I chose this statue because it represents my Portuguese heritage as well as my Catholic faith. When I visited Portugal with my family recently, I purchased this statue as a memento. During our trip, we visited Fatima, the religious site in Portugal, and learned about the story of the three peasant children. The story goes like this: multiple times throughout 1917, Mary appeared to children named Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia and told them to pray the rosary to bring peace to the world and end the wars. When they told the adults, they didn’t believe them but on Mary’s last visit, she performed a miracle. My maternal grandfather and grandmother immigrated from the Azores islands (Portugal) during the 20th century and landed here in Lowell due to the vast opportunities available to them. My grandfather came when he was 5, while my grandmother came when she was 17 after getting married to him. Just like other immigrants, they didn’t speak the language and missed their family members at home. However, the Portuguese community in Lowell welcomed them as they kept their faith and traditions alive. The Portuguese church in Lowell helped them adapt to the US, and me and my family still continue to go there. Now, every time I see the statue, it reminds me to be proud of my roots and to stay devoted to my religion. Without these things, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

– LS

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant