13 May
Faith ♡
Santuário de Nossa Senhora de Fátima
A modern church on a hilltop, built after the pilgrim statue from Portugal visited in 1952. Eleven Masses on the 13th of every month.
- 📍AddressAv. 13 de Maio, 200
- ✝️Every 13th11 Masses, 5:00–20:00
- 🌹First stone28 December 1952
- 🗿Square statue15 m, since 2008
Our own visit: This page only contains checked facts. After our own visit we will add what we saw ourselves, with our own photos.
A church born of a fall
On 9 October 1952 the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fátima arrived in Fortaleza from Portugal, to one of the biggest welcomes the city had seen. The statue then had an accident, and the tour was cut short. On 28 December 1952 Dom Antônio de Almeida Lustosa laid the first stone of a sanctuary; by December 1953 the statue was back, displayed in the unfinished church (parish website).
The church stands on the highest point of a rise, with a rosary on its façade. On Praça Pio IX in front, a 15-metre statue has stood since 13 May 2008 (Diário do Nordeste, 2025).
✅ Good for
- Seeing a big Brazilian pilgrimage festival
- The 13th of the month: Masses all day
- Photos of the giant statue on the square
⚠️ Less good for
- Seeking calm on 13 May or in October: very crowded
- Walking from downtown: take a taxi or Uber
Everything for your visit
Opening times
Mass: Monday to Friday 6:30, 12:00 and 17:00; Saturday 6:30, 12:00, 16:00, 17:30 and 19:00; Sunday 7:00, 9:00, 12:00, 17:00 and 19:00. On the 13th of every month: 5:00, 6:00, 7:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30, 17:00, 18:30 and 20:00 (O POVO, 30-07-2026).
📰 Newspaper, not an official source: O POVO (30-07-2026): Arquidiocese lança portal com horários de missas · read 15-10-2026Entry and prices
No entry fee mentioned.
ℹ️ Not mentioned by the source · read 15-10-2026Tours and programme
No tours found. Feasts: 13 May (procession from Igreja do Carmo) and October, with a walk of 80,000 to 100,000 faithful (Diário do Nordeste, 2025).
📰 Newspaper, not an official source: Diário do Nordeste (13-08-2025): Igreja de Fátima completa 70 anos · read 15-10-2026Getting there
In the Fátima district, south of downtown: 3.3 km by road from Igreja do Carmo and 6.6 km from Beira-Mar in Meireles. The nearest place on our list (Museu do Humor) is a 33-minute walk, so take a taxi or Uber.
🧭 Calculated with OpenStreetMap: OpenStreetMap routingAccessibility
We found no information on wheelchair access.
ℹ️ Not mentioned by the source · read 15-10-2026Good to know
Very crowded on 13 May and in October. On feast days, stalls selling religious items fill the square.
📰 Newspaper, not an official source: Diário do Nordeste (13-08-2025): Igreja de Fátima completa 70 anos · read 15-10-2026🗓️ Open by day
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌹 Santuário de Fátima | 6:30 · 12 · 17 ✝ | 6:30 · 12 · 17 ✝ | 6:30 · 12 · 17 ✝ | 6:30 · 12 · 17 ✝ | 6:30 · 12 · 17 ✝ | 6:30 · 12 · 16 · 17:30 · 19 ✝ | 7 · 9 · 12 · 17 · 19 ✝ |
Fátima in Fortaleza
The pilgrim statue
It came from Portugal on 9 October 1952 and returned in December 1953, while the church was still being built (parish).
13 May
According to the parish priest some 300,000 people join the procession, which leaves Igreja do Carmo at 18:00 (Diário do Nordeste).
A 15-metre statue
Since 13 May 2008 a 15-metre statue by artist Franciné Diniz has stood on Praça Pio IX (Diário do Nordeste, 2025).
Other places from here
Walking times and distances from OpenStreetMap (14-10-2026). More than 20 minutes on foot? Then we give the road distance for a taxi or Uber.
🚕 3.3 km by taxi or Uber😂 Museu do Humor Cearense
A museum of Ceará comedy beside the Teatro Chico Anysio in Benfica, with the comedian’s memorabilia and a mock village built for shows.
See this place →
🚕 3.3 km by taxi or Uber⛪ Igreja do Carmo
A white church on a square downtown, inaugurated in 1906, with a 1904 painting and a statue with an unusual past.
See this place →
🚕 3.4 km by taxi or Uber📿 Igreja do Rosário
Fortaleza’s oldest church, on Praça dos Leões, built by a Black brotherhood in the 18th century. Closed now, with restoration on hold.
See this place →
🚕 3.9 km by taxi or Uber🕯️ Igreja de São Benedito
A quiet church on Avenida do Imperador, open every day for adoration. Run since 1938 by priests who first came from the Netherlands.
See this place →
🚕 3.7 km by taxi or Uber🎬 Cineteatro São Luiz
A 1958 picture palace on Praça do Ferreira, with a lobby of Italian marble and crystal chandeliers. Films and shows, often free or cheap.
See this place →
🚕 3.6 km by taxi or Uber🏛️ Museu do Ceará
Ceará’s oldest state museum, in a small palace on Praça dos Leões. Closed since April 2019; reopening expected in December 2026.
See this place →
🚕 3.6 km by taxi or Uber⛪ Igreja do Pequeno Grande
A church of pinnacles and an iron frame from Belgium, inaugurated in 1903. Probably the first iron building in Ceará.
See this place →
🚕 3.6 km by taxi or Uber🎤 Centro Cultural Banco do Nordeste
Free theatre, music, exhibitions and a library since 1998, in a brightly painted building downtown. Open Tuesday to Saturday.
See this place →Food, neighbourhood and beach
Questions about Santuário de Fátima
What are the Mass times at the Fátima sanctuary?
Weekdays at 6:30, 12:00 and 17:00; five Masses a day at weekends (O POVO, July 2026).
What happens on the 13th?
On the 13th of every month there are eleven Masses, from 5:00 to 20:00 (O POVO; Diário do Nordeste).
How do I get there?
It is in the Fátima district, south of downtown. Take a taxi or Uber.
Sources: Paróquia e Santuário Nossa Senhora de Fátima: história · O POVO (30-07-2026): Arquidiocese lança portal com horários de missas · Diário do Nordeste (13-08-2025): Igreja de Fátima completa 70 anos · Diário do Nordeste (12-05-2023): missas e procissão de 13 de maio · OpenStreetMap routing
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