Our Lady of Fatima feast celebrated in White River
Our Lady of Fatima, formally known as Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima, is a Catholic title of Mary, mother of Jesus, based on the Marian apparitions reported in 1917 by three shepherds at Cova da Iria in Fátima, Portugal.
The St Paul’s Catholic Church celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on Sunday October 16.
According to Fr Joshua Sienge, this feast is celebrated on May 13, but they use October every year, since it is the Month of the Rosary. “We begin with Holy Mass, then the procession with the statue of Our Lady, ending with fundraising when we sell raffle tickets and celebrate in style.
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“Over 100 years ago, the mother of our Lord appeared to three children shepherding flocks in the field, and asked them to pray the rosary to end wars and for the conversion of Russia. We need to pray the rosary more now that Russia is in war. We celebrate this feast with the community of Mbombela, who joins us and supports us,” he said.
“The story of the Our Lady of Fátima miracle begins on May 13, 1917. Three peasant children, Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, were tending to their family’s sheep. The children, under 10 years old, were blessed with the presence of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. The children saw this beautiful woman, dressed in white, standing above a bush. Our Lady of Fatima told them to pray to the rosary daily until the end of World War I,” said Sienge.
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He said in White River, they had celebrated in style, as they invited various entertainers, local and from outside the province, to grace the event. People enjoyed Portuguese cuisine and beer. They were also entertained by the famous dance group from Portugal, known as Rancho.
