The First International Route to Our Lady of Fatima

On 18 June 1947, the Pilgrim Virgin statue finally arrived at the Spanish border closed since the civil war of Spain, after journeying for more than a year through the Iberian peninsula. The police force had received the order not to let the fervent crowd cross the border. But, suddenly, thanks to the enthusiasm of the Basques, the border gate was raised. With a "customs visa" (for merchandise) they allowed the statue as well as its thousands of followers to cross the border. A few days later, the border was definitively opened.