Youth to take part in ancient Roman pilgrimage

(Vatican Radio) Each year the Centro San Lorenzo International centre for youth hosts a twelve hour walking pilgrimage through the city of Rome, with the aim of visiting the city’s seven major basilicas.

This year’s pilgrimage will take place on Saturday, November 10th, beginning in the morning with Mass in the crypt of Saint Peter’s Basilica.

Those participating in the event will walk from there to Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, Saint Sebastian’s, Saint John Lateran, Santa Croce in Jerusalem, Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls, and finally to Saint Mary Major.

Director of the Centro San Lorenzo Marta Nardin spoke with Vatican Radio about the sense of community that comes from walking together to these seven basilicas. “It’s a way to spend time together with other young people,” she said, “to spend it in a special way, and to really put the Lord at the centre of this day.”

Father Fabien Lambert, who serves as chaplain for the youth centre, also spoke with us about the spiritual benefits of participating in a pilgrimage such as this one, explaining that it is an opportunity “to say to the Lord ‘here I am,’ and I present [to] You maybe my family, my worries, my intentions, my work my studies. I would like to meet You in a more personal way.’”

The tradition of going on foot to these Basilicas can be traced back to the 16th century, when the practice was made popular by Saint Philip Neri. For this reason the Centro San Lorenzo has taken this Italian saint as the patron of Saturday’s pilgrimage.

Listen to Ann Schneible’s full report: