Lisbon, Portugal, Feb 13, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Sister Lucia, the last surviving witness of the three children to whom the Virgin Mary appeared at Fatima, Portugal, died Sunday at the age of 97.
Her passing occurred on the 13th day of the month, which was always the day on which the historic apparitions of Mary took place.
According to the Portuguese news agency Lusa, Sister Maria Lucia of the Immaculate Heart, born in 1907 as Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, died of old age at the Carmelite convent of St. Teresa of Coimbra in central Portugal, at 5:25pm local time.
The local bishop, Antonio Cleto, will officiate at the funeral rites at the Cathedral of Coimbra. The bishop of Leiria-Fatima will also be present.