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Fatima, in central Portugal, is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the Catholic world. Located in the diocese of Leiria-Fatima, the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima welcomes millions of pilgrims from all over the world every year. The town was the scene of a series of six apparitions to three young shepherds between May and October 1917: Lucia dos Santos, Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto. "I want to tell you that a chapel is to be built here in my honor. I am the Lady of the Rosary," the Virgin said.
Mary imparted several important messages to the children, especially an appeal to prayer, penance, conversion and world peace. These apparitions were officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church in 1930. The worldwide recognition of the Fatima shrine was reinforced by the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1982, to thank Our Lady of Fatima for having saved his life during the attack on his person on May 13, 1981, a year earlier. His unshakeable Marian devotion brought him back to Fatima in 1991 and again in 2000.
Francisco and Jacinta died respectively in 1919 and 1920, and were canonized in 2017. Pope Francis traveled to Fatima that year to mark the 100th anniversary year of the apparition.
This year, he will travel to Portugal for World Youth Day in the first week of August and include a stop at the popular Marian shrine in Fatima.