Fatima, central Portugal

It is perhaps fitting Fatima in central Portugal, is named after a Moorish princess who converted to Catholicism after marrying.

The once sleepy, rural village has been been transformed into one of the Catholic world's most important shrines, receiving over four million visitors each year. The change in the town's fortunes is due to the alleged visions in 1917 of three young shepherds - Lucia Santos, Francisco Marta and his sister Jacinta.

The children who became known as The Three Shepherds, claimed to have witnessed a heavenly being over the course of six months in the spring and summer of 1917 at a small grotto, Cova da Iria, situated on land belonging to Lucia Santos' family.

A nation, under the grip of a dictatorship, were at first sceptical and on hearing the news of the children's claims stayed away. However by the time the sixth and final vision on 13th October 1917 over 70,000 had flocked to the small village hoping to see the promised miracle.

Some whom were present at the sixth and final vision thought the 'miracle' could be an eclipse. Yet others declared the 'sun's dancing' a miracle. Whatever happened in 1917, it has made Fatima the centre of Catholic worship in Portugal.

However it was not only a nation who was drawn to Fatima, but the entire Catholic world. Some to witness the spectacle of the site, others to offer prays and others on penance pilgrimages to the holiest of places in Portugal.

Pope John Paul II Statue

Penance at Fatima

New Church at Fatima

Old Church at Fatima

Cova da Iria, where the children's visions are said to have taken place, is now home to St Peter's Church and esplanade, modelled on Michelangelo's Basilica. The rest of the Santos' land, where Lucia and her cousins lived has been swallowed up in a mass of hotels, souvenir shops and car parks.

In the early 21st century work began on a new church, situated opposite St Peter's. The Church of the Most Holy Trinity, which took four years to construct and is considered to be the fourth largest church in the Catholic world. The church, paid entirely by pilgrim donations, cost of 80 million Euros to construct and can seat up to 8,500 at any one time.

Today Fatima's economy is based on religious tourism with hundreds of thousands making their way on pilgrimage days. Many make their way to Fatima on foot as part of large, organised pilgrimages converging at the Basilica in time for the anniversaries of the visions.

In May 2010 Pope Benedict XVI visited Fatima, said Liturgy for the assembled crowd of 500,000. His visit his first to Portugal, though the third by any pope since the alleged apparitions. Pope Paul VI visited in 1967 on the 50th anniversary of the apparitions. Pope John Paul II visited three times during his papacy and on his final visit in 1991 beautified the children Francisco and Jacinta.