A central day, full of emotion and Ignatian spirituality
This seventh day has been one of the most intense and significant of this Pilgrimage of Hope. Precisely on the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, FI Youth experienced the grace of crossing the Holy Door in Rome, marking a milestone in this pilgrimage of the Jubilee Year.
This detail has not gone unnoticed: God makes himself present in the signs, in the times, in the encounters.
The day began by walking together along the Via della Conciliazione, carrying the Jubilee cross, praying with psalms, readings, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, litanies, and meaningful songs such as “In Jesus we have everything” and “I want to give”.
At the heart of the Church, before the tomb of St. Peter, the whole group gathered in deep prayer. With the pilgrim cross of the Jubilee as a symbol of unity and sending forth, the FI Youth felt themselves to be a living part of a universal Church that walks in hope.
The gift of feeling like family
In the afternoon, in spontaneous groups, they took walks through the center of Rome. Then the pilgrims visited the chambers of St. Ignatius, a place so significant for Ignatian spirituality. On their way out, they met sisters from the Curia of the Daughters of Jesus… and also Fr. Arturo Sosa SJ, Superior General of the Jesuits!
In addition, the group from Argentina and Bolivia participated in the meeting of Argentines of the Youth Jubilee. It was an occasion to recognize each other in community, share with their compatriots and celebrate their faith in a festive and committed way.
It was engraved in their hearts: “May this Eucharist be a sacred space where God remains forever in our lives. This is the time for you, dear young people, and God walks with you always”.
Crossing the Holy Door on St. Ignatius Day, praying at the tomb of St. Peter, and meeting familiar faces. Undoubtedly, what we experienced was an immense gift. Those days that leave a deep impression and strengthen the certainty that God walks with us.
Relive the moment with this short and exciting video…
