VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Pope John Paul II will travel to Fatima on May 13 for the beatification of two of the three children to whom the Virgin Mary appeared there in 1917, the Vatican has confirmed.

    The announcement-- made by Archbishop Crescienzo Sepe on March 20-- confirms the widespread belief that the Pope would preside at the beatification of the two Fatima seers. The Pope was shown a special devotion to the Lady of Fatima-- to whom he gives credit for his preservation from an assassination attempt on May 13, 1981. In fact, the Pontiff donated the bullet that was extracted from his body, to be placed in the golden crown of the original statue of the Lady of Fatima.

    Archbishop Sepe also announced that the same statute would be brought to the Vatican on October 8, for a special ceremony in conjunction with the Jubilee for bishops, in which the world and the third millennium will be consecrated to the Virgin Mary.