On the 20th of February the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta Marto, the two little children of Fatima, canonized in year 2017. The World Apostolate of Fatima, every year, takes this date to celebrate the sanctity of these two little shepherds and to promote their spirituality. This year, due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic, many will have to celebrate this Feast at home, in prayer or by joining events through the digital platforms.
One of these can be the program that has been formulated by the Sanctuary of Fatima for this date. A program that, for the first time, will be carried without the physical presence of pilgrims.
From February 11th, a Novena to the Shepherd’s Saints is being conducted and all the celebrations at the Shrine of Fatima have also a special invocation of Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, in preparation for the Feast day. The icons and sculptures of the two Saints are also on display at the Basilica and at the little Chapel of the Apparitions.
On the eve of the 19th of February there will be a Vigil in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. On the 20th of February, at 11h00, there will be the Holy Mass presided over by Cardinal Antonio Marto. In the afternoon, at 14h00, the Sanctuary will share on its social networks a documentary about the life and importance of the Little Shepherds.
The parish church of Fatima, where the little shepherds were baptized, has also launched the ”Week of the little Shepherds”. Since “the main thing is to do what Our Lady asked, to pray the rosary, as the Little Shepherds prayed and sacrificed themselves for sinners, so each day of this week a family will pray in their house the Rosary and will record it in video to share with the other families” announced the parish priest.
As we celebrate the Feast of Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, we ask for their intercession, so that God may quickly free the world from the pandemic and from so many evils. We pray for those who have died and for the sick as well as for those who are in the front line fighting this virus.
