Malawians prepare for pilgrimage to the Holy land

A group of 47 pilgrims is expected to leave Malawi on 17 June 2015, on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Israel, through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe.

According to Fr Joseph Kimu who is leading the group, preparations for the trip started way back in March this year. Father Kimu who is also the Director of programmes at Radio Maria Malawi challenged the people traveling on this pilgrimage to be prayerful. “Intensify the daily prayers considering that this trip is not a tourism adventure but aimed at the deepening of faith,” he said.

On the same note Father Kimu requested the pilgrims to get at least two prayer petitions each to be dropped at the tomb of Jesus in the Holy Land. He said that by going to the Holy Land, pilgrims would have a chance to see places of spiritual importance, where Jesus Christ performed various miracles memorable activities that are recorded in the Holy Bible.

Chairlady for the Central Committee of the trip Agnes Katsonga-Phiri also called on fellow pilgrims to intensify prayers as they prepare for this journey of spiritual renewal. Meanwhile, in a bid to ensure that members on this pilgrimage are well guided in their preparatory prayers, a small hand book with prayers of nine days (Novena) has been published.

The pilgrims will start observing these prayers from 8th to 16 June while the closing mass for the pilgrimage preparatory prayers will be held at St. Patrick’s parish in the morning of 17th June 2015 in Lilongwe.

Among the pilgrims are five priests and one nun who will have a chance to see holy places such as Cana of Galilee where Jesus Christ performed His first miracle according to the Gospel of St John, Bethlehem, the mountain of temptations, the river Jordan where Jesus was baptised, the mountain of transfiguration, the house of Elizabeth visited by Mary, and the tomb of Jesus among others.

This is the third pilgrimage after the 2011 and 2012 respectively

(By Francis Polinyu Banda, Malawi)

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