Fr.Joseph Fessio's Ignatius Press, Releases "The Thirteenth Day"

On the heels of thirteen successful nationwide screenings on

Oct. 13 and hundreds of advanced screenings at parishes and within communities across the United States and Canada, The 13th Day will be released on DVD on Dec. 1.

Based on the memoirs of Sister Maria Lucia de Jesus, The 13th Day recounts the appearances of the Blessed Mother to Lucia Santos and her two cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto in the region of Fatima, Portugal during the year 1917. Just as the “Heavenly Lady” foretold, Lucia and her cousins endured persecution from the government and the community.

The 13th Day is the first major motion picture by directors Ian and Dominic Higgins. Ignatius Press is the North American distributor of the film, and has been proud to offer the opportunity for groups, parishes and dioceses to preview the film in advance of its public release.

“Advance screenings of The 13th Day have been extremely successful, allowing thousands of people to be exposed to the Message of Fatima,” Anthony Ryan, Director of Marketing for Ignatius Press, said. “We are excited to offer the DVD to the public. This message is more than relevant for today. Every Catholic, perhaps every person, should see this film.”

The film, complete with accuracy of what has been documented as the actual events at Fatima, teaches its audience that a great miracle occurred in Fatima, that the world was given both a warning and a blessing, and that there is hope for those who dare to believe.

“The 13th Day film is a dramatic and artistic presentation with a powerful message about what Our Lady requested at Fatima,” said Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR, a Fatima expert. “These children had such courage; they were willing to die because they loved Our Lady so much.”

The DVD will officially be available for purchase beginning Dec. 1. Stylistically beautiful and technically innovative, the film uses state-of-the-art digital effects to create stunning images of the visions and the final miracle. Shot on location in Portugal and in the United Kingdom, the film has a cast of hundreds to re-create the scenes of the 70,000 strong crowds, with three young Portuguese actors playing the iconic roles of the Seers. Special Features on the DVD include optional Spanish subtitles, a 24-page companion Collector's Booklet with special interviews, articles, pictures and more.

In conjunction with the film’s release, Ignatius Press has scheduled a tele-press conference for Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 1:00pm ET to answer questions from the media about The 13th Day. The producer, the writers and directors, and actors from the film will be available for questions from the media. Also on hand will be representatives from Ignatius Press and Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR, an expert on Our Lady of Fatima.

Ignatius Press is a Catholic publishing house based in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1978 by Father Joseph Fessio SJ, a Jesuit priest and former pupil of Pope Benedict XVI.

For more information about The 13th Day, The Advanced Screening Program or to schedule an interview with Anthony Ryan, please contact Christine Schicker with The Maximus Group at 404-610-8871.

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