Two hundred thousand people are at the Shrine of Fátima today to welcome Pope Francis, the Holy See press office announced.
“The authorities in Fatima estimate that about 200,000 people will be present at the Shrine for the recitation of the Rosary,” the Holy See said.
Francis is in Fatima today for two hours to pray for peace and an end to the war in Ukraine, as part of his five-day trip to Lisbon to preside over World Youth Day (WYD), considered the Catholic Church’s biggest event.
The Church leader, who will be back in the Portuguese capital later today for a vigil, arrived at the Chapel of Apparitions at 09:12 with two bouquets of flowers in his hands.
After entering the Chapel of Apparitions, Francis stood in silence in front of the image of the Virgin of Fatima for about five minutes and offered the Golden Rosary to the Shrine.
After the rosary, the Pope will address the pilgrims and return to Lisbon, where he is expected to arrive at 11:50.
More than a million people are expected in Lisbon until Sunday for WYD, considered the biggest event of the Catholic Church.
