Last Fatima child buried in final resting place (Sr. Lucia remains transferred to Fatima)

Yahoo News ^ | February 19, 2006 | Carlos Pontes

[NYer]

FATIMA, Portugal (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Christian pilgrims braved cold and rainy weather on Sunday to pay their final respects to the last of three shepherd children who said they had seen the Virgin Mary in Portugal in 1917.

Sister Lucia, the last of the three, died a year ago and on Sunday her remains were moved to her last resting place in the Shrine of Fatima -- where they saw visions of the Virgin which have become some of the most important in the Catholic Church.

Church officials said around 100,000 people packed the Fatima sanctuary, about 150 km (95 miles) north of Portugal's capital Lisbon. They had come from all over Portugal and the world.

Sister Lucia died a year ago, aged 97, at her Carmelite convent in Coimbra where she had been buried until now. She had wished to be buried at the convent for a year before being removed to Fatima.

"Fulfilling her profound wish we will give her body to the (Fatima) sanctuary," said the Bishop of Coimbra, Albino Cleto, during a mass held at the local cathedral.

Sister Lucia's remains had been driven from Coimbra and when they arrived in Fatima volunteers carried them.

"I have been here 8 hours to venerate a saint," said Efigenia Silva as she clutched a picture of Lucia and carnations as the procession with Lucia's remains passed by.

The coffin was buried in the Basilica next to the sepulchre of Sister Lucia's cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto, the other two children who saw the Virgin. Jacinta died in 1919 and Francisco in 1920 in an influenza pandemic.

The two were beatified, the last stage before sainthood, in 2000.

Sunday's ceremonies ended with a "farewell procession" with pilgrims from around the world waving white handkerchiefs.

Lucia dos Santos, who said she and her cousins first saw the Virgin on an oak tree on May 13, 1917, died on February 13, 2005, at the age of 97.

The children said the Virgin appeared six times and witnesses said an estimated 50,000 people saw bright lights and rainbow colours at her last appearance.

Dos Santos, who became a nun after having the visions, also said she had a vision that foretold the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul on May 13, 1981.

Pope John Paul later placed one of the bullets that nearly killed him in the crown of the statue of Fatima.

Dos Santos was said by believers to have received prophecies from the Virgin about a vision of hell and the outbreak of World War Two.

The Vatican interpreted the prophecies as foretelling Communism's persecution of Christianity. The apparitions took place the same year as the Russian Revolution.

[NYer]

Reuters - Sun Feb 19, 12:26 PM ET

Pallbearers carry the coffin of nun Lucia dos Santos, as it passes in front of Fatima's Holly Mary image, at the shrine in central Portugal February 19, 2006. The remains of Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, the last of three children who claimed to see the Virgin at Fatima and who revealed a vision the Catholic Church said foretold the attempt to kill Pope John Paul, has been transferred to Fatima shrine on Sunday. Dos Santos, 97, died February 13, 2005, was the eldest of the shepherd children who in 1917 told of seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary six times. REUTERS/Marcos Borga

Reuters - Sun Feb 19, 12:37 PM ET

The coffin carrying the remains of nun Lucia dos Santos passes by the pilgrins with a slogan 'Felizes' (Happy) in the Fatima's shrine in central Portugal February 19, 2006. The remains of Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, the last of three children who claimed to see the Virgin at Fatima and who revealed a vision the Catholic Church said foretold the attempt to kill Pope John Paul, has been transfered to Fatima shrine on Sunday. Dos Santos, 97, died February 13, 2005, was the eldest of the shepherd children who in 1917 told of seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary six times. REUTERS/Jose Manuel Ribeiro

Reuters - Sun Feb 19, 12:39 PM ET

Three children dressed as the sheppard's of Fatima shrine participate during the procession in central Portugal February 19, 2006. The remains of Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, the last of three children who claimed to see the Virgin at Fatima and who revealed a vision the Catholic Church said foretold the attempt to kill Pope John Paul, has been transferred to Fatima shrine on Sunday. Dos Santos, 97, died February 13, 2005, was the eldest of the shepherd children who in 1917 told of seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary six times. REUTERS/Marcos Borga

[NYer]

Reuters - Sun Feb 19, 1:42 PM ET The Grave of nun Lucia dos Santos inside Fatima shrine is seen after religious ceremonies in central Portugal February 19, 2006. The remains of Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, the last of three children who claimed to see the Virgin at Fatima and who revealed a vision the Catholic Church said foretold the attempt to kill Pope John Paul, has been transferred to Fatima shrine on Sunday. Dos Santos, 97, died February 13, 2005, was the eldest of the shepherd children who in 1917 told of seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary six times. REUTERS/Paulo Novais/Pool

* * * * *

EWTN provided 7 1/2 hours of outstanding, live coverage this morning. Colin Donovan acted as host. Speaking to catholic and non-catholics viewers during one of the two Masses held, he explained the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Noting that our Lord remains with us for 15 minutes, he cited the story of St. Francis de Salles who, seeing a parishioner leave immediately after communion, sent two altar servers with candles to accompany the communicant on his trip home :-).

[STARWISE]

I saw some of it ...it was very grandly done. Truly a miraculous event .. what blessed gifts to and of the three. It's so perfect that their remains are now together at this precious place .. I'm sure they are so joyous together in the presence of Blessed Mother. I'll never forget how Pope John Paul's life was saved ..and the bullet he memorialized in the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. I believe, too, that his life was spared by Blessed Mary's intercession .. he had such a core connection to her and she surely loved him. It's really supernatural.

[Miss Marple]

I am sorry I missed this! I didn't have any idea this was happening today, so my television has been news and Olympics all day long. Darn!

Maybe some of it will get replayed this week.

[Salvation]

Last Fatima child buried in final resting place (Sr. Maria's remains transferred to Fatima)

Sister Lucia, last remaining witness of Fatima apparitions, dies at 97

SISTER LUCIA RIP

LAST OF CHILDREN WHO CLAIMED TO SEE VIRGIN MARY DIES AT 97

Last child who claimed to see "Virgin Mary" dies

Virgin Mary Child Dies (Lucia of Fatima)

Mourning for Fatima seer (Portugal declares day of mourning)

Third Secret of Fatima is not fully revealed.

Sister Lucia, last remaining witness of Fatima apparitions, dies at 97

Sr. Lucia, Fatima, and Islam

Mystery Fatima: Death of Lucia Accents Famed Secrets & Area's Hidden History

"No More Secrets," Visionary Said in 2001 (Sr. Lucia Confirmed Russia Consecrated to Mary)

Papal praise at Sister Lucia's funeral

Our Lady of Fatima, ‘counterrevolutionary’ and ‘ecumenical’

[Salvation]

Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto - Feast is February 20

Text of the Secret of Fátima with Commentary

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