An exact replica of the Little Chapel of Apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, is set to be built in Samoa after it was chosen by the World Apostolate of Fatima to become one of its regional centres in the world. Source: NZ Catholic.
JR Pereira, the first person from Oceania to be elected as a member of the WAF Board of Directors, said they were trying to raise WST$1.5 million (about $804,000), to build a Samoan fale, a house with open sides and a thatched roof, that will house the official replica chapel.
The decision to build the chapel was made during the Oceania Regional Congress of the WAF held in Samoa in 2019 and attended by then WAF international president, Professor Americo Pablo Lopez-Ortiz.
“Before the end of the conference, I think he was quite impressed with the preparations and the program . . . he said to me that Samoa will become the sixth centre for Fatima. It means that Samoa has to build a sanctuary, a replica of the chapel in Fatima,” Mr Pereira explained.
He said the fale is very important because it represents their people.
“So, inside this Samoan fale, inside us Samoans, Mother Mary’s chapel will sit,” he said.
Mr Pereira said that the structure of the chapel is already built, with plans to start building the fale this month. It is hoped the construction of both the fale and the chapel will be finished by the end of 2024.
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Exact replica of Fatima chapel planned for Samoa (By Rowena Orejana, NZ Catholic)
