 12 noon.
The Eucharistic Adoration and Chaplet of the Angel of Peace will be held at 4:30 p.m. It will be followed by the Harana (Serenade) sa Mahal na Birhen at 5:30 p.m.
Malolos Bishop Dennis C. Villarojo will preside over the concelebrated Misa Mayor (High Mass) at 6 p.m. A solemn procession of the National Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Fatima, which was canonically crowned on Feb. 25 this year, will be held at 7 p.m.
The shrine encourages the faithful to reflect on the message of the Holy Mother to the three shepherd children during the first apparition: “Pray the Rosary every day in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of war.”
Considered as the most important series of Marian apparitions in the Roman Catholic Church, the Blessed Mother appeared on the 13th day of each month for six consecutive months from May 13 to Oct. 13, 1917 to the three shepherd children.
On her first apparition, she requested the children to pray the Holy Rosary, perform works of mortification for the conversion of sinners, and requested for devotion to herself under the title Immaculate Conception.
In recognition of the apparitions, Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to Mary under the title of Immaculate Conception.
The series of apparitions were declared as worthy of belief by the Holy See in October 1930.
Formally known as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fatima, devotees marked the centennial of the Fatima apparitions in 2017. The special event coincided with the canonization of Blessed Francisco and Jacinta by Pope Francis in Fatima, Portugal.
Francisco and Jacinta both succumbed to the flu epidemic. Francisco died on April 4, 1919 at the age of ten while Jacinta died at the age of nine on February 20, 1920. They were beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 13, 2000.