Over 10,000 people expected to take part in local Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage
The annual Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage will start Monday morning. Here in the Coachella Valley, approximately 11,000 to 15,000 people are expected to take part.
The local walk is considered one of the longest pilgrimages in the country, according to the city of Palm Springs.
The pilgrimage will start at 6:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Solitude on 151 W Alejo Road in Palm Springs. The thousands of Catholic faithful will walk 32 miles in about 13 hours before arriving at Our Lady of Solitude in Coachella.
Those taking part will be walking on the streets with Sheriff escorts. The city of Palm Desert said there will be no street closures but expect major delays if you are in one of the areas of the route.
Along the way, the marchers will be stopping at a church in Cathedral City, and Indian Wells Tennis Garden for breaks/lunch.
Dec. 12 marks the birthday of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The day commemorates when Mary, mother of Jesus, appeared to the Mexican peasant Juan Diego in 1531.
Every year, millions of Mexicans and others gather for pilgrimages in the United States and Mexico in honor of the Catholic icon. Our Lady of Guadalupe is enshrined at the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. It’s one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world.
This will be the first pilgrimage to be held on a large scale since 2019. The previous two years have been canceled due to the pandemic.
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