Fátima Candlelight Procession: A First-Timer's Guide

The Candlelight Procession starts at about 9:30 pm, and it costs nothing to join. There is no ticket, no registration and no reserved place. You buy a candle on site, join the crowd in the square, and stay until the statue is carried back to the chapel. That is the whole format. The rest of this guide explains what it looks like on the ground and what to plan around it.

Quick answers before you plan

• When: every night of the year, after the Rosary, barring severe weather. The start time shifts with the season and on big pilgrimage dates, so check the day's program with the Sanctuary.
• Cost: free. Candles are sold on site at low prices.
• How long: allow about an hour and a half, counting the Rosary.
• Distance: about 130 km (roughly 80 miles) from Lisbon, just over an hour by car.

What happens, step by step

Toward evening, the international Rosary is prayed at the Chapel of the Apparitions. The chapel stands on the exact spot where the children said they saw the lady. When the prayers end, candles are handed out and lit one at a time until the whole square glows. Thousands of people hold the same small flame.

Then the statue of Our Lady of Fátima is carried slowly through the crowd on a litter. Hymns and Hail Marys rise in many languages. The procession ends back at the chapel, and this is the part many visitors remember most. Thousands of people raise a white handkerchief at the same time and wave farewell to the statue.

The places you will see

• The Chapel of the Apparitions: the spiritual center of the Sanctuary, built on the spot of the 1917 sightings. The Rosary starts here.
• The prayer square: one of the largest religious esplanades in the world, able to hold hundreds of thousands of people.
• The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary: where the tombs of Saints Francisco and Jacinta and of Sister Lúcia are.
• The Basilica of the Holy Trinity: the large modern church across the square, used for the biggest celebrations.

The 1917 story in brief

In May 1917, three children from Aljustrel, a village in central Portugal, were minding their flock in a field called the Cova da Iria. Lúcia dos Santos was ten. Her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto were nine and seven. They said a lady dressed in white appeared to them, brighter than the sun. The apparition returned on the 13th of each month until October.

The lady asked for prayer for peace while Europe was fighting the First World War. Few believed the children at first. They were questioned, threatened and even detained, but they never changed their story.

On 13 October 1917, a crowd estimated at seventy thousand gathered in the rain, waiting for the promised sign. Many described what happened next: the clouds parted, and the sun seemed to spin, change color and move toward the earth before returning to normal. It became known as the "Miracle of the Sun." Journalists at the scene, some of them skeptics, wrote about it. The event turned a shepherds' field into one of the largest pilgrimage sites in the world.

Francisco and Jacinta died only a few years later, still children, during the influenza pandemic of 1918 to 1920. Pope Francis canonized them in 2017, the centenary year. Lúcia became a Carmelite nun and lived until 2005.

Which night should you go?

• The 12th of each month, May to October: the eve of the anniversary. Crowds are large and the atmosphere is strong. Many people pick this night.
• The 13th of each month, May to October: the anniversary itself, with celebrations during the day and the farewell procession at night. The 13th of May and the 13th of October are the biggest. Pilgrims walk in from across the country.
• Thursdays, Easter to Advent: the Eucharistic Procession takes place instead of the Candlelight Procession. Check this before you plan a Thursday visit.
• Any other night: the same procession, in a calmer square.

The procession is open to everyone. On the 12th and 13th the square is very full, so a calmer night is easier with small children. For the apparition dates from May to October, we also run Fátima with Family, so you can enjoy those dates without spending hours looking for parking.

What to bring and wear

• A warm layer. Evenings cool down, even in summer, and the open square catches the wind.
• Comfortable shoes. You cover real distances inside the Sanctuary, on flat but very large surfaces.
• Covered shoulders for the basilicas. Dress modestly to go inside, as in any church.
• Nothing for the candle. You buy it on site, so there is nothing to carry from home.
• Quiet respect. Take photos discreetly and keep your voice low during the procession. For many people this is a place of faith.

Do you need to be Catholic?

No. Many visitors are not Catholic. They light a candle, stand to one side, and watch in silence. You do not need to pray or follow the liturgy. Many people say the evening moved them more than they expected. You only need to be there.

Make the most of the day

Arrive in the late afternoon. That gives you time to walk the Sanctuary in daylight and find a place in the square before it fills. Two kilometers (about 1.2 miles) from the Sanctuary are Aljustrel, the children's homes, and the Valinhos fields where the apparitions took place. This is where the story feels most real.

Public transport back after dark can be awkward. Group tours often leave before the procession ends, which is the part that matters most. That is why our private tour, Fátima by Night: the Candlelight Procession, is set up differently. We collect you from your Lisbon hotel in the late afternoon, take time in Aljustrel, the Valinhos fields and the Sanctuary, leave room for you to light your own candle, and stay for the whole procession. Afterwards we drive you back, door to door, with no rush. It is only your group, with a guide who knows the story well and is still moved by it.

If you want to pair Fátima with other places in Portugal, our Sintra Palaces tour covers the enchanted palaces, and our Custom Tour can build a route around your dates. Tell us what you want to see.

If there is one evening in Portugal worth taking slowly, this is a strong candidate. Send us your dates and the number of people in your group, and we will handle the rest. Message us on WhatsApp and we will plan the night with you.

Frequently asked questions

What time is the Candlelight Procession in Fátima?

It takes place in the evening, at the end of the Rosary prayed at the Chapel of the Apparitions, usually around 9.30 pm. Times change through the year and on major pilgrimage dates, so check the day's programme with the Sanctuary.

Does the procession happen every night?

Yes, it is part of the Sanctuary's daily prayer programme and runs throughout the year, barring severe weather. On Thursdays, from Easter to Advent, it is the Eucharistic Procession instead. The biggest nights by far are those of the 12th into the 13th of each month, from May to October.

Do you need a ticket or a booking to take part?

No. The procession is open to everyone, with no ticket, no registration and no assigned place. You simply need to be on the esplanade before the Rosary ends.

Where do you buy the candles?

They are sold inside the grounds, next to the chapel and in the shops around the Sanctuary, in various sizes and at low prices. There is no need to bring anything with you.

How long does it last?

Counting the Rosary beforehand and the procession itself, allow about an hour and a half. It is worth staying to the very end, when the statue returns to the chapel, because that is the part people remember.

Can you attend if you are not Catholic?

You can, and many visitors do. You are not expected to pray or follow the liturgy. Lighting a candle and watching quietly from the side is how most travelers experience the evening.

Do you need to arrive early to get a spot?

On an ordinary night, no: half an hour ahead is plenty. On the nights of the 12th into the 13th from May to October, with tens of thousands of pilgrims, you want to be in the precinct considerably earlier.