Pope Francis tweeted Thursday, the eve of his visit to Fatima on the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Mary to the 'little shepherds': "with Mary, tomorrow in Fatima, pilgrim in hope and peace. Let's look at her: everything is a gift from God, our strength".
In the Portuguese town, Francis will oversee the canonisation of two of the three children who claimed to see several visions of the Virgin Mary in 1917.
The pair, Francesco Marto and Jacinto Marto, died before they reached adulthood.
Their cousin, Lucia Santos, who also said she witnessed the apparitions, became a nun and lived to the age of 97. She is on the road to beatification.
The shepherd children said the Madonna revealed three secrets to them, the last of which was only made public in 2000.
The secrets were interpreted as relating to Hell, World War I and World War II, and the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
