The Shrine of Fatima recorded a continuous increase in the «Blessing of Vehicles», exceeding 10,000 blessed vehicles last year, with 16,000 pilgrims in attendance. The ritual has evolved significantly over the years, growing from 6,000 vehicles in 2011 to over 10,000 in 2025.
The ceremony is a liturgical act in which God is asked to bless automobiles, their occupants, and all other road users. The official publication of the tradition appeared in January 1992 in the newspaper «Voz da Fátima», structuring an informal custom that had gained strength throughout the 20th century, with crowds parking near the Cova da Iria.
The blessing prayer calls for prudence on the roads, emphasizing the need for drivers to cooperate with God through attentive, sober, and courteous driving, «avoiding dangerous maneuvers», to make the path safe for others.
The ceremony usually takes place on Sundays and holy days, at 12:45 and 17:00, in the parking lot next to the Paul VI Pastoral Center. Pilgrims such as Filipa and Marco Antunes, motorcyclists from Lourinhã, and former emigrants such as Lurdes and Carlos de Melo, regularly travel to the Shrine to participate in this blessing that they consider a source of protection, «relief and hope» for all their journeys.
