Last Saturday, August 11th, the first pilgrims of the 145th National Pilgrimage of the Assumption arrived at the little town of Lourdes in France.  They will be joined by hundreds of other Christians who will come to the holy site from the Middle-East . Many had to leave their homes because of war and persecution.

In 2017 more than 25,000 people participated in what was the biggest ever pilgrimage in the country when they celebrated the Assumption of Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ.

This year 15,000 people have signed up for the events, with 8,000 of them staying for the full six days, beginning on the 12th of August, said Fr Vincent Cabanac, the director of the pilgrimage at a press conference.

About 300 Christians from the Middle-East, who had to leave their home country because of war and religious persecution will participate in the gathering. Their presence is a “message of hope”- according to Fr Cabanac. Christians who come from Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Egypt  “are the holders of the traditions where Christianity began” highlighted the organisers.

The programme of the week will comprise of Masses, conferences, roundtables and vigils. The events will be presided over by Fr Pierre-Marie Carré, the Archbishop of Montpellier, who is also the vice-president of the French Bishops’ Conference.

The high point of this year’s pilgrimage in Lourdes will be on the 15th August, where thousands of international pilgrims will participate in the celebration of a Mass in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Source: L’Orient Le Jour

Translator: Ildikó Ungvári