The story of Our Lady of Fatima begins in 1917, at the height of World War I, when three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, were visited by the Blessed Mother over the course of several apparitions. In 1947, Jose Thedim, known as the “Michelangelo of Portugal,” sculpted the world-famous international Pilgrim Virgin Statue, which is currently touring across the Diocese of Youngstown, in accordance with the specifications of Venerable Sister Lucia—one of the children to witness these visions.
Pope Pius XXII blessed the statue in 1952, and it has since toured internationally—visiting more than 100 countries. Throughout the decades, the statue has been photographed several times, and photos from July 16, 1972, are the first that depict the statue shedding tears—though several other phenomena have occurred since. Today, the Statue is known as the “Weeping Madonna.”
The last time the statue toured the Diocese of Youngstown was in 1986, and 2024 marks her return, from August 1 to 21.
On August 1, the Byzantine Division of the World Apostolate of Fatima USA—Our Lady’s Blue Army—welcomed the Our Lady of Fatima to northeastern Ohio at Blessed Sacrament Church (St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish) in Warren. In addition to several stops at Byzantine Catholic churches, religious communities and shrines, the Weeping Madonna has so far visited the Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Canton, St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown, St. Charles Parish in Boardman, Sacred Heart Parish in Rock Creek, St. Rose Parish in Girard and St. Paul Parish in North Canton. Today it will be at the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Youngstown.
Third Order Franciscan Katie Moran—a speaker, radio personality and author of Mary’s Gentle Path, who is also President of the World Apostolate of Fatima, Our Lady’s Blue Army, Byzantine Division—expressed gratitude that Our Lady of Fatima has made its way back to tour the Diocese of Youngstown. “This is one of the most miraculous images today. You can look at other images of Our Lady and get your fill, but it’s very hard to take your eyes away from the statue because you are in the presence of Our Lady mystically,” she said.
Diocesan vicar general Monsignor John Zuraw, noted that many people around the world believe they receive messages from the Blessed Mary through visions, voices and inner senses—some of which involve the Statue of Our Lady of Fatima. “Many people claim these messages have a positive impact on their lives—conversion, deeper prayer, devotion and return to the sacraments,” he said about the statue’s positive influence.
Moran, the organizer of the local tour, is one such person. On Friday, August 2, during the statue’s stop at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Canton, she took photos of the statue in which it appeared to close its eyes. Her experience has received widespread national and international news coverage over the past week.
“I was sitting there, just praying, and she’s closing her eyes,” she said. Moran added she believes she bore witness to this because of the bond of motherhood. “I think it’s because, as a mother, and I’m a mother, Our Lady is like, ‘What more can I do? My heart is aching. My children are not changing their ways. They’re not stopping offending God by sin.”
Yet Monsignor Zuraw stressed that the community remembers the official position of the Catholic Church regarding any mystical phenomena involving the Blessed Mother. “Church teaching about apparitions, visions and voices is clearly nuanced. The Church officially deems very few of thousands of revelations as worthy of human belief.”
He also mentioned that authentic messages from our Blessed Mother are those that draw us closer to the cross of Jesus’ life as a reality of everyday life. “Authentic messages produce four signs in people’s lives: God-centeredness, deeper love for others, living the cross and simplicity of lifestyle. If one’s focus moves from being God-centered, there is trouble. Authentic Marian messages lead us to live in total dependence on God.”
One may wonder how the Church exercises discernment regarding alleged supernatural phenomena, such as those surrounding Our Lady of Fatima. Monsignor Zuraw noted that on May 17, 2024, Pope Francis approved the norms set forth in a publication by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith titled Listening to the Spirit Who Works in the Faithful People of God. This publication established a new set of standards for discerning alleged apparitions, miracles, visions and other events that are claimed to be of divine origin.
The following official statement on behalf of the Diocese of Youngstown reminds visitors to our Lady of Fatima to exercise healthy skepticism: “Through the centuries, apparitions, miracles, visitions and other mystical events are claimed to be of divine origin. The Church is always careful to investigate such signs with caution. Claims of miracles and apparitions start out with a healthy skepticism. There is always the realization on the part of the Church of the great spiritual harm that can be caused.”
The world-famous International Pilgrim Statue will continue visiting sites throughout the diocese until its final stop on August 21 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Austintown. Monsignor Zuraw urges visitors to keep in mind where the truth of the Church’s knowledge of Mary, Mother of God, lies. “Any true devotion to Mary, Mother of God, will lead us to sacred Scriptures and Tradition. The Mary of Scripture and Tradition is one who is at the same time the Mother of Jesus and a woman as human as any one of us. It is she who proclaimed the fulfillment of Israel in her Magnificat and who stood at the foot of the cross when Jesus died.”
