Pilgrims Gather in Fatima for Peace and Pope Leo XIV

In a significant show of faith and global unity, hundreds of thousands of devotees converged on the sanctuary of Fatima in Portugal on Monday. The congregation gathered to offer prayers for newly-appointed Pope Leo XIV and global peace.

Church officials reported an attendance of around 270,000 pilgrims hailing from Portugal, Spain, Poland, and nations as far-flung as the United States, Paraguay, Mauritius, and Taiwan, at one of Catholicism's most renowned shrines, located less than 150 kilometers north of Lisbon. During his inaugural Sunday address to crowds in St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV implored major world powers for an end to war. Meanwhile, on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy revealed his discussion with the pope about potential ceasefire initiatives to halt its conflict with Russia.

Conceicao Teixeira, a 77-year-old Portuguese pilgrim, expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV would uphold the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, characterized by "humanity and sincerity." Christel, a 41-year-old pilgrim from Mauritius, voiced her belief in the pope's capacity for fostering peace. May 12 and 13 saw thousands of pilgrims embarking on their journey to the Fatima sanctuary, commemorating the Virgin Mary's first reported apparition to three shepherd children in 1917, an experience the Catholic Church holds as revealing significant prophecies.

(With inputs from agencies.)