The world-famous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Fatima is celebrating a milestone 75th anniversary this year, having travelled millions of miles to hundreds of countries and across every U.S. state, since 1947. 

When the statue was first brought to America from Fatima on October 13, 1947, after having been blessed by the bishop of Fatima, it travelled to Ottawa, Canada, where it began a 2-month tour from the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin at Cap-de-la-Madeleine. Its reception by the Archbishop of Ottawa was hailed as an answer to the call of Our Lady of Fatima.

In the same year, thousands of Canadians welcomed the procession of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of the Cape from the same shrine to the center of Canada’s capital city in Ottawa. Following the devastation of World War II, the two pilgrim statues encouraged Catholics throughout North America to imitate the Virgin Mother of God in prayer and penance for the sake of world peace.

Now, 75 years later, these same statues will unite on the border of Canada (in Windsor, ON) and the United States (in Detroit, MI) on Sunday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m. (EST) for a Rosary for peace and to promote consecration and devotion to the Blessed Mother. 

Americans will gather with the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Fatima on Belle Isle, just east of the Dossin Great Lakes Museum (near Nashua Drive and The Strand), in Detroit. Canadians will gather with the Pilgrim Virgin of Our Lady of the Cape directly across the Detroit River at the Peace Fountain on Riverside Drive E. in Windsor.

Following the Belle Isle Rosary, the IPVS of Fatima will be transported to the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, 18637 Ray Street in Riverview, Mich., for an evening program from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. with the World Apostolate of Fatima, Archdiocesan Division of Detroit. For more info: https://www.fatimashrinedetroit.org

The IPVS of Fatima is touring in the Detroit area from April 30 – May 3. The Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of the Cape tour schedule can be found at visitationproject.org.  

For more information, contact Patrick Sabat, Program Manager of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue Tours for the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA, 219-218-8991 or psabat@bluearmy.com.