OFWs in Spain hold pilgrimage for Our Lady of Antipolo

MANILA, Philippines — They may be miles from home, but Filipino workers based in Spain held a pilgrimage to honor Our Lady of Antipolo, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said. Some 100 pilgrims from the Immaculate Conception and San Lorenzo Ruiz Parishes in Barcelona went to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Torrecuidad in Aragon last July 11. "The annual pilgrimage, usually held every month of May since 2004, was dedicated to Filipino workers in Spain," the CBCP said on its website (www.cbcpnews.com). The pilgrims brought the image of Our Lady of Good Voyage from Antipolo through a procession from the esplanade to the sanctuary. Also, they brought two other images - Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace of Lipa (Batangas) and Our Lady of Piat of Cagayan. With the pilgrims were Fr. Bernie Alejo from the Diocese of Imus and currently assigned to minister to Filipino immigrants in Barcelona; Consul General Eduardo Jose de Vega. Torrecuidad rector Fr. Javier Mora Figueroa warmly addressed the Filipino pilgrims and congratulated them for being a people with profound faith. A Mass was held at the chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe, with the liturgy in Tagalog. Many of the Filipino pilgrims availed of the sacrament of confession. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Torreciudad is in the middle of Aragon, a few kilometers from the City of Zaragoza. Zaragoza is also known for the Shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar, believed by Christians to be the first place on earth where the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. James the Apostle before her Assumption. Another famous Marian shrine, Lourdes in France, is also close enough for the three Marian shrines to form what is now known as the “Ruta Mariana" or Marian route. "It is only 350 kilometers separate these three shrines—Lourdes, Pillar, and Torreciudad, so that Marian devotees can visit all three in a period of only two days," the CBCP said. Following the mass was a salu-salo featuring Filipino delicacies, and a documentary on the recent pastoral visit to the Philippines of the Prelate of Opus Dei, Bishop Javier Echeverria. A guided tour towards the old shrine of Torreciudad, where the image of the Virgin of Torreciudad was venerated since the 11th century until it was transferred to its new sanctuary in 1975, followed. Capping the pilgrimage was the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the sanctuary. - GMANews.TV