Tens of thousands flock to Fatima for Mass with pope, centerpiece of Portugal visit

Tens of thousands flock to Fatima for papal Mass

FATIMA, Portugal — Tens of thousands of pilgrims flooded the famous shrine town of Fatima on Thursday for Pope Benedict XVI’s Mass celebrating the anniversary of the day when three shepherd children reported having visions of the Virgin.

Benedict drove into the square in his popemobile amid cheers from a crowd that Portuguese media said could reach a record half-million. As the Mass got under way, the downpour that had soaked pilgrims who had walked for days to reach Fatima broke and the sun emerged from behind dark clouds.

The outdoor Mass marked the centerpiece of Benedict’s four-day visit to Portugal. It followed an evening, candlelit prayer service in which the pontiff said he was bringing the suffering “of a wounded humanity, of the problems of the world” to Fatima.

Benedict has spoken repeatedly about the sufferings of the world and even the church during the trip, saying the “sins of the church” were responsible for the clerical sex abuse scandal.

Thursday marked the 93rd anniversary of the date — May 13, 1917 — when three Portuguese shepherd children reported having visions of the Virgin Mary over an oak tree in Fatima. Thursday also marked the 10th anniversary of the beatifications of two of the shepherds and the fifth anniversary of the death of the third.

Pope John Paul II was also shot in St. Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981 — a coincidence that led him to believe that the Virgin’s “unseen hand” had “rescued him from death,” Benedict said Wednesday.

Benedict said John Paul gave the bullet that was extracted from his abdomen to the shrine as a measure of his gratitude; the bullet today forms part of the crown of the statue of the Virgin in a chapel here where Benedict prayed upon his arrival in this bustling tourist town.

“It is a profound consolation to know that you are crowned not only with the silver and gold of our joys and hopes but also with the ‘bullet’ of our anxieties and sufferings,” Benedict said.

On Thursday at the start of the Mass, the statue was carried through the crowd as pilgrims tossed rose petals on it.

Fatima is one of the most famous Marian shrines in the world, drawing millions of pilgrims from around the globe every year. Many come seeking cures for ailments; one of the rituals pilgrims perform here involves throwing wax replicas of body parts — eyes, lungs, hearts — into a big bonfire while reciting a prayer asking for healing.

Benedict is expected to issue a special address to the sick on Thursday and will meet with church social workers and Portuguese bishops. He returns to the Vatican on Friday after celebrating a Mass in the northern city of Porto, the country’s second-largest city.

Associated Press Writer Nicole Winfield in Fatima, Portugal, contributed to this report.