Church of the Most Holy Trinity
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The Church of the Most Holy Trinity is a Roman Catholic church in the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima in Fátima, Portugal. Ranked as the fourth largest Christian church in the world, the church was constructed between 2004 and 2007 at a cost of 80€ million euros.
The first stone was laid on June 6, 2004, by the now retired Bishop of the Diocese of Leiria-Fátima, Bishop Serafim Ferreira e Silva, Pope John Paul II blessed and donated the first stone, on March 9 2004. It is a piece of marble taken from the tomb of Apostle Peter, over which St Peter's Basilica in Rome was built. This was only a symbolic act, as the stone was later put inside the finished church for the pilgrims to see.
It was consecrated on October 12, 2007, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the aparitions of Fátima, by the Secretary of State of the Vatican and Legate of Holy Father Benedict XVI, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
The Church, dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, has about 8500 seats, and its architect was the Greek Alexandros Tombazis. It was entirely paid with gifts from the pilgrims. The decoration is inspired in byzantine and orthodox art.[1]
