1946 was a year of celebration for Portugal. It was the third centenary (300 year anniversary) of when King John IV had named Our Lady as Patroness of the country under Her title of the Immaculate Conception.

Every year, on December 1, the people of Portugal would celebrate this anniversary, as well as two other important events in their history: The crowning of John IV (December 1, 1640), and the revolution freeing them from Spain (which ended in 1648).

A great deal of effort and planning was poured into making their annual celebration more spectacular than ever on this third centenary. Little did the people know that Heaven also had plans!

A statue of Our Lady of Fatima was to be carried in procession on a decorated platform through Portugal. This particular statue was very special, in that it was the statue that resided in the very Cova da Iria where Mary appeared to the three children. It was to be taken to various churches were special services would be held.

On November 23, 1946, the beloved statue was taken from Fatima and carried on a gilt platform, with white flowers surrounding the statue’s feet. Thousands of people flocked to greet Our Lady as it made its way from parish to parish.

A woman named Enra Coimbra bought some doves in Lisbon and had them sent to the city of Bombarral. Her goal was for the doves to be released near the statue that their joyful flight might add to the jubilant homage to Mary.

On December 1, the doves were let loose. To everyone’s surprise, three of them flew straight to Mary’s statue, and settled down amid the flowers at Her feet! Many worried that the doves would ruin the flowers, so they loudly clapped or waved their arms near the doves. Surely this would send the birds away in an instant! But the gentle creatures refused to move.

The doves remained beneath the statue during the forty mile journey from Bombarral to Lisbon. A witness describes it thus:

"The noise and acclamations of the crowds, the hymn singing, the bursting of festive rockets, the lights at night, the heat of the sun or the heavy rain during some days, or the entrance of the image on its flowered stand into the various churches where, during the night, prayer vigils and night ceremonies took place - nothing made the doves abandon the touching and humble image of Our Lady."

It wasn’t long before the newspapers got wind of the amazing occurrence. Diario de Noticias, the most widely circulated of all Lisbon’s daily papers, read as follows:

During the pilgrimage of the Image of Our Lady of Fatima there was a moving and extraordinary episode which created the greatest interest among believers and doubters, which turned to amazement among skeptics, after these had assured themselves that it was a fact - the episode of the three white doves which at Bombarral "freely" of their own accord alighted on the stand of Our Lady, and "of their own accord" accompanied it as sentinels in their post of honor. In the many pages of Holy Scripture (as was told in an article published in this same paper under the title of "The Doves of Holy Mary"), the white dove appears as a symbol of purity, messenger of peace, in all the Old Testament, since Noah had let it form the ark and it had returned with the olive branch.

Not only in Portugal, but newspapers in Europe and the United States kept up with the events as they progressed.

On December 8, the grand finale of the celebration took place. The statue, with the faithful doves, was carried to the Lisbon cathedral. Cardinal Cerejeira celebrated Pontifical High Mass, and repeated King John IV’s consecration of Portugal to the Immaculate Conception.

The Very Reverend Canon J. G. De Oliveira, witnessed and wrote of an incredible occurrence during the Mass, when the bell rang to announce the Elevation of the Host:

"To the utter amazement of all, two of the doves suddenly flew . . . after days of refusing food or drink and remaining at the feet of the statue . . . one sped straight to the gospel side of the altar, and the other to the epistle side! There, as the bishop straightened to raise the Consecrated Host, they folded their wings . . . one on each side . . . as though in adoration! As the Mass progressed, the two doves remained there to the bewilderment of the celebrants and servers and the stupefied congregation. But this was still not the end. The third dove had not left the statue. Suddenly, at the moment of Communion, the third dove flew up and perched on top of the statue’s golden crown . . . and as the celebrant turned and held up Our Lord saying, "Ecce Agnus Dei" (Behold the Lamb of God), the dove spread its white wings and held them open!"

Indeed, the third centenary for Portugal was one the people would never forget! And they were blessed the following year with a repetition of this miracle!

During the pilgrimage from October 13, 1947 to January 12, 1948, doves were again let loose by the statue, and remained faithful and calm at its feet amid jubilant crowds. The number of doves varied during the pilgrimage - at one point, a witness counted as many as thirteen doves, sleeping at Our Lady’s feet! It was touching to see them all leaning their heads against Her feet and mantle, rather than tucking their heads beneath their wings as sleeping birds usually do.

Many other extraordinary events were recorded by eyewitnesses. These incredible doves - living symbols of peace - remain a touching and encouraging reminder of Our Lady’s promise at Fatima: that through Her, peace will come to this world.