Renkus-Heinz IC Live Arrays Transform the Sound at the Shrine of Fatima

	"Pilgrims and visitors are consistently impressed, with balanced audio across the full frequency range," says Castro.

One of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, the Shrine of Fatima attracts millions of visitors each year. To support gatherings of this scale, the site recently implemented a new audio system centered around Renkus-Heinz IC Live beam-steering technology, designed to deliver clear and consistent sound across its vast open-air spaces.

Centered around a large prayer area linking two basilicas and a chapel, the site regularly hosts congregations of 50,000-100,000 people during the main outdoor season. Peak celebrations on May 13 and October 13 place concert-scale demands on the Shrine's audio infrastructure, where reliable communication is essential. However, the legacy audio system was no longer able to deliver the intelligibility and coverage required, prompting a comprehensive upgrade.

To address these substantial challenges, project consultant and system designer Ricardo Castro from RCOE specified Renkus-Heinz IC Live beam-steering arrays, including five ICL-F-RD and 38 ICL-F-DUAL-RD loudspeakers. The project was delivered in collaboration with distributor SeeSound, whilst the Shrine's in-house technical team carried out the system installation and integration.

"At such an important religious site, it was imperative to find a solution that delivers the necessary speech and music clarity for every type of service, whilst also respecting and preserving the renowned historic architecture," explains Castro.

With minimal physical boundaries and significant wind and environmental noise, achieving controlled sound reflection was critical. IC Live arrays were secured on lamppost pillars around the outdoor prayer area. This strategic positioning, combined with the ICL-F's digital beam-steering technology, ensures sound is precisely directed toward the audience, delivering crystal-clear and coherent speech. The use of dual modules achieves higher SPL and tighter vertical control, resulting in consistent audio performance during large ceremonies.

"Controlled vertical dispersion helps minimize reflections and reduce noise spill, while ensuring audible projection above crowd noise," says Castro. "The loudspeakers' IP54 rating alongside durable Finnish birch enclosures and robust steel grilles make them well suited to this exposed outdoor environment, where reliable performance is required in all weather conditions."

To ensure consistent sound coverage in such a vast open space, an additional central pillar housing loudspeakers was introduced. "At first, the architects were concerned that a new pillar might disrupt the Shrine's aesthetic," recalls Castro. "However, once they saw how the compact loudspeakers blended into both the slim profile of the pillar and the surrounding environment, they were reassured." All loudspeakers were custom painted, and cabling carefully concealed, allowing the system to enhance visitor experience without detracting from the striking architectural setting.

"As a global pilgrimage destination hosting multiple ceremonies each day, including at night, installation work had to be carefully scheduled," explains Castro. IC Live's digital steering significantly reduced installation complexity, eliminating the need for intricate adjustments and angling hardware. "Loudspeaker settings were predefined using Renkus-Heinz's RHAON configuration software, minimizing setup time and reducing disruption to ongoing services."

Beyond supporting ceremonies and major celebrations, the new system was designed with public safety in mind. The previous infrastructure lacked redundancy, whereas the new design ensures reliability through multiple rack rooms, maintaining at least 50% network operation in the event of a major failure. Additional safeguards include primary and secondary Dante paths, a third AES-EBU feed, and analog backup in critical areas.

Since installation, visitor feedback has shifted dramatically, with longstanding complaints replaced by praise for the system's clarity and consistency. While the Shrine's full audio renovation will continue over the next four to five years, this phase has already set a new performance benchmark.

"The transformation has been incredible. Complaints about sound have disappeared, replaced by a sense of amazement," confirms Castro. "Pilgrims and visitors are consistently impressed, with balanced audio across the full frequency range."

The upgraded audio system at the Shrine of Fatima now supports events of extraordinary scale, from daily services to major international pilgrimage celebrations attracting tens of thousands. Through advanced beam-steering technology, the Renkus-Heinz IC Live system ensures that every message can be delivered with unmatched clarity and reliability.