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 published: 2005-10-20

Argentina’s journey of true endurance for our MTA

The 23rd "Pilgrimage of the People" was placed in the MTA’s hands at the foot of the Shrine

 

La Auxiliar, embellecida para salir en la peregrinación

The Auxiliar, nicely decorated to leave in pilgrimage

Die Auxiliar, liebevoll geschmückt, bereit für die Wallfahrt

 

 

Salida

Setting out

Aufbruch

 
 

Peregrinos de La Paz

Pilgrims from La Paz

Pilger aus La Paz

 
 

Los primeros peregrinos en la ermita de Hasenkamp

The first pilgrims at the wayside shrine in Hasenkamp

Die ersten Pilger kamen schon am frühen Nachmittag nach Hasenkamp

 
 

Remeras 2005

T-Shirts 2005

Heiß begehrt: die Pilger-Shirts

 
 

Homenaje a Juan Pablo II

Honoring John Paul II

Zu Ehren von Johannes Paul II

 
 

Peregrinos de la parroquia de Santa Teresita

Pilgrims from the Santa Teresita parish

Pilger aus der Pfarrei Santa Teresita

Fotos: Rios © 2005

Mas fotos – more photos – mehr Bilder

 

 

 

ARGENTINA, Tita Ríos. Thankfully, everything went well this year! Last year’s pilgrimage was stopped mid-way because of strong winds and rain that made it impossible to continue on foot. Anxiety about the weather concerned the organizers. However, on October fourteenth, 2005, thousands of people began the 90-kilometer (56 mile) walk from Hasenkamp to Parana. They were embraced by a resplendent sun, a sparkling sky, and a comfortable breeze. About 5:00 p.m., a long line of people took the first steps to begin the 23rd annual event of the "Pilgrimage of the People". The walk begins at the wayside shrine, which is located at the entrance of the town of Hasenkamp. This is the longest pilgrimage in the country and it takes 24 hours of walking day and night to reach the Schoenstatt Shrine in Parana.

The pilgrims arrived at Hasenkamp on a beautiful afternoon filled with radiant sunshine and blue skies. The cold and rain of the previous twenty-four hours were gone. The wind that blew during this day had dried the side of the road where the pilgrims would walk. At 3:30 p.m., it seemed that very few pilgrims would come, but little by little, they did come to greet Our Lady Queen and Victress who regarded them in a loving way. There were also rows of vehicles waiting to connect with the pilgrim radio that accompanied the pilgrimage. Volunteers were located close to the walking path, directing traffic and ensuring safety. The firemen and highway patrol led the long lines of pilgrims, followed by a radiant and decorated banner with the picture of the Blessed Mother, the processional cross, the police cadets, and the bulk of pilgrims.

Busy photographers from different newspapers ran around the rapidly growing pilgrimage groups. By 5:00 p.m., there were hundreds and hundreds of pilgrims, all in a wide procession. Father Diego Rausch, one of the priests in charge of the organization, calculated that there were about eight to ten thousand people in the first section of the procession. The blessing before the departure was very moving because individuals were mentioned who were not present. They were the ones that accompanied the pilgrims, in spirit, through their prayers. "Joyful in hope, we walk with Mary and the Eucharistic Jesus."

The cold was overcome by the enthusiasm and the joy of the participants

During the late afternoon, the temperature began to fall and the cold wind forced the participants to put on their coats. The weather change happened a little after 7:00 p.m., at the time when they were about to make the first rest stop in Podversich which is a short distance from the crossroads of routes 12 and 127. Nevertheless, the cold was counteracted by the "enthusiasm and the joy of the participants", commented a priest.

"I live it. I feel it. I have to come, I could not miss it." Betty’s words resounded in the loud uproar of the pilgrims who stopped to rest in the field of Podversich for one hour. Betty has been a participant of the Pilgrimage of the People for nine years and she has been an organizer for her Parish of Santa Lucia for two of them.

Just like Betty, thousands walked that evening towards Cerrito where they planned to arrive by midnight. Motivated by faith, they were not tired yet.

According to one priest, the majority of participants were youth although many adults participated in the challenge and made the valiant effort.

The march of the torches

The march of the torches was reported by Ricardo Leguizamon, a newsman who accompanied the pilgrimage: "Close to 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, nine hours after leaving Hasenkamp, the Pilgrimage of the People was headed towards El Palenque. It was an awe filled scene: approximately 5 thousand candles –in protective containers- were distributed among the pilgrims to begin the march of the torches, as it is called. Mid-way through the trip, enveloped by the dark night, the candles were held up high making a chain of light as far as the eye could see. Banda Roja (the Red Band) played the rhythm of cumbia music to the pilgrim church through the loudspeakers. Cumbia music is popular within the Catholic liturgy and everyone became jubilant upon hearing it.

The most difficult part of the journey is from Cerrito to El Palenque. This is where the faithful arrived at 4:35 a.m. on early Saturday morning. Father Jose Carlos Wendl encouraged them saying: "Don’t lose the enthusiasm, boys", while others chorused: "It is beautiful to see the feet of the messenger of peace descend from the mountain."

By that time, the cold was taking its toll and it forced participants to seek relief. At dawn, the number of pilgrims was well over twenty-five thousand. But no one stayed behind. On the road again after a rest stop, they restarted their journey singing songs with arms upraised and praying the Rosary.

Most importantly, they all reached the goal: The Blessed Mother and her Son. The 23rd "Pilgrimage of the People" was placed at the foot of the Shrine where Monsignor Maulion celebrated Holy Mass with the pilgrims.

It has been a long time since Jorge Quiroz and Amelio Rodriguez launched this initiative without too much planning. They gave it the initial kick-off and today it is the largest religious event in Entre Rios.

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, Christi Jentz, Milwaukee, WI, USA


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