What are Pilgrimages? Many people make a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe for various reasons, but the most important reason people make a pilgrimage is for doing so is to increases and strengthens our faith and relationship with God the Father's Son, Our Jesus Christ. The adversities of life often tire the Christian on their path of salvation. Situations such as the loss of physical, economic, emotional, or spiritual well-being often leads us to seek the spiritual graces that God offers through His Church—a space of peace, an encounter with God through the intercession of the Virgin of Guadalupe- “Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, our God and victorious King, through whom we live.”
The spiritual benefits that sought by Christians has been part of our liturgical and popular heritage of the Church since the beginnings of Christianity. Indeed, making a pilgrimage to the “temple” of God (a place dedicated to Divine Worship and Religious Devotion) has been part of the religious formation of the people of Israel since the time of Abraham, when God promised him “the promised land.”
(Genesis 13).
The spiritual benefits of making a pilgrimage include:
Strengthening our Catholic Christian faith.
For making special petitions, through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, for a person in need or for our loved ones (living or deceased).
To offer prayer of thanksgiving to the Blessed Virgin Mary for graces received thanks to her intercession.
To receive special Indulgences offered to those
REASON FOR PILGRIMAGING
Christians who wish to make a pilgrimage should understand that in their decision to do so, they are seeking the following:
To give testimony of our love for the Virgin of Guadalupe.
To seek to improve our union with God.
Reconciliation and conversion of our lives to become better Christians.
Special petitions (seeking a miracle) – asking for a personal need or for another (living or deceased).