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The Fatima Pilgrimage site teaches you many things about the site. They teach you the history of the site like when the pilgrimage site was built, who built it, what year the statues inside were placed, when they renovated the pilgrimage site, when the apparitions occurred and information on the apparitions, the miracles that occurred, and the names and history of all the witnesses that saw these apparitions. The pilgrimage site also helps you connect with Blessed Virgin Mary and God through prayer. When I visit the Fatima Pilgrimage site in Portugal, I want to eagerly learn the history of the site, the details of each apparition, and how this site has helped people. I also hope that as I discover new things about the Fatima Pilgrimage, I can witness an apparition, although I see my chances as nearly impossible.

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The term Marian apparition is when Blessed Virgin Mary supernaturally appears to someone or some people. The religious term for this term is Theophanies. Marian apparitions reoccur over a long period of time at the same place.  This has happened at the Fatima pilgrimage a few times when young kids were at the pilgrimage site. The children said that they saw a young lady. When this happens there is usually a chapel or church built where the apparition occurs. A Marian apparition has a relationship with pilgrimage sites because at these sites Mary has appeared to someone and Catholics acknowledge this event and visit these pilgrimage sites. These Marian Pilgrimage sites attract millions and millions of people every year. Four million people have visited the Fatima Pilgrimage in 2010. The reason for people coming to see these pilgrimage sites is to pray and find out more on the sites history. These pilgrimage sites also have special masses on particular days changing from pilgrimage to pilgrimage. Mostly on the days the apparitions occurred at the pilgrimage site.

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In a few days I will be flying over to Portugal to visit the Fatima pilgrimage. I am so excited and I can’t wait. There are so many interesting facts about the pilgrimage like the apparition on October 13 1917, which was the miracle of the sun. This is believed to be witnessed by 30,000 to 100,000 people. After the apparition the local people built a small chapel where the apparition occurred and put a statue of Mary in it. The Fatima is also a Roman Catholic Church. The reason why this Pilgrimage site is important to Christians is because Blessed Virgin Mary had appeared in apparitions to three shepherd children at Fatima on the 13^th of each month from may to October. It is said that Blessed Virgin Mary had revealed 3 secrets to the children about the prophecies of the future. The 1^st secret described the horrific vision of hell. The 2^nd secret was how World War 1 was going to end and World War 2 was going to start. The 3^rd secret hasn’t been fully revealed by the Vatican. From then on the title was given to Blessed Virgin Mary as Our lady of Fatima. There have been a few more apparitions at Fatima where many people are witness’s, mostly young children who said they saw a young lady.