Sanctuary of Fátima hosts international August pilgrimage

The International Anniversary Pilgrimage of August has commenced at the Sanctuary of Fátima in Portugal. Presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio in Portugal, Andrés Carrascosa, the event is expected to gather thousands of faithful, including many migrants and refugees as part of the National Pilgrimage of the Migrant and Refugee organized by the Portuguese Catholic Migrations Work.

The ceremonies commemorate the fourth apparition of Our Lady to the shepherd children. The schedule includes Eucharistic processions, the blessing of candles, the Rosary, and a candlelight procession. A major highlight is the international Mass and the Blessing of the Sick.

This year marks the 86th occurrence of the traditional wheat offering, a custom dating back to 1940. For the 2025 celebrations, 319.5 kilograms of wheat and flour were delivered to the Sanctuary to be used in the production of hosts. In the previous year, the Sanctuary celebrated 2,557 official masses, consuming over 22,000 large hosts and 779,000 particles.