PORTUGAL: MORE THAN 150.000 PEOPLE GATHER AT THE SHRINE OF FATIMA AMID HEIGHTENED SECURITY AT ONE OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM'S MOST REVERED SITES

Record ID: 646930

  • Title: PORTUGAL: MORE THAN 150.000 PEOPLE GATHER AT THE SHRINE OF FATIMA AMID HEIGHTENED SECURITY AT ONE OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM'S MOST REVERED SITES
  • Date: 13th October 2001
  • Summary: FATIMA, PORTUGAL (OCTOBER 13, 2001) (REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE/MV/WIDE PROCESSION WITH FLAGS HEADING TOWARDS ALTAR (3 SHOTS) 0.13 2. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) POLICE COMMANDER LEVY CORREIA SAYING: "Giving the circumstances of which we are all aware (Sept 11) we had to take exceptional measures. Apart from visible and under-cover security, we basically have medical cover to allow us, within two minutes at most, to deploy a pool of vehicles to evacuate people in case a tragedy occurs." 0.38 3. CU POLICE SIGN; SLV POLICE VAN (2 SHOTS) 0.45 4. SLV PROCESSION AT SHRINE; MV AMERICAN CITIZEN WITH FLAG; MV PILGRIMS ON KNEES; CU WOMAN PRAYING (4 SHOTS) (3 SHOTS) 1.10 5. CU AMERICAN FLAG WITH WIDE CROWD IN B/G 1.17 6. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) US CITIZEN WHO WISHED TO BE IDENTIFIED ONLY AS A PILGRIM SAYING: "I wouldn't categorise it as a religious war. Terrorism is terrorism. It is cruel. I wouldn't characterise it as war at this point anyway." 1.41 7. WIDE/SLV/WIDE CROWD AT SHRINE (3 SHOTS) 1.50 8. SV (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CARDINAL PATRIARCH OF LISBON, D. JOSE POLICARPO SAYING IN AN APPARENT REFERENCE TO THE EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES PREACHING: "If the Muslim radicals mix to much God in its wars, accepting the violence to defend the faith and to promise the justice, the civilization moved away God of the history as if the future of the World just depended on the man and of its power. But at this dramatic time the men of open heart cannot leave of for the subject: Where is the true God? Who is God after all? How does he become present in our life?" 2.21 9. VARIOUS OF PROCESSION OF FAREWELL WITH PILGRIMS WAVING WHITE HANDKERCHIEFS (4 SHOTS) 2.38 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 28th October 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: FATIMA, PORTUGAL
  • Country: Portugal
  • Reuters ID: LVA7ZV5PTVJUF8A72KYTYUJLUS0T
  • Story Text: More than 150,000 people flocked to the shrine of
    Fatima amid heightened security to mark the anniversary of
    the last apparition of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd
    children.



    More than 150,000 Roman Catholic faithful gathered
    at the Fatima shrine amid heightened security on Saturday to
    mark the anniversary of the last apparition of the Virgin
    Mary to three shepherd children.

    The pilgrimage passed without incident, although local
    superintendent Levy Correia said police had stepped up
    preventive measures at what is one of Roman Catholicism's most
    revered sites in the light of the September 11 attacks on New
    York and Washington.

    "Given the circumstances of which we are all aware
    (September 11) we had to take exceptional measures," Levy
    Correia said.

    Correia declined to give details of what forces he had
    available at the shrine 120 km north of Lisbon, but opted for
    a discrete presence and did not use helicopter surveillance in
    order not to unsettle visitors.

    "Apart from visible and under-cover security, we basically
    have medical cover to allow us, within two minutes at most, to
    deploy a pool of vehicles to evacuate people in case a tragedy
    occurs," he added.

    Security details are common for pilgrimages to Fatima,
    such as the May 13 anniversary of the Virgins first
    apparition, which was attended this year by Spanish archbishop
    Antonio Rouco Varela, an outspoken critic of Basque separatist
    group ETA.

    Attendance at this year's Fatima anniversary was higher
    than in previous years as it came at the weekend, and pilgrims
    said they were not deterred by the possibility of reprisals
    for U.S. air raids on Afghanistan.

    "I wouldn't call this a religious war. Terrorism is
    terrorism. It is cruel and inhuman for men to
    indiscriminately do what they did. I dont feel we are at war,
    but it is not a good thing," one pilgrim said, wrapped in the
    U.S. flag, who wished to be identified only as a pilgrim from
    the United States.

    Fatima is one of the few places where the Roman Catholic
    church believes the Virgin Mary has appeared, in this case to
    shepherd children in 1917, and draws millions of visitors each
    year between May and October.

    Many pilgrims shuffle along on the knees over the final
    stretch of the journey, to give thanks for special favours
    they believe the Virgin granted them.



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