Angola - Pilgrimage of Mary Help of Christians in Angola: "With Mary, light of the people, on the synodal path"
N'dalatando, Angola - May 2023 - With great enthusiasm and participation, the national pilgrimages of the Salesian Family to the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians resumed in the city of N'dalatando, in the Province of Cuanza Norte, with the motto: "With Mary, light of the people, on the synodal path." The parish community prepared the entire program with great care. On Friday, May 19, many faithful from Salesian works and many parishes in the country arrived in N'dalatando. From Luanda, two trains had left in the morning carrying over 500 people, mostly young people, to arrive in the city in the afternoon; others arrived from various places. Fr. Gino Favaro, SDB celebrated the opening Mass, in the courtyard of Don Bosco School, packed with 4,000 people. May 20 began with the Eucharist, presided over by the Vicar of the Salesian VP of Angola (ANG), Fr. Manuel Cambanje, and concelebrated by a number of Salesians. Many faithful walked to the site where a new Shrine of Mary Help of Christians is supposed to be built, 2.5 kilometers from the city. Upon arriving at the site, Fr. Martin Lasarte, Superior of the ANG Vice-Province, invited them to pray a Hail Mary so that this dream could be fulfilled. Then began the procession in honor of Mary Help of Christians led by priests, nuns and acolytes, with the car carrying the statue of Mary and thousands of people in tow. As it began to get dark, the faithful lit their candles, forming a stream of lights. After a three-hour procession, people arrived at the Don Bosco Center to receive Mary Help of Christians' blessing. At 9 p.m. the vigil began, a religious spectacle with lots of music, singing, entertainment, and prayer. On Sunday morning Fr Lasarte presided over the festive Mass at the conclusion of the pilgrimage.
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