SW News: After a long hiatus caused by the pandemic, the statue Pilgrim Virgin, a replica of the sacred image of Our Lady of Fatima, has once again embarked on a pilgrimage around the world carrying the message of conversion and reconciliation. This time, the holy statue will be taken to 14 countries such as Portugal, the United States, France, Nicaragua, Argentina, Italy, Chile, the Caucasus countries, Spain and Colombia.

The tradition of taking the Pilgrim Virgin statue originated after 1945 after World War II came to an end. It was a Catholic priest in Berlin,Germany, who proposed that the statue of Our Lady of Fatima should be taken through all the capitals and bishopric cities in Europe up till the border with the Soviet Union. The following year, the sacred image began its maiden journey.

Based on the instructions of Sister Lucia dos Santos, one of the three visionaries of Fatima, the first Pilgrim Virgin statue was sculpted. It was solemnly handed over by the Bishop of Leiria and crowned by the Archbishop of Evora on May 13, 1947. It has ever since gone around the world spreading peace and love.

After more than 50 years of being taken around 64 nations and some of them more than once, the rectorate of the shrine of Fatima finally decided that the sacred statue will no longer be taken around except on rare occasions such as the World Youth Day in Panama in January 2019.