The world-famous statue was sculpted in 1947 by Jose Thedim, based on the description of Sr. Lucia, one of the three young seers who saw Our Lady each month from May to October 1917 in Fatima, Portugal.

Patrick Sabat, a delegate for the Pilgrim Virgin Committee, who is traveling with the statue, said the visit "is a mission of hope, a message of peace and a message of love not only for the Catholics but all people of good will."

The statue has traveled the world many times, visiting more than 100 countries, including Russia and China.

According the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima website many miracles have been associated with the statue

Sabat said he thought the most important part of the miracle stories are the Conversion stories.

"I always tell the people they're asking for physical cures. Yes, you can (grow an arm today) but what about your soul? The soul, that's the most important part of our mission, is to save souls," he said.

"That's why Our Lady appeared to the children of Fatima nearly 100 years ago in 1917, to save souls."

After leaving Guam the statue was taken to Saipan and the Philippines.

After that it will move on to South America.

Source

• Guampdm
• umatuna.org
• Image: cmsimg.guampdn.com

Since then, says Archbishop Justin Welby, there have been long periods with "no sense of any presence at all'', but he has never gone back on that night's "decision to follow Christ''.

He says it is not his doing: "It's grace. Grace is a reality: feelings are ephemeral."

Continue reading