Parents of kidnapped UK girl pray at Fatima shrine

FATIMA, Portugal, May 23 (Reuters) The parents of a kidnapped British four-year-old girl prayed today for her safe return at Portugal's holiest Catholic shrine.

Kate and Gerry McCann prayed and attended mass at the Sanctuary of Fatima, where the appearance of the Virgin Mary 90 years ago to three shepherd children is said to have foretold the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in 1981.

The McCanns have attended church nearly every day since their daughter Madeleine disappeared from her bedroom on May 3 in the small Algarve resort town of Praia da Luz.

''Their faith is very, very important for them and this was a profoundly moving and important spiritual visit for them at this time,'' a spokesman for the McCann family told reporters.

As the McCanns walked around the shrine they were hugged and greeted by pilgrims who wished them well. One man held up a sign reading ''Ireland prays for Madeleine'' at the shrine which attracts about 3.5 million pilgrims every year.

''They are immensely grateful to everybody who has been giving them good wishes, flowers, presents and praying for them,'' the spokesman said. ''Every single prayer is important to them, they draw strength from every prayer in their ongoing search for Madeleine.'' Portuguese police have yet to arrest anybody in their investigation but say they have identified one suspect.

The late pontiff visited the shrine in 1982 and placed one of the bullets that nearly killed him in the crown of the statue of Fatima.

REUTERS DS RK1928