Holy Infancy Parish in Bethlehem will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Mother to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal with a special Mass and other events on Saturday, May 13. Holy Infancy, located at 4th and Taylor Streets in South Bethlehem, is the only church in the Diocese where Mass is celebrated in the Portuguese language each week.
The special Mass will be held at 5:30 this Saturday evening. It will be followed by an outdoor Rosary procession at 6:30. Both the Mass and the Rosary will be prayed in Portuguese.
The events at Holy Infancy recall that the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom Catholics venerate as the Mother of God, appeared six times to three shepherd children near the town of Fatima, Portugal between May 13 and October 13, 1917. Appearing to the children, the Blessed Virgin told them that she had been sent by God with a message for every man, woman and child then living.
Coming at a time when civilization was torn by World War I and other violence, she promised that heaven would grant peace to the world if her requests for prayer, reparation and consecration were heard and obeyed. Two of the shepherd children will be canonized saints by Pope Francis in Portugal in October.
Contact: Matt Kerr
610-871-5200, Extension 265
