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WORLD NEWS Saturday 13 May 2017
Pope cheered in Fatima to honor children who urged peace

By NICOLE WINFIELD reported was a vision of
BARRY HATTON the sun “spinning” in the
TRISHA THOMAS sky and zigzagging toward
Associated Press Earth.
FATIMA, Portugal (AP) — The Portuguese church de-
Pope Francis urged Cath- clared the visions authen-
olics on Friday to “tear tic in 1930.
down all walls” and spread The children reported that
peace as he traveled to the Madonna revealed to
this Portuguese shrine town them three “secrets,” and
to mark the 100th anni- urged them to pray for
versary of one of the most peace and turn away from
unique events of the 20th- sin. Francisco and Jacinta
century Catholic Church: Marto died of influenza two
the visions of the Virgin years later, and will be de-
Mary reported by three il- clared saints by the pope
literate shepherd children Saturday, the 100th anni-
and the “secrets” she told versary of the initial vision.
them. Lucia, who later became a
Thousands of pilgrims lined nun and wrote of the chil-
Francis’ motorcade route dren’s experiences, is on
and tossed flower petals, track for beatification, the
evidence that Latin Amer- Pope Francis is greeted by three children dressed as shepherds as he arrives at Monte Real Air first step toward becoming
ica’s first pope has a huge Base in Leiria, Portugal, Friday, May 12, 2017. Pope Francis will canonize on Saturday in Fatima two a saint. Her case couldn’t
following in this largely poor, illiterate shepherd children whose visions of the Virgin Mary 100 years ago marked one of begin until after her death
Catholic country. Cheers the most important events of the 20th-century Catholic Church. in 2005.q
of “Viva o papa!” — “Long (Paulo Cunha/Pool Photo via AP)
live the pope” — erupted
when Francis pulled into In a prayer, he urged the
Fatima’s main square, faithful to follow in the foot-
which had been doused steps of the young shep-
by heavy rains but was herds and spread peace
treated to a brilliant warm even in times of war.
sun by the time he arrived. “We will tear down all walls
There was no official crowd and cross every frontier, as
estimate, but the main we go out to every periph-
square has a capacity of ery, to make known God’s
600,000 and was overflow- justice and peace,” he
ing. Authorities said they said.
expected 1 million people. The Fatima mystery has
“It is a big emotion be- fascinated Catholics and
cause it is the first time he non-Catholics alike for a
comes here, and we are century, blending visions
always hopeful that some- of the Virgin, supernatural
thing can improve,” said meteorological events and
Laurindo Pereira, a 55-year- apocalyptic messages of
old carpenter. “It is faith. In hell, World War II, commu-
everything, it is about faith nism and the death of a
and it is a beautiful thing.” pope.
Francis is spending fewer It all began on May 13,
than 24 hours in Fatima to 1917, when three cousins,
celebrate the centenary aged 7-10, Francisco and
of the apparitions and Jacinta Marto and Lucia
canonize two of the three dos Santos, reported that
shepherd children. He is they had seen a vision of
hoping the message of the Virgin Mary as they
peace that they reported grazed their sheep. They
100 years ago, when Eu- returned to the same spot
rope was in the throes of in the coming months and
World War I, will resonate reported similar visions.
with the Catholic faithful Portuguese church officials
today. initially doubted them.
During an evening vigil at Many doubters, though,
the chapel built on the site became believers after
of the apparitions, Francis the so-called “miracle of
bowed his head in silent the sun” on Oct. 13, 1917.
prayer before the statue of The children had predicted
the Virgin and left a gold- that the Virgin would per-
leaf rose at its base, fol- form a miracle that day,
lowing a tradition of popes and tens of thousands of
leaving golden roses at people flocked to Fatima
Marian shrines. and saw what witnesses