Pilgrimage Itinerary

DAY 1 Arrive Fatima

Depart from Dublin at 14:55 for Lisbon. Awaiting us in the arrival's hall will be our Marian Pilgrimages guide who will take us to the village of Lumiar, located just six miles from Lisbon. We will visit the parish church of St. John the Baptist, where carefully preserved in a precious reliquary is part of the skull of St. Brigid. We will hear about the arrival of the skull of St. Brigid in Lumiar and afterwards venerate this special relic. We will continue our drive to Fatima and upon arrival, will have free time for lunch before checking into our hotel. This afternoon, accompanied by our guide, we will enjoy a tour of the sanctuary which will include visits to the following: - Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary - It was barely a decade after the apparitions that construction began on this church with its stirring Neo-Baroque architecture. It is now home to the tombs of the shepherd children. - Chapel of the Apparitions - considered as �the heart� of the Marian Shrine and where the Virgin Mary appeared in 1917. - Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity - built to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims arriving in Fatima. The basilica can accommodate more than 8,000 pilgrims and boasts some magnificent works of liturgical art. We will celebrate evening Mass and after dinner can return to the sanctuary to attend the Candlelight Procession and Rosary which take place each evening at 9 pm.

DAY 2 Hungarian Way of the Cross, Valinhos & Aljustrel

Winding a way through the olive and cork trees of the Fatima countryside the Way of the Cross is the path taken each day by the three shepherd children as they went to graze their herds. This morning we will visit the sites associated with the apparitions and three shepherd children. Loca do Cabe�o As the site of the first and third apparitions of the Angel of Peace to the children of Fatima, Loca do Cabe�o is a true place of reflection and prayer. Valinhos Between the 8th and 9th station of the Way of the Cross in the Path of the little Shepherds, there is the place where the fourth apparition of Our Lady took place, on August 19th, 1917. Aljustrel Here we will see the late 19th century family houses of the children. In the backyard of Lucia's house, we will see the famous well associated with the second apparition of the Angel, in the summer of 1916. Church of St. Stephen Our morning will end at the Hungarian Calvary where we will celebrate Mass in the church dedicated St. Stephen, King of Hungary.

DAY 3 Church of the Holy Miracle, Santarem (Optional)

This morning there will be an optional visit to historical town of Santar�m and Church of the Holy Miracle where we will celebrate Mass. The Eucharistic Miracle of Santar�m which dates to 1247, is considered amongst one the most important Eucharistic Miracles. Today we will have the opportunity to venerate the relics of this Eucharistic Miracle which have been carefully preserved for centuries in the church dedicated to St. Stephen. We will have time for private prayer in this very special place. We will return to Fatima and enjoy an afternoon at leisure.

DAY 4 Afternoon excursion to Nazar� (Optional)

This morning we will celebrate Mass at the sanctuary and have the morning for private prayer and reflection. In the afternoon, there will be the opportunity to visit the town of Nazar�. Departing from Fatima, our first stop will be Sitio, a historic and charming district of Nazar�. We will visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazar�, home to a unique statue, believed to be the earliest carved statues of Mary and the child Jesus, which legend tells us may have been carved by St. Joseph. After time for private prayer, we will drive down to the seaside town of Nazar� where we can have time for shopping and private sightseeing, enjoy a walk along the promenade, or simply relax in one of the many cafes and bars and soak up the atmosphere of this modern resort.

DAY 5 Fatima - Lisbon - Estoril

After breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and drive to Lisbon airport. We will visit the Church of St. Anthony, built on the site where St. Anthony was born in 1195, and dedicated to the saint, known as a matchmaker and patron saint for the recovery of lost items. He has always been the most popular saint in Lisbon, and his statue, blessed by Pope John Paul II on his visit to Lisbon in 1982, stands outside the church. We will have time at leisure afterwards for lunch and personal sightseeing.

DAY 6 Estoril

The following days will allow us to relax and enjoy Estoril, with its coastline boasting some of the finest beaches or take time to discover the surrounding areas. Cascais Enjoy a morning walk (3 kms) along the scenic coastal promenade to the town of Cascais. The picturesque fishing town, in the 19th century attracted the Portuguese nobility and aristocracy who constructed lavish villas and houses amongst the traditional dwellings. Today Cascais is a joy to explore with a delightful historic centre with carefully maintained parks and an abundance of museums. Sintra A charming town this is set in the pine covered hills of the Serra da Sintra, the location of two royal palaces, ruins of an ancient castle and numerous grand villas. At the end of a day of sightseeing, back in Estoril, one can enjoy some fine dining! The Portuguese way of the life revolves around mealtimes, and the passion for restaurants is often centred around the freshly caught fish or Bacalhau (salted fish), which supposedly has 365 different ways to be cooked! With their sweet tooth, the Portuguese cakes are irresistible. Estoril is, without doubt, a great place to enjoy delicious new foods or sample Portugal's fine and inexpensive wines.

DAY 7 Estoril

In Estoril.

DAY 8 Return home

This morning we will check out of our hotel and accompanied by our guide, will drive to Lisbon airport for our return flight, arriving in Dublin at 21.00.