Marquette University Athletics
Day 7 -- Fatima, Portugal
6/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
June 4, 2007
LISBON, Portugal -
By: Krystal Ellis
Day 7 -- Fatima, Portugal Photo Gallery
Everyone knows I am a sleeper so as soon as we got on the bus this morning to Fatima, I fell asleep. Our tour guide gave us a wake up call, but I didn't hear it and I missed out on her explaining the background of Fatima. So, I walked up to the front of the bus and talked to Michelle, Terri, Mem and Monica about what was said. They filled me in on what was going on.
First, let me say Fatima is the most important place for Roman Catholic pilgrimage in Portugal.
The shorten version of the story behind Fatima:
On May 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to three kids, siblings Jacinta (eight) Francisco (nine) and Lucia, their cousin, was 10. She told them to pray for peace for every day on the rosary and come back the next month. They did what they were told and came back each month. One month they were supposed to go, they were jailed because the authorities did not believe this was happening leaving the three children unable to pray to her. On Oct. 15, two days after they were supposed to be let go, they went back to Fatima. It was then the miracle of the sun happened before 70, 000 people.
No one could see Mary and everything just turned white, however, it was not a blinding light.
Side note - It was sort of cold and cloudy when we got to Fatima, but by the time mass ended the clouds had cleared and the sun was out. Very interesting.
Ok, back to the story... After this had happened, Mary told the children they would join her soon. In 1919, Francisco died and Jacinta died in 1920. Both died of pneumonia. The cousin was still alive until 2005. He died at age 97.
In 1980, three secrets that Mary told to the three children were revealed.
- A vision of hell
- The prediction of World War II
- Someone would try to kill the Pope (This secret was not revealed until 2000)
I don't think any of us anticipated the amount of people that were going to be at Sunday mass. Our Portugal tour guide Isabella told us that if the basilica is overcrowded mass is held outside. There were tons of busses and cars that we had a hard time finding a spot for the bus to park. Once we finally parked and headed toward the basilica we found there were thousands of people at mass.
There must have been so many people from all over the world there. Marissa actually talked to a couple from New York City that had a family member that lived in Detroit. What a small world!
After mass ended we had an opportunity to go up to the basilica, but could not go in. We were able to see the Chapel of Apparitions - the site where Mary appeared to the three children. It was beautiful.
Before we got on the bus to Lisbon, we ate some lunch and of course did some shopping.
After we left Fatima it was time to focus on tonight's game. I have a feeling this team will be more competitive than our last two in Spain.
In preparation, we had our typical team dinner tonight Portugal style. We went to this little Italian restaurant in Lisbon called Flor dos Arcos. Our spaghetti was delicious, but nothing like the spaghetti I make at Humphrey. The portions they gave us were huge. It seemed as if they gave us larger portions because they think we are used to it living in the U.S. We all ate a lot, but it didn't look like it.
That is all from me. See you when we get back!
Krystal
