13th May - A religious phenomenon

Today is the 13th May. It's the 92nd anniversary of the day that three young shepards (really young. Children.) said they saw the Virgin Mary in Fátima, a city here in Portugal.

Every year there's a large torch-light procession in honor of the Virgin Mary, which is organised in the evening, and it's pretty impressive. The pilgrims gather in the Cova, on a huge space in which is built a little chapel where the Virgin is believed to have appeared to the children.

Fátima attracts a large number of Catholics, and every year pilgrims fill the country road that leads to the city with crowds that approach one million on May 13 and October 13, the significant dates of Fátima apparitions.

May 13th was when the children first saw the Virgin Mary. The Miracle of the Sun is an alleged miraculous event witnessed by as many as 100,000 people on the 13th October 1917 in the Cova da Iria fields near Fátima, Portugal. Those in attendance had assembled to observe what the Portuguese newspapers had been ridiculing for months as the absurd claim of the three shepherd children that a miracle was going to occur at high-noon in that same place, at that same time.

According to many witness statements, after a downfall of rain, the dark clouds broke and the sun appeared as an opaque, spinning disk in the sky. It was said to be significantly less bright than normal, and cast multicolored lights across the landscape, the shadows on the landscape, the people, and the surrounding clouds. The sun was then reported to have careened towards the earth in a zigzag pattern, frightening some of those present who thought it meant the end of the world. Some witnesses reported that their previously wet clothes became "suddenly and completely dry."

When my mom was ten years old (who, incidentally, is called Fátima), she went to Fátima and spoke to people who said they saw this same Miracle.

I don't know what to make of this everytime this day or October 13th arrives. When it comes to religion, I prefer not to express my opinion, because I'm not certain of anything, just like everyone else in the world.

There are lots of movies about this true story, I recommend this movie if you're interested (it's in Portuguese, but I'm sure there are one or two in English).

I just wanted to share this little fact about today.

-Lo

BEDA #12 - Talking Easter and Religion

Hi there, bloggers of BEDA.

I wanted to talk about Easter, since we are currently celebrating it, depending on your religious beliefs.

Basically, according to Christian scripture, it's the celebration of when Jesus was resurrected from the dead three days after his crucifixion. Nowadays it's all about the Easter Bunny and the Easter egg hunts.

I've never been baptized, something very common in my country. I'm actually very grateful that my dad disagreed when it came to me being baptized. My mom is Catholic, and my dad is atheist. I think it gives us a chance to choose our religious path when we're older, and not have it imposed by our parents and family and its religious background.

When I was younger I used to pray, though I'm not really sure why. Maybe it was because half of my family always does it and has such a strong belief in God and Christianity. I'm almost 17 now, and I think I've finally settled on what I believe in. I don't believe in God. I'm not catholic. Sometimes a wear a cross around my neck which my mom gave me, but it doesn't symbolize any type of religion, it's just a symbol and it happens to be related with Jesus. If I had to choose a religion - which is not quite considered a religion by some - that is the most related to my belief, it would be Buddhism, in the sense that it focusses on your inner strength rather than a God. I'm not saying that I am indeed a Buddhist, I just think that it fits more into my religious belief, which is agnostic.

I said all this because I've already lived two types of Easter "celebrations". When I'd go to my grandparents house a priest would go into every house with a statue of Jesus on the crucifix, and we'd kiss it. I'd tag along and do it too.

The "celebration" I do now is only a "Happy Easter" in the morning, and have a nice lunch with the table all neat and tidy and eat something I don't normally eat on my daily basis. If I go to my grandparents house to "celebrate" Easter, I respectfully leave the room the priest walks in and come back when he's gone.

Once a priest actually gave me an almond - here it's more of a symbol of Easter than Easter eggs or the Easter Bunny - (which I hate, by the way), and I just put it in my mouth and then just spit out afterwards. One thing that I didn't understand at the time but that now absolutely revolts me, is how my grandparents would always give money to the Church. Last year they had to put their names on the envelope which contained the money, and this year the priest didn't even go to my grandparents' village. So, basically, the priest's visit only comes to your village if the ammount of money you gave achieves the Church's satisfaction - which I can't even begin to write how it makes me feel.

I don't want to start rambling on about religious hypocrisy. Although I don't understand it, I respect everyone's religion. I didn't mean to disrespect anyone by this post, I'm sorry if you did find it inappropriate in any way.

How do you celebrate Easter? Do you celebrate it at all?

Happy Easter, everyone.

See you tomorrow xx

- Lo