"Blessed are you for believing!" That is the theme of the Marian Day which will be held in the Vatican on 12 and 13 October next, in the presence of the Holy Father Pope Francis and all the associations of Marian spirituality.
Organized by the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, the event is part of the celebrations of the Year of Faith - organized by the then Pope Benedict XVI to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council - and coincides with the anniversary of the last apparition of the Blessed Virgin at Fatima: it was, in fact, on October 13, 1917 when at Cova da Iria, Portugal, Our Lady appeared for the sixth and final time to the three shepherd children, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta.
Soon after, there was the so-called "miracle of the sun" the solar disc changed colour, size and position for about ten minutes.
In memory of this date, therefore, the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima will be brought to St. Peter's Square and exposed to the veneration of the faithful.
This is the program of the day in detail: Saturday, October 12, at 8:00 am, there will be a pilgrimage to the tomb of Peter, an hour later, Eucharistic Adoration will begin with the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation in some churches adjacent to St. Peter's Square.
In the afternoon, at 17.00, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima will be welcomed by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square and then the Pope will hold a Marian catechesis.
From 19.00 onwards, the statue of the Virgin arrives at the Sanctuary of Divine Love, where the Rosary will be recited with a link up to all the Marian shrines in the world, while starting from 22.00, there will be a prayer vigil.
The next day, Sunday, October 13, the statue will return to St. Peter's Square at 10.00 am, there will be a recitation of the Holy Rosary, and at 10.30 The Pope will preside at Mass. "