ATLANTA—The Fatima Centennial U.S. Tour for Peace will come to the Archdiocese of Atlanta Feb. 27 to March 4, making stops at seven parishes.

International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima. Photo by Michael Gorre

The visit includes two historical elements: This is the 100th anniversary of the Marian apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, which took place in 1917; and the statue which will be brought to the archdiocese is the one that was sculpted in 1947 based upon the description of the Blessed Mother by Sister Lucia, at the time the only one of the three Fatima seers still living. This particular statue by Jose Thedim was commissioned in 1947 to carry the message of Our Lady of Fatima throughout the world.

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue is now on a two-year tour of America for the 100-year anniversary and will be stopping in the parishes of the archdiocese as follows:

St. Peter Church, 200 Lafayette Parkway, LaGrange, will host the first stop on Monday, Feb. 27. The statue will arrive at approximately 10 a.m. Father Patrick Scully, pastor, will celebrate a welcoming Mass at 12:05 p.m., followed by the praying of the rosary at 1:15 and 5:30 p.m., concluding with Benediction at 5:50 p.m. Exposition of the statue will be held from 1 to 6 p.m.

Christ the Redeemer Church, 991 Kilough Church Road, Dawsonville, will host the pilgrim statue on Tuesday, Feb. 28. The statue will arrive at 9 a.m. followed by a procession. At 9:15 a.m., there will be Mass, crowning and consecration prayer with a reception afterward. A presentation about the Our Lady of Fatima statue will be at 10:45 a.m. Rosary and adoration begins at 11 a.m. At 2 p.m. there will be a novena to Our Lady of Fatima, followed by adoration. The First Holy Communion class will visit the statue and hear a talk about the apparitions at 4:30 p.m.

On Ash Wednesday, March 1, the statue will be at St. Joseph Maronite Church, 502 Seminole Ave., NE, Atlanta.

On Thursday, March 2, the statue will be at St. Monica Church, 1700 Buford Highway, Duluth, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Enrollment in the brown scapular will follow and Patrick Sabat, custodian of the statue, will make a presentation. Several ministries of the parish will adopt an hour of prayer throughout the day with each mystery of the rosary being prayed. At 6 p.m., the choir will present a Taizé service. Another presentation on the image will be offered afterward.

On Friday, March 3, the statue will make a morning stop at Our Lady of the Americas Mission, 4603 Lawrenceville Highway, Lilburn, and then will be at St. Stephen the Martyr Church, 5373 Wydella Road, SW, Lilburn, from 12 noon to 8:30 p.m. At St. Stephen the Martyr, a procession, praying of the Angelus and talk on the message of Fatima will be at noon; Divine Mercy chaplet at 3 p.m.; rosary and message of Fatima presentation at 4 p.m.; and Stations of the Cross at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Private veneration will be available throughout the day.

The Atlanta visit concludes Saturday, March 4, at the Cathedral of Christ the King, 2699 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta. The statue will be within Kenny Hall from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for visits of prayer and reflection.

From Atlanta the pilgrimage continues on to Charleston, South Carolina.