Well the last post only went as far as supper time.  On the way home to supper we went to a Port tasting which was very palatable. Then we went out to the plaza where people were gathering for the Vigil of the 13th Procession.  As time went past you wondered whether any more people could fit into the plaza - it was reckoned to be about a 1/4 million people.

When the Bishop arrived everyone started to light their candles which were raised high for each Ave.

Here you can see the fire of hell.

The procession followed the saying of the rosary in various languages.  It was led by the lit cross, banners from many Fatima groups and other Marian groups from across the world.  Then came the Knights of St Gregory, Deacons, priests and the bishop.

 Last of all was the statue of Our Lady.

We decided not to stay for mass as we had been in the morning so struggled across the plaza to the exit.  I don't think anyone here has ever heard of health and safety and it was rather scary! The mass did not finish until about 12.45am.  Two of our nuns decided to stay and then remained there all night for the vigil adoration.

This morning we are back in the plaza at 8.15am.  The services are similar to those of last night's vigil.  Again, there are probably 200,000 people.  Both Deacon Paul and Fr Tom were in the procession.  This time we had an Italian cardinal plus umpteen bishops and hundreds of priests.

The weather is changeable but luckily we have only a few drops of rain.  The procession is far longer this time with quite a few national flags, including the Union Jack.

Some of the groups have their own symbols or flags like these crosses.

At communion, you can imagine it is an immense task and takes about 3/4hour. 

 Each priest is accompanied by someone carrying a white parasol

The mass finished with Benediction.  There was an unbelievably beautiful monstrance.

Again, the procession is completed with the statue of Our Lady.  Amazingly, the bullet that nearly killed the Pope fits exactly into the crown.  When the statue was processed back to the Church of the Apparition, everyone waved handkerchiefs.
We had a quiet afternoon taking things easy after the strenuous day yesterday