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October 2025: Fatima Report
Oct 14, 2025 / Written by: Felipe Barandiaran
October 12–13: Pilgrimage to Fatima
Dusk was falling over the fields of Fatima. The narrow roads leading to the Shrine were lined with pilgrims, many of whom had journeyed more than 100 kilometers on foot. Among them was Paulo Carvalho, a young student from the University of Coimbra, originally from Brazil. He greeted us at the entrance to the Apparition Esplanade, having walked 90 kilometers from the coastal village of Nazaré, famous for its towering waves and international surfing championships. The fatigue on his sun-tanned face was evident, yet his joy was unmistakable. He was radiant with excitement at the thought of joining the candlelight procession while carrying the America Needs Fatima banner, upon which all your names were inscribed.
I was accompanied on this occasion by Federico Catani, a member of the TFP representative office in Rome.
Accessing the esplanade was not easy—it was filled with pilgrims from around the world. Thankfully, when the crowd saw us carrying the banner, they graciously made way so we could take our place in the order of procession before it began.
Shortly after we reached the designated area, the recitation of the Holy Rosary began. Following the Joyful Mysteries, the great candlelight procession slowly advanced, led by the luminous cross of the Sanctuary. It is impossible to fully describe the emotion one feels when witnessing thousands of candles flickering in the night, carried by pilgrims softly singing Ave, Ave, Maria.
As our banner passed, a group of women exclaimed, “America, America for the Virgin! What a beautiful motto!” They then asked, “And what do all those tiny names written behind the image of the Virgin mean?” We explained that they represent the many people who, though unable to come in person, wished to unite themselves spiritually to this pilgrimage and, in their own way, contributed to spreading devotion to Our Lady of Fatima.
The night of October 12 was deeply moving. A waning moon shone high in the sky. For many, it may be difficult to understand how such immense crowds continue to gather each year to commemorate the final apparition of the Virgin Mary at Fatima. Yet the answer lies in Her own words: that even amid moral decline and laws contrary to God, faith would continue to live on in Portugal.
October 13: The Day of the Miracle of the Sun
Monday, October 13, dawned bright and clear in Fatima. After the morning Mass concluded, the Farewell Procession began—a profoundly touching moment. As the statue of the Virgin passed by, tens of thousands of pilgrims waved their white handkerchiefs, many holding back tears, and sang, “Ave, ave, ave Maria!”
When the ceremony ended, we—the representatives of America Needs Fatima—gathered again at the far end of the esplanade. We unfurled the banners prepared for this year’s Rosary Rally, each bearing the names of participants from across the United States. A large heart made of thousands of red roses represented the captains of the prayer groups, while two additional banners displayed the names of the benefactors who symbolically offered white roses to Our Lady.
After taking the photos you see here, the roses were reverently delivered to the Sanctuary. They were used to adorn the Chapel of the Apparitions and other sacred altars. Some were also placed inside the Basilica, before the tombs of the Little Shepherds—Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucía.
