Our Lady of the Conception

	Our Lady of the Conception, Patroness of Portugal   In practically its entire history, the Portuguese nation has always had a filial devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. (…) Among its countless invocations to Mary, the Immaculate Conception is probably the most important. This devotion became permanent in 1646, when King John IV proclaimed the Virgin to be the Patroness of the Kingdom of Portugal, under the name of Our Lady of the Conception. The national ceremonies celebrating the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in Portugal took place at the Shrine of Our Lady of Sameiro, whose statue was crowned more than 109 years ago.                                                                       Msgr Luciano Guerra, Rector of the Shrine of Fatima