Reverence, Beauty, and Amazing
Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima的点评
点评:The sheer scale of the plaza is striking, especially when you imagine it filled with pilgrims during holy days. Watching the most devoted crawl on their knees along the long, smooth path built for them—some openly sobbing—makes the depth of devotion people bring here unmistakably clear.
To the left is the Chapel of the Apparitions, a small, simple structure. A statue of the Blessed Mother stands on a marble pillar marking the site of her appearance, with rows of benches on three sides. The chapel is covered yet open to the elements and fresh air. Despite the number of visitors, I was struck by the quiet respect—no people sitting on their phones or talking loudly. Most sat silently, many clearly in prayer.
Although I did not see Our Lady of Fátima appear, I could feel the reverence created by the millions of prayers offered here over time. I felt a palpable sense of "gentle compassion," as if those prayers were being listened to and heard by Our Lady.
Near the Sanctuary was a long line of people. You could buy candles and throw them in a raging firepit. I guess it was a large scale version of lighting votive candles to make an offering. Normally, in the Catholic faith, we may buy and light a candle and offer a prayer, but we don't toss the candle in a fire. I didn't like the firepit idea unless people were lighting candles to toss away their sins. It reminded me more of Hell than being uplifting.
The complex includes two large churches, including a newer basilica built to hold up to 8,000 people. In the original Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary are the tombs of the children who witnessed the apparitions.
Helpful Tip: Restrooms are available beneath the modern church. Look for the steps leading down to a lower level in front of it—signage is minimal, but facilities are located there.
there was no admission fee, and our tour stopped for one hour which was enough time to pray at the Sanctuary, Basilica and Church and to walk around.
翻译:广场的规模之宏大令人震撼,尤其想象一下圣日里熙熙攘攘的朝圣者,更是气势磅礴。看着虔诚的信徒们沿着为他们修建的平坦长路跪行,有些人甚至放声痛哭,人们在此的虔诚之情便跃然眼前。
左侧是显灵小堂,一座小巧而简朴的建筑。圣母像矗立在一根大理石柱上,柱子标志着圣母显灵的地点,小堂三面环绕着一排排长椅。小堂虽有顶棚,却又与世隔绝,空气清新。尽管游客众多,但我却被这里肃穆的氛围所深深打动——没有人低头玩手机,也没有人大声喧哗。大多数人静静地坐着,许多人显然都在虔诚祈祷。
虽然我没有亲眼见到法蒂玛圣母显灵,但我能感受到这里经年累月无数祈祷所营造出的庄严氛围。我感受到一种真切的“温柔慈悲”,仿佛圣母玛利亚正在聆听并回应着这些祈祷。
圣殿附近排着长长的队伍。人们可以买蜡烛,然后扔进熊熊燃烧的火坑里。我猜这是一种规模较大的点燃祈祷蜡烛的仪式。通常,在天主教信仰中,我们可能会买蜡烛点燃并祈祷,但我们不会把蜡烛扔进火里。除非人们点燃蜡烛是为了洗净罪孽,否则我不喜欢这种火坑的做法。它让我想起地狱,而不是令人振奋的景象。
这个建筑群包括两座大型教堂,其中一座是新建的、可容纳8000人的圣殿。在最初的玫瑰圣母圣殿里,安葬着目睹圣母显灵的孩子们。
温馨提示:现代教堂下方设有洗手间。寻找教堂前方通往较低楼层的台阶——指示牌不多,但洗手间就在那里。
没有门票,我们的参观行程持续了一个小时,足够我们在圣殿、大教堂和教堂祈祷并四处走走。