Brazil Unveils World’s Largest Statue of Our Lady of Fátima in Crato

Brazil Unveils World’s Largest Statue of Our Lady of Fátima in Crato
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Authorities in Crato (Ceará state, Brazil) inaugurated on November 13 a 54-meter-tall statue of Our Lady of Fátima, marking what local leaders describe as the tallest memorial to the Virgin Mary under that title, ceara.gov.br reported.

Crafted by Brazilian sculptor Ranilson Viana, the statue stands higher than Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Christ the Redeemer (38 meters), according to oimparcial.com.br.

The official inauguration included a Mass led by Bishop Magnus Henrique Lopes and drew hundreds of pilgrims traveling in over 100 caravans.

The Ceará government reportedly spent over 6 million Brazilian reals improving access to the site, located in a deeply religious region known for Marian devotion, as reported by opovo.com.br.

According to Vatican News, the statue serves as a symbol of faith and cultural identity in Crato. It features a replica of the Chapel of the Apparitions from Fátima, Portugal, reinforcing its spiritual connection to the original apparition site.

This city is renowned for being home to one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. Every year, the site receives millions of pilgrims and visitors from across the globe who travel there to pray, seek healing, and pursue spiritual purification.

The site’s significance originates from a story and a great miracle: the appearance of a saintly Lady before three shepherd children — a luminous lady known as Our Lady of the Rosary.

In 1917, three shepherd children in Fátima, Portugal, witnessed the repeated apparition of a radiant lady. The lady identified herself as “Fátima, daughter of the Prophet of God.”This apparition, which occurred over several months, culminated in a spectacular miracle witnessed by tens of thousands of people.Despite the lady identifying herself as the daughter of the Prophet of Islam, the Church quickly identified her as “the Virgin Mary,” thereby turning the name Fátima into a symbol of Mary. In reality, this event is clearly understood as one of the great favors shown by Lady Fatima Al-Zahra (peace be upon her) to all humanity, including non-Muslims, as Christians were historically granted the benefit of this miracle.

Historical accounts suggest the Church not only destroyed the initial shrine built at the site three times but also consistently tried to conceal the message of this divine apparition. Some sources confirm that the message given by Lady Fatima Al-Zahra to the children remains sealed in the Church’s treasury.This entire episode clearly demonstrates the special favor and attention of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) toward all human beings, regardless of their religion. It appears that Fátima is not only one of the miracles of Lady Fatima Al-Zahra but also a marker of a hidden truth that continues to remain behind the curtain of Christian history.