La Maya, Cuba. The parish of the Immaculate Conception, which includes the municipalities of Songo La Maya and II Frente has just made its pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre.

On the occasion of the Jubilee year, the 400 years of the discovery of the image of the Virgin, the Claretian Missionaries organized this pilgrimage by dividing the immense territory of the parish into three zones and on three different days: 2, 9 and 16 June. Each group brought together some 800 people.

It has been an intense personal and community experience of the hundreds of pilgrims who visited the Virgin of Charity in her sanctuary, many of them for the first time. A careful booklet explained to each pilgrim the significance of this event and encouraged him to live it with joy and in the community.

The journey, from the parish church was carried out in numerous trucks. Upon arrival in the vicinity of the sanctuary, a welcome was given to all communities and the pilgrimage to the Shrine was organized in a simple manner and ordered manner.

The celebration of the Holy Mass culminated the pilgrimage which was completed with a personal blessing given by two Claretian priests upon those who wanted it.

The testimonies of the pilgrims’ lived experience were endless: regained peace, strengthened mood, reborn hope, the strength and renewed commitment to continue the struggle for life, for family, for a better tomorrow, a promise fulfilled … the joy, finally, of knowing that the Virgin of Caridad carrys them in her heart as a Mother and Patroness of all Cubans.