Details

This is a picture of the sculptor working on a statue of Mary appearing in Fatima, Portugal. This statue was made according to the instructions of Lucia, who was there.  

However, what most people associate with this apparition is this statue:

Out of all the stories that surround this apparition, I found it odd that there's no attention given for the necklace, Mary is wearing.  

And there are BIG differences between the two statues.  Which one is accurate?  One has a crown.  One has the hands folded in prayer.  One has her heart on the outside.  One has a rosary.  And the one that interests me, one is wearing a necklace.  

You would think, vendors would be selling copies of that necklace.  Wouldn't we all want to wear the necklace Mary wore?

No one seems to know what it was.  It looks like a "new age" crystal, but of course, Mary isn't "new age."  Lately, I've been reading everything available to me, about what Lucia said about Mary.  Finally, I found in the book, Vision of Fatima, by Thomas Glynn, OP, that one cannot possibly describe accurately a vision that appeared three times, accurately.

In an interview to get more details for the statue, Fr. McGlynn asked Sr. Lucia about Our Lady’s appearance, beauty, and age. What was telling was that Sr. Lucia smiled and politely answered the questions (she always appeared to be about seventeen, never smiled but was pleasant, and her beauty was beyond telling) but also was unafraid to remark that these were foolish inquiries. There’s a humility in sharing what you know and also understanding that you cannot possibly fathom all that you have seen. Sr. Lucia shined with this humility.

 Regarding, the necklace that so concerns me:   Sr. Lucia insisted Our Lady's hands be positioned just so, the tunic fall exactly the way she remembered, the star placed on the proper spot on the tunic, and the ball of light around her neck reaching almost to her waist. She would make corrections as Fr. Tom worked, and at times would even take one of the tools and make changes to his model.

That's it.  The necklace held a ball of light and what we see is the artist's depiction.

Like Lucia was trying to say.  You can't describe the awesomeness.  

Sr. Lucia thought it was foolish to try to recount exactly how Our Lady looked

Our Lady of Fatima came to Visit Us

The traveling Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima came to my parish, tonight.  As I've said before, Our Lady wasn't dressed so flashy, "a la Las Vegas."  This is the traveling statue.  Mary's traveling clothes.  Like all us, when we go out, we get dressed up.

Sr. Lucia gave the sculptor, Fr. Thomas McGlynn, OP directions on what Our Lady looked like.  Her heart was on the outside, and she was dressed very simply.  But this statue is the Pilgrim traveling statue.  The Pope crowned this statue to honor Mary, and a Bishop in Portugal dressed her up to travel around the world giving the message to pray for peace in the world and in the family.

With the permission of Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the World Apostolate of Fatima is traveling the diocese of Boston.  This Statue travels throughout the diocese of the United States.  The Statue was blessed by Pope Paul VI in 1967 and given as a gift to the U.S. by the Bishop of Fatima, under the care of the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA.

It is the hope of the Apostolate that more men, women and children will have the opportunity to learn more about the Message of Fatima, gather to pray for peace in the world and in the family, and give honor to Our Lady.  May many prayers be offered this October for these intentions, and may Our Blessed Mother continue to intercede for us, especially the Archdiocese of Boston, and the parish of St. Mary's Franklin.