“I promise to assist them at the hour of death, with all graces necessary for the salvation of their souls.” – Our Lady of Fatima. Photo: Official Facebook Page of NSOLF
SAN MATEO, Rizal – In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal, the town of San Mateo in Rizal and it’s faithful welcomed the arrival of the National Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Fatima at Resurecion street, along General Luna st. at around 5:00 p.m. last November 11, NSDA Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Larry Paz, called on them to “be more prayerful to the Virgin Mary” and “pray in the name of peace”.
The image, which is on a pilgrimage around the Philippines to celebrate the centennial of the Marian apparition in Portugal, was a patroness of the city of Valenzuela (National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima), “the home of the National Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Fatima, the image of the first EDSA People Power Revolution and the Asian and National Center of the World Apostolate of Fatima (WAF)” according to their facebook page.
It was brought in a procession to the Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Aranzazu (DSPNSDA) where hundreds of devotees gathered, together with some members of DSPNSDA Parish Pastoral Council ExeCom, Ministries and Organizations, DSPNSDA Shrine Council, people, applauded, and cheered “Ave Maria!” to welcome the Queen of Peace.
Devotees flocked on the streets of Gen. Luna street. Photo: Mark Hepuller / MPIM
In his welcome rites, Fr. Larry Paz said he was very delighted and excited at the same time that DSPNSDA was granted among the centennial visits of Our Lady of Fatima image. Paz said people should be like St. John Paul II; that during his term as a Pope, he would always pray, ask for forgiveness for the sins of the world.
The visit of the pilgrim image to DSPNSDA is one of the highlights of the centennial celebrations of the apparition of our Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima and part of this year’s celebration of the 300 years of devotion to Our Lady of Aranzazu.
Last month, Our Lady of Fatima visited different parishes from Cavite and series of stops after DSPNSDA will commence to foster greater devotion to Our Lady of Fatima in the Philippines.
For more information on the schedule after the visit of the national pilgrim image, devotees may visit their official facebook page after it’s stay in the Shrine until November 14, 2017. AOY
