Our Lady of Fatima will be crowned by Cardinal Nichols at initiation of the 100-year anniversary

'To draw close to Mary is to draw close to Jesus.'

The World Apostolate of Fatima National Pilgrim Virgin statue will be received, blessed and crowned by Cardinal Nichols on Saturday February 18, 2017.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - This year is the 100th anniversary of Our Lady's appearance to three children in Fatima, Portugal

According to EWTN, during the ceremony, Cardinal Nichols will renew the consecration made by Cardinal Griffin on July 16, 1948.

He will renews the consecration of the country to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Mass will follow and everyone will have a change to venerate the Blessed Francisco and Blessed Jacinta relics, as well as participate in devotions to Our Lady.

Following devotions and time for venerations, a Fatima Symposium in Westminster Cathedral Hall will begin at 4 p.m.

The National Pilgrim Virgin Statue and Relics will be available in the Cathedral until 2:30 p.m. Sunday after on February 19.

Cardinal Nichols will be crowning Our Lady with a new silver gilt Centenary Crown, which is currently being fashioned by the same Portuguese firm that made the crown worn at Fatima on the 13th of each month.

The new crown is being offered to Our Lady in the traditional way following how the original crown was made - by exchanging the crown for offerings any of the faithful wish to give in the form of gold, silver or jewelry containing elements of gold or silver.

It is well-known the most important offering any of us can make to Our Lady is our hearts and prayers.

In 2013, when Pope Francis renewed the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at Rome during the Marian Day in the Year of Faith, Cardinal Nichols spoke.

Before Our Lady's statue from Fatima, the Cardinal stated:

"Devotion to Mary is not an optional 'add-on' to Catholic belief, but an expression of what is at the heart of our faith. To draw close to Mary is to draw close to Jesus. As the earliest Christian witnesses often taught, Mary was open to receiving Jesus in her mind and in her heart before she gave birth to him in her flesh.

"For this reason she is the first of all the disciples of the Lord and she is the most faithful of all the Lord's followers. In her maternal love of us she continues to assist us in our following of Him; a consecration to her Immaculate Heart gives expression to this in a simple way."

The Cardinal's heart for the Blessed Mother is obvious and his endeavor to follow the Gospel is evidenced in his constant cries on behalf of the unfortunate.

With the new century following Our Lady's appearance, there is no one more suited to crown her statue than Cardinal Nichols.

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