Fatima statue making state stops after 60 years of world travels

By Carla Hinton

Published: August 16, 2008

A world-famous statue is traveling through Oklahoma.

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima has visited numerous Roman Catholic parishes across the state, first stopping Aug. 2 at St. Peter Catholic Church in Guymon.

The statue was sculpted in 1947 by Jose Thedim, who based his design on a description given by Sister Lucia, one of three people who said they saw an apparition of Mary, Jesus' mother in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal.

The statue was blessed by the Bishop of Leiria on Oct. 13, 1947, at Fatima, to be a pilgrim-traveler.

Carl Marlburg, 67, one of three custodians traveling with the statue, said it essentially represents peace.

"The statue comes representing Jesus' mother, Mary, representing that apparition (in 1917) that came to tell us why we have wars and what our responsibility as Christian people is to bring peace,” Marlburg said.

He said he has been traveling with the statue for about 15 of its 60 years of travels to more than 100 countries.

"Our work is to go where bishops and priests invite us to talk about what Christians can do to bring peace. We need to join our little crosses with Jesus' big cross,” he said.

On Friday, Marlburg, originally from Michigan, was preparing to travel to Edmond, where the statue was to visit St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

St. John parishioner Velma Brandt said the congregation had been anticipating the visit.

"Things like this are important because our blessed mother tells all of us to go to her Son,” Brandt said. "I see the statue, and it helps me focus on heaven and Jesus.”

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