At the celebration in Caracas, David Neves, a restaurant business owner, showed great enthusiasm for the visit of the image. “We are Portuguese. She is our Saint, practically our patron saint, the one who unites us in faith. This visit strengthens our faith and hope. I hope it brings much peace and joy to Venezuela (…) I hope the Virgin brings us some message from our Portuguese authorities to support us in this difficult situation we are experiencing,” he told Lusa.
Oscar Nóbrega, a designer, emphasized the devotion he has as a Portuguese descendant to Our Lady of Fatima and the experience of having the Pilgrim statue visiting Caracas. “I have a promise to fulfill in Fatima, Portugal, for two years now, and I haven’t been able to plan the visit yet. Yesterday my mother told me to come to Mass at the Portuguese Center because the Pilgrim Virgin who came from Portugal to Venezuela would be there. So, it’s funny because I couldn’t go to Portugal, but the Virgin came here,” he told Lusa.
A group of pilgrims from Portugal, with the Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, began a visit to Venezuela on August 24, which continues until September 8.
Venezuela is experiencing tense days of post-election political crisis, with sporadic opposition protests against the results that gave victory to President Nicolás Maduro.
Optometrist Conceição Marques de Andrade explained to Lusa that her Portuguese parents always instilled the Catholic religion in her. “I’ve been to Fatima 5 times. I have a lot of faith in the Virgin. It’s a very beautiful devotion. I was here waiting for her, the Pilgrim, and I wanted to ask for many things. First, much peace for Venezuela and families. That there be much unity among human beings, and that people always grow in the Catholic faith,” she said.
Emotionally, she explained that she always has a lot of faith and that whenever she made a request to the Virgin, she achieved her goal. “Today I feel the same devotion that you feel being in Fatima. That peace that you can have when you’re there,” she emphasized.
Portuguese Betty de Castros expressed her emotion because “Our Lady traveled from so far” to be in Venezuela. “My devotion to Our Lady is very great because my mother and my sister are godchildren of Our Lady of Fatima. And in my house, there has always been this great devotion (…) What I want most for her to grant us is much peace (…) and for me, for my family, much health, that we always be united,” she told Lusa.
Economist Pablo de Sousa explained that his devotion arose within the local Portuguese community, the Portuguese Center of Caracas, and his family, who always instilled in him to pray a lot. “At home, we call her ‘Little Fatima’ (…) For my family and for the entire Portuguese community, it is a blessing to have the Pilgrim image of Our Lady of Fatima here, who came from so far,” he emphasized.
To the Virgin, he asked for all families, that they may overcome each of their inner battles, and that she bless Venezuela. “Seeing all these people here, praying to the Virgin, all united with the same objective, makes me feel much more religious today,” he emphasized.
