“Mother, look at us tenderly, we want to unite as a people” is the motto of the 48th Youth Pilgrimage on Foot to Luján. About 60 kilometers that will be traveled by thousands of faithful on October 1 and 2. An invitation from the bishops, especially for the leadership of the country, to be “humble and helpful” like the pilgrims, to be part of the people and “never above them”.
vaticannews
Young Argentines are preparing for the 48th Youth Pilgrimage on Foot to Luján 2022, which will take place on October 1 and 2, under the motto “Mother, look at us tenderly, we want to unite as a people.” They bring non-perishable food to donate to Cáritas and a small candle to light on the road at midnight on Sunday to illuminate everyone’s intentions. There are 60 kilometers from the Sanctuary of San Cayetano de Linier, in Buenos Aires, to the Sanctuary of the Virgin in Luján.
The thousands of pilgrims will be accompanied by the image of the patron saint of Argentina who was blessed by Pope Francis in Brazil during the 2013 World Youth Day and who has since gone on pilgrimage throughout the nation. This year, the Virgin of Luján will depart at 10 am on Saturday from San Cayetano, due to the fact that a large number of pilgrims begin to walk very early and the faithful of the Morón diocese will be in charge of moving her all the way to reach the house of the Mother of the Country. On Sunday, Cardinal Mario Aurelio Poli, archbishop of Buenos Aires, will preside over the traditional 7 am mass in Plaza Belgrano, in front of the Basilica of Luján.
Brotherhood Intentions
Of thousands of intentions, the common denominator is to ask the Virgin of Luján for the union in their families, in their homes, in their neighborhoods, in the country. The concern of the faithful denotes the need for harmony, agreement, friendship and union in all spheres of life. Something that the Argentine bishops also express in a Message from the Executive Commission of the Argentine Episcopal Conference (CEA), before the pilgrimage.
“Ask the Virgin of Luján, Mother and Patron of Argentina, to help us, the different leaders of the country, to have the look and heart of pilgrims, humble and helpful, always part of our people and never above it. That in this pilgrimage and every day, we seek to cross our gaze with the tender eyes of the Virgin of Luján, and that in this way we can rediscover ourselves brothers and sisters.
Pilgrims: “True source of inspiration”
The bishops’ message recalls that, in these months, crowds of men and women of all ages participate in pilgrimages and festivals of faith: Our Lady of the Valley, the procession to the Sanctuary of San Cayetano, the Feast of the Lord, the Virgin of the Miracle in Salta, the pilgrimage to Itatí in Corrientes, and the Virgen del Rosario, in San Nicolás. All, say the bishops, are “expressions of the strength of popular spirituality.”
“Our people love pilgrimages. In them, the joy of feeling immersed in the midst of a multitude of brothers is celebrated, walking together towards the God who awaits them”, reads the CEA note. We are called to learn from pilgrims – the bishops indicate – because they are a “true source of inspiration and teaching to continue building the common good”.
The culture of the encounter or in “walking together”
The message of the episcopate also speaks of the culture of encounter that is manifested in pilgrimages with the participation of people from all social classes, coming from different realities and experiences.
“We walk and pray together; in the pilgrimages the other is respected, many times we walk to the rhythm of the other, and together we all help each other to reach the desired goal. The pilgrim recognizes himself as a walker towards the goal and therefore does not presume to have arrived or be above the others who walk alongside him. The shared pain and fatigue makes him supportive and committed to the common walk”.
On foot and through the nets
The Youth Pilgrimage to Luján became the largest and most innovative event of the Marian faith of the Argentine people. There are hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who walk into the arms of the Mother of Luján with her own intentions, those of her families, her friends and those of the country. For them, the Archdiocesan Commission of Popular Piety prepared the entire journey, with the sole objective that each one of them walk comfortably, safely and confidently. There are more than 6,500 volunteers who, at the service of the faithful and the Virgin Gaucha, will work in 40 Support Posts and 60 Health Posts, which the faithful can access completely free of charge.
The pilgrimage can be followed live, the Holy Rosary can be prayed every hour and virtually participate in the celebrations in the Mariana Basilica. @LaPereLujan to make a pilgrimage through social networks and join with the hashtags: #lujan2022, #laperelujan and #madredeternura. Also in the networks you can find advice, frequently asked questions and everything that the pilgrim needs to know to get to Luján.