Few Sydneysiders can claim a family connection to the miraculous events at Fatima.
But among the attendees at this year’s Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Procession, held on 10 May, was Lucia Pestana, who has a family connection to the miraculous “Miracle of the Sun” at Fatima in 1917.
As a child, Lucia, from Canterbury, grew up hearing stories of her great aunt Maria, who lived in Fatima as a young woman and personally witnessed the extraordinary miracle.
It occurred when Our Lady of Fatima, during her apparitions to the three shepherd children —Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco—stopped heavy rain and illuminated the sky with a brilliant, dancing sunlight witnessed by many, including Lucia’s great aunt.
As Lucia, now 61 and named after one of the Fatima children, stepped out for the procession into the rain, she was reminded of her great aunt’s history, especially as the incessant downpour “miraculously” stopped by the time the crowd had descended the steps to the forecourt.
She felt a familiar reassurance and the echoes of that miracle from her family history as two words echoed in her heart: “Mary’s here.”
In its third consecutive year, attendees believe they have witnessed what many consider a miraculous intervention in the weather.
The Catholic Weekly’s Christina Guzman also noted the special moment regarding the sudden pause in inclement weather.
“We did the rosary prayer while it was raining outside, and then when it came time to process, the rain stopped. Thank you, God,” Christina shared.
Altar server, Albert Saju noted: “Every year it’s predicted to rain and Our Lady just holds it back for maybe an hour.”
It was a tangible presence of faith felt among the thousands who gathered for the annual event.
In what has become one of the most beautiful displays of faith in Sydney, the procession for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima saw thousands of people carrying candles and waving white handkerchiefs as they processed through the streets of the CBD.
“I really could feel the faith and it was very emotional,” said attendee Lucia Pestana. “I wasn’t the only one. I’ve spoken to a lot of people and they all really felt the faith, the reverence,” she said.
Beginning with Mass celebrated by Bishop Richard Umbers, the Fatima Procession then saw attendees process around the cathedral forecourt and streets.
Organised by the Archdiocese of Sydney in collaboration Sydney Catholic Schools, Sydney Catholic Youth (SCY) and the Somascan Communities of Moorebank and Holsworthy, the event drew an estimated 3000 attendees, showing significant growth from last year’s event.
Albert said seeing the candle-lit cathedral from his vantage point to the side of the altar was like “watching a living artwork of our faith.”
“I can’t put it into words. Every candle represented the faith that they’re holding, they’re believing, and I guess they’re projecting as well towards people of Sydney,” he said. It’s this “perk of the job” that sees Albert volunteer every year to serve at the procession.
“I think the devotion just becomes stronger. The faith becomes stronger as well. And it’s so encouraging seeing more and more people come every year. It makes me more encouraged to serve more, to do more processions, to serve the Lord more. And being so close to the beauty of it all is just one of the perks of the job,” he said.
Christina described feeling “the faith and emotion strongly” throughout the event and said it was empowering to watch “unified Catholics walking with their candles and praying together through the streets,” creating “an atmosphere of reverence, unity, and love.”
It was Varun Perera’s first experience of the Fatima Procession.
“It was quite profound and special just to see the different faces, different communities, come together in a fully packed-out cathedral,” Varun shared.
“Being from Melbourne myself, I haven’t been a part of these kinds of things before, so it’s very special and will live long in my memory. Having been to Fatima two years ago for World Youth Day and experiencing the procession there, it did bring back memories of that beautiful experience in the middle of the night.
“Probably one of the things that stuck with me was doing the rosary in different languages. I think it just captured the universality of the Fatima message where different people from all different countries, different walks of life, all gathered in unity to honour our Mother and her message.”
Lucia believes her great aunt Maria would share in her pride and hope seeing the faith on display and the devotion Our Lady continues to inspire in Sydney’s faith community, especially as it prepares to host the International Eucharistic Congress in 2028.
“It fills my heart with hope and love, and yes, she would be proud, to see the faith alive on the streets of Sydney.”
