Million pilgrims hail Pope Francis as he canonises children at 'EMOTIONAL' service
POPE FRANCIS was greeted by up to a million worshippers as he canonised two “little shepherd” children at a pilgrimage site in Portugal.
Millions watched Pope Francis canonise two children at a pilgrimage site in Portugal yesterday
Francisco and Jacinta Marto become the Catholic Church’s newest saints at the Fatima shrine yesterday.
The siblings died during an influenza pandemic, aged 10 and nine, within three years of reporting, along with older cousin, Lucia Dos Santos, seeing the Virgin Mary as they tended sheep on May 13, 1917.
The beatification process for Miss Dos Santos, who became a nun and died in 2005, aged 97, began nine years ago.
Worshippers, who had travelled from as far as China, Venezuela and East Timor, flocked to the town of Fatima, north of Lisbon, yesterday morning.
Marie Chantal, 57, flew 5,600 miles from the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean to attend.
Pope canonised two siblings as the Catholic Church's newest saints at the Fatima shrine
I am very emotional because this pope is truly merciful and close to the people, and I think he will bring us many good things.
She said: “I am very emotional because this pope is truly merciful and close to the people, and I think he will bring us many good things.”
The ceremony began with the town’s bishop reading out a request for the two “little shepherds” to be canonised.
Lucia Do Santos, Francisco and Jacinta, aged 7 to 9 died during an influenza pandemic in 1917
The Pope then said: “We declare the blissful Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto saints,” to loud applause.
The pontiff had earlier posted a message on his Twitter page about the Virgin Mary.
Pope Francis struggles with his robes in high winds
It read: “Whenever we look to Mary, we come to believe once again in the revolutionary nature of love and tenderness.”
Pope Francis had flown into Fatima in a helicopter on Friday on a 24-hour visit and travelled through the town in his “Popemobile”.
Worshippers had travelled in from as far as China, Venezuela and East Timor to watch the process
At a candle-lit vigil he called for harmony between all people at the Chapel of the Apparitions and spoke of wars “tearing our world apart”.
The chapel is built on the spot where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to the children and given them three messages, known as the Three Secrets of Fatima.