Devendra Kumar
Pilgrims from around the world flocked to Lisbon’s Parque Tejo on Saturday to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis as he presided over the World Youth Day vigil. The crowd of an estimated 1.5 million young people packed the field, braving scorching heat and harsh sun conditions to secure a spot and camp out ahead of Francis’s final Mass on Sunday morning.
Despite temperatures soaring to 38C, pilgrims came prepared, sheltering under umbrellas and makeshift shades made of plastic canvas sheets tied between bins. Crews sprayed mist over the crowd to try to cool them down as they made their way into the venue, many waving their national flags.
Francis spent the morning at the Catholic shrine in Fatima, where he met with young people with disabilities. In a surprise move, he ditched his prepared speech and instead opted for a prayer for peace, the third time he has spoken casually to crowds in his native Spanish. The prayer was later posted on the Vatican’s official platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The evening vigil marked one of the liturgical highlights of the Catholic youth festival. Francis prayed silently for peace, with pain, while meditating in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary. The Vatican later posted the prayer online, in which Francis consecrated the church and the world, especially those countries at war, to Mary.
The Fatima story dates back to 1917, when three Portuguese siblings claimed the Virgin Mary appeared to them six times, confiding in them three secrets. According to tradition, the first two secrets foretold the end of the First World War and the start of the Second, and portended the rise and fall of Soviet communism. The third secret was only revealed in 2000, describing an assassination attempt against St John Paul II in St Peter’s Square.
Fatima has long charmd Catholics, with its blend of mystical, Marian apparitions, apocalyptic prophesies, and the death of a pope. The pilgrimage has become a significant event in Catholicism, with millions flocking to the shrine each year. This year’s visit coincided with a spike in wildfires around Portugal, casting a haze over the sky and bringing attention to the apocalyptic prophecies associated with Fatima.
As the sun set over the field, pilgrims settled in for the night, eager to hear Francis’s message and bid him farewell. The vigil took place ahead of the 37th World Youth Day, a biennial event that brings together young people from around the world to celebrate their faith.