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Fátima

The Sanctuary of Fátima is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Marian devotion, attracting pilgrims from all over the world.

Before 1917, the site where the Sanctuary of Fátima stands today was an unknown hamlet. A religious event that year changed the history of this place forever, when three shepherd children, Jacinta, her cousin Francisco and her cousin Lúcia witnessed a series of apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nossa Senhora do Rosário. The Church initially reacted with caution, but the phenomenon was cherished by the population. It was not until 1930 that the apparitions were recognised by the Bishop of Leiria. From that moment on, Fátima underwent remarkable development. It was elevated to municipality status in 1977 and granted city status in 1997.