What drove tens of thousands of young Mexicans to defy fatigue and weather conditions and walk for hours? On Jan. 31, the resounding answer was faith. An entire generation embarked on a pilgrimage to lay their joys, concerns, and hopes at the feet of Christ the King.
In the early morning of Saturday, Jan. 31, more than 1,700 vehicles crowded the roads leading to Guanajuato. They came from different parts of the country and had the same destination: John Paul II Valley, at the foot of Cubilete Hill, where the pilgrimage would begin.
The organizers later acknowledged that the pilgrimage's 70,000 participants surpassed all predictions: They had initially expected just over 45,000.
Testimonies
For the attendees, the ascent was not only a physical challenge but also a spiritual necessity. David Andrés, who traveled more than 230 miles from the state of Nuevo León, explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that he wanted to offer his effort as a gift to Christ.
He pointed out that if it is possible to take a weekend off for a vacation, it is also possible to "place yourself at the feet of the Lord, literally, and say: 'Here I bring everything, I offer you my life, what I have given, and everything that may come from you we will receive with much love.'"
For Norberto Ríos, a novice of the Missionary Disciples of Emmaus, this was the first time he had participated in this faith experience. In an interview with ACI Prensa, he expressed his joy at being able to witness that "there are still young people who want to respond to the Lord."
For him, the challenge now is "to help others encounter Christ. Without that encounter, it is difficult to get close to the Church. Our witness can open that path."
Living memory of the Cristero War
The pilgrimage also held historical significance. This year, the youth march was marked by the commemoration of the centenary of the beginning of the 1926–1929 Cristero War, an episode of religious persecution experienced by the Catholic Church in Mexico.
The memory of the war was present throughout the journey: posters with quotes from martyrs, images such as that of the teen martyr St. José Sánchez del Río, and reliquaries of saints and blesseds accompanied the ascent.
Discerning one's vocation
For some, the pilgrimage was also a time for silence and discernment. Antonio Centeno Cuarenta, a young man from Guanajuato, told ACI Prensa that he made the pilgrimage hoping to understand what Christ wants for his future.
He offered his effort so that the Holy Spirit would help him "to contemplate what the Lord is asking of me ... in one of the beautiful vocations he offers us: either in marriage, the priesthood, or religious life."
'Onward, dear young people'
At midday, the apostolic nuncio to Mexico, Archbishop Joseph Spiteri, celebrated Mass. His message was a call to overcome "apathy," "virtual appearances," and "challenges."
"Onward, dear young people. As Pope Leo XIV has told you many times already, the Church is grateful for your generosity and trusts in the strength of your witness, as sincere friends of Jesus, who want to build with him his kingdom of fraternity, respecting the life of every person and always promoting reconciliation and true peace," he said.
Many arrived with different motivations, but at the end of the day, the 70,000 pilgrims descended from the mountain with tired feet and the conviction that faith continues to move their hearts.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
