Hundreds gather at Fatima Shrine for annual Filipino Day Pilgrimage

Organizers estimate up to 500 faithful Catholics gathered at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima for the worship site’s annual Filipino Day Pilgrimage, Saturday, July 29.

“This pilgrimage brings great joy to all of us. You come here very early in the morning, with smiling faces, ready to praise God and thank the Blessed Mother,” said Father Peter Calabrese, CRSP, rector of Fatima Shrine. 

A majority of worshippers came from the Greater Toronto Area. At least three tour buses could be seen on the grounds just before the start of the day’s pilgrimage. Co-organizer Kim Tolibas told WNYCatholic.org that as many as 10 buses have traveled in past years, but even this turnout was satisfying. 

“We’ve been organizing here for the last, I would say, about 15 years, maybe around that time. But we’ve been coming to the shrine for the last 24 years,” said Tolibas, who coordinates the pilgrimage with her husband, Mike.

Other pilgrims traveled from Syracuse, and others still reside within the eight counties that make up the Diocese of Buffalo. One of the latter pilgrims identified herself as Jane, who attends Mass at Immaculate Conception Parish in Ransomville and at Fatima Shrine. She too was impressed by the turnout.

“Back in my country, all people will definitely go to church every Sunday. And then when I got here, it feels like, it’s like few people,” she said. “But seeing Filipinos coming here, especially from Canada, you can absolutely feel like, I mean, it feels like you’re in the country.”

The flag of the Philippines was among four carried at the front of the rosary procession which opened the day’s events. Young people held that flag, along with the flags of the Vatican, United States and Canada. Behind them were Father Mario Lorenzana of Toronto, the lead celebrant of the day’s prayers and Mass, a young girl holding a pillow on which a small crown was placed, and a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary carried on a platform. And of course, plenty of pilgrims followed along with rosaries in hand. 

The first stop on the procession was at the outdoor chapel on the east end of the shrine grounds. There, the Blessed Virgin Mary was venerated in prayer by Father Lorenzana. Next, the procession trekked a few yards to a statue resembling St. Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila, a martyr who is the first Filipino to be canonized a saint by the Catholic Church. 

From there, the procession traveled along the Avenue of Saints and Aisle of Saints before returning to the basilica for Mass.

The statue of Mary carried in the procession was placed on a pedestal near the altar inside the basilica. Just before the offertory, that crown carried by the young girl during the procession was brought forward and placed on the Blessed Virgin Mary statue’s head. Worshipers then proceeded, one by one, to place flowers at the base of the pedestal on which the statue stood.

Before the gifts of bread and wine were brought up for the offertory, several pilgrims presented various gift baskets which were placed before the altar.

“That’s a traditional thing in the Philippines. When they do have the offertory, we use all the gifts, whoever wants. It could be envelopes, it could be fruits, it could be vegetables, it could be anything that they feel,” Tolibas explained. “Random people bring their gifts. That’s the thanksgiving for all the blessings that they do receive during the trials and tribulations of their lives.”

The Mass was spoken in Filipino. During his homily, Father Lorenzana acknowledged the Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church. Just before the conclusion of Mass, Father Calabrese addressed pilgrims, pointing out that Our Lady of Fatima Shrine is one of five sites selected by the diocese of Buffalo as pilgrimage sites during Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope.

“Between your rosary together in public, just coming to the shrine until the Epiphany is an indulgence moment,” Father Calabrese said. “Go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, say your prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father and come and visit us, and you may gain the Jubilee indulgence and once more be detached from our sins. We don’t make excuses for our sin. We are sinners, but we don’t try to stay attached. We want to let them go.”

The pilgrimage ended with lunch and entertainment, including pilgrims themselves taking turns dancing on a stage to live music. 

The Filipino Day pilgrimage is one of several ethnic celebrations of Catholic faith held at Fatima Shrine throughout the year. In May, a Mass was celebrated and spoken in Tamil, a language native to people in Sri Lanka and parts of India. The shrine will next host Hispanic Day on Saturday, Aug. 23, followed by Vietnamese Day on Sunday, Aug. 31. Then, Korean Day will be held Saturday, Sept. 20, and finally Polish Day on Saturday, Oct. 4.