(CNA / UCA News). The Bishop of Leiria-Fátima, António Cardinal dos Santos Marto, announced that the 2021 pilgrimage to Fatima will take place virtually due to existing restrictions in Portugal because of the coronavirus pandemic. Cardinal Marto, whose diocesean area covers the pilgrim site, asked Catholics to spiritually conduct the eight-day pilgrimage that started on March 14.
In the pastoral message entitled “Eight days of spiritual pilgrimage to the Fatima Shrine” Cardinal Marto explained that the diocese is unable to hold the pilgrimage in person due to the need to protect “the common good of people’s health.” Cardinal Marto asked the faithful to make a generous commitment to make “this extraordinary spiritual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima,” and said he has prepared the children of the diocese with catechesis to take part in it.
The cardinal promised to pray in solitude at the shrine to end the “scourge of the pandemic,” reported Catholic News Agency. On the last day on March 21, “I will go to the Fatima Shrine, holding you all in my heart, and there I will pray for you and for the end of the scourge of the pandemic, entrusting us all to the protection of the Mother of Heaven and our patroness.”
The diocese will make videos available on its social media feeds to help the faithful make the virtual pilgrimage.