Thousands walk more than 32 miles in faith

With each step and chant, thousands of people walked to honor their Catholic faith and the Virgin Guadalupe.

“It’s just awesome to see that many people,” Indio resident Brad Berry said. “It was just phenomenal.”

People walked through the streets of Palm Springs at 6 a.m. Monday to make a 32-mile pilgrimage to the Our Lady of Soledad church in Coachella.

Every year, many Catholics celebrate what they believe was a vision a young man had of the Virgin Mary to build a church in Mexico. After the vision, an imprint of the Virgin was found. Since then, people around the world celebrate
Dec. 12 as the Our Lady Guadalupe Feast Day and make a pilgrimage to honor the vision.

“It’s a very good feeling when you get to the end. When you can say thank you God,” Elia Proper said.

For many, the journey brings them one step closer to gratitude and feeling the reward of their faith.