After our late lunch, we freshened up then walked to the Shrine of Fatima to attend Mass at the Basilica of our Lady of the Rosary. The Mass was in Portuguese, but because of its similarities with Spanish, I could understand it a little bit, including the priest’s homily. For some reason, towards the middle part of the Mass, I got a little bit emotional and I started crying. I tried to restrain myself and though my soft whimpers turned into quiet sobs, my eyes kept welling up

The next morning, right after breakfast, we drove to the small city of Tomar for a short excursion. On the way back to Fatima, we made a stopover at the small village of Aljustrel, where the visionary children from the famous apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary were born and where they lived. We parked on one of the side streets and took a walking tour, passing by the houses of Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco. Lucia's house has been restored and contains furniture and artefac

We headed to Fatima in the late afternoon and arrived there in the early evening. I felt that this was the real start of our pilgrimage. Fatima is one of the major Marian shrines visited by Catholics worldwide. For those who are not familiar with it, this unassuming place is where Mary, the Mother of Christ, appeared to children tending sheep and brought messages of faith, hope, and peace. Our Tour Director did not need to announce our arrival. From a distance, we saw the tow