Fatima, Portugal, May 12, 2010 / 16:32 pm
We must not be afraid to share our faith, said Pope Benedict XVI from the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima on Wednesday evening. The "highest priority" today is to make God present in the world lest his light be "snuffed out forever."
The Pope was joined by thousands of candle-bearing faithful for the traditional prayer vigil before the Solemnity of Our Lady of Fatima, celebrated every May 13. He blessed the candles for the procession and recited the Rosary with the people.
Speaking about the crowd of pilgrims, the Pope said that seeing so many people with candles reminded him of "a sea of light" around the Chapel of Apparitions, "lovingly built to the honor of the Mother of God and our mother, whose path from earth to heaven appeared to the shepherd children like a way of light."
At the same time, the light is neither ours nor of Mary, Benedict observed, saying that "we receive it from Jesus.”