On the morning of May 14, marking a weekend that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first Fátima apparition and the canonization of two of the Fátima children, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels welcomed the pilgrim Our Lady of Fátima statue, which Archbishop José H. Gomez blessed at the end of the 10 a.m. Mass.

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Following the Mass, the replica statue began a short tour of parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, a tradition first proposed by Sister Lúcia, the eldest of the three children to witness the apparitions. The Marian apparitions first began on May 13, 1917, continuing on the 13th of each month for six months and culminating in the “Miracle of the Sun” on Oct. 13. Mary repeatedly emphasized the necessity of praying the rosary each day, of wearing the Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel and of performing acts of reparation and sacrifice for sinners. The Blessed Mother emphasized her role in salvation, telling the children, “God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.”

 

The regional statue was created by Boaventura Pereira de Matos from the North of Portugal, an apprentice of José Ferreira Thedim, the creator of the original statue of Our Lady of Fátima that is venerated at the Shrine of Fátima.

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The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fátima  coordinated the circulation of the statue to various parishes across the archdiocese. For more information, go to bluearmyla.org.