FATIMA, Portugal (AP) — An estimated 180,000 motorcyclists gathered Sunday on the Our Girl of Fatima shrine in central Portugal for the ninth annual Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets.
Carlos Cabecinhas, the rector of the Sanctuary of Fatima, stated the occasion has steadily elevated in prominence — famend for its conviviality in addition to its reveals of devotion. This yr’s turnout was the most important ever,
Two purple firefighter helmets are held up amongst motorcyclist helmets being blessed throughout the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
Underneath the motto “We’re formed and guided by what we love!”, the pilgrimage began with the parade of a gaggle of motorcyclists carrying Our Girl of Fatima’s statue subsequent to the Basilica of the Holy Trinity, adopted by a Mass throughout which the bikers’ helmets have been blessed.
The pilgrimage is organized by Blessing of Helmets Affiliation and by quite a few nationwide and worldwide motorbike golf equipment. Numerous police forces be part of and assist the occasion.
A priest holding a police motorcycling helmet, blesses the helmets of trustworthy throughout the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
Hundreds of motorcyclists go away after attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
“Many of those motorcyclists come to ask for God’s safety via Our Girl for his or her journeys,” stated Cabecinhas. ”However additionally they come to recollect those that have already left. who’ve already died, lots of them in accidents, and those that are damage, those that need assistance.”
In response to nationwide information, there have been 8,936 motorbike accidents in Portugal in 2023, leading to 124 deaths and 766 severe accidents.
An important pilgrimage to the Fatima shrine takes place on Might 13 of every yr, celebrating the date on which — in keeping with Catholic believers — Mary, the mom of Jesus, appeared earlier than three shepherd kids in 1917.
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A lady carrying a adorned helmet arrives on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A motorcyclist carrying a furry helmet leaves after attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A motorcyclist carries his pet, outfitted with helmet and goggles, leaving after attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A gaggle of Lisbon firefighters motorcyclists get on their bikes to depart after participating within the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s to the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A priest carrying a Portuguese Nationwide Republican Guard motorcyclist helmet walks forward of the Our Girl of Fatima statue in a procession closing the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A pair maintain palms whereas attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Tens of 1000’s, 180.000 in keeping with the group, collect on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima throughout the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Motorcyclists holding their helmets collect on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Trustworthy maintain up their helmets to be blessed throughout the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Motorcyclists holding their helmets and their teams’ banners collect on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A lady carrying a adorned helmet arrives on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A lady carrying a adorned helmet arrives on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A motorcyclist carrying a furry helmet leaves after attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A motorcyclist carrying a furry helmet leaves after attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A motorcyclist carries his pet, outfitted with helmet and goggles, leaving after attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A motorcyclist carries his pet, outfitted with helmet and goggles, leaving after attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A gaggle of Lisbon firefighters motorcyclists get on their bikes to depart after participating within the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s to the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A gaggle of Lisbon firefighters motorcyclists get on their bikes to depart after participating within the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s to the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A priest carrying a Portuguese Nationwide Republican Guard motorcyclist helmet walks forward of the Our Girl of Fatima statue in a procession closing the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A priest carrying a Portuguese Nationwide Republican Guard motorcyclist helmet walks forward of the Our Girl of Fatima statue in a procession closing the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A pair maintain palms whereas attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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A pair maintain palms whereas attending the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Tens of 1000’s, 180.000 in keeping with the group, collect on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima throughout the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Tens of 1000’s, 180.000 in keeping with the group, collect on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima throughout the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Motorcyclists holding their helmets collect on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Motorcyclists holding their helmets collect on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Trustworthy maintain up their helmets to be blessed throughout the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Trustworthy maintain up their helmets to be blessed throughout the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Motorcyclists holding their helmets and their teams’ banners collect on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
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Motorcyclists holding their helmets and their teams’ banners collect on the Roman Catholic holy shrine of Fatima to attend the IX Pilgrimage of the Blessing of Helmets that attracts tens of 1000’s, in Fatima, Portugal, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Picture/Ana Brigida)
Pope Francis canonized the 2 of kids on Might 13, 2017, throughout the centennial of that apparition. The third baby, who turned a nun often called Sister Lucia, is the main target of a long-running, Vatican-led process that would result in her canonization as effectively.
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Related Press faith protection receives assist via the AP’s collaboration with The Dialog US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely answerable for this content material.
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