On Oct. 4 people from the Philippines, Pacific Islands, Europe and the United States are doing a pilgrimage from the Vatican to Katowice, Poland.
They are hoping to remind world leaders of the promise they made at the 2015 Paris Agreement to tackle climate change. The pilgrimage will end at Katowice, where the next climate summit (COP24) between world leaders will take place in December.
Yeb Saño, the leader of “The Climate Pilgrimage,” wants people to see that the climate crisis is a crisis in the spirit. It is an issue of justice, one that will require a global spiritual awakening.
YEB SAÑO
Leader of The Climate Pilgrimage
“The climate crisis is one that people experience in a very profound way in many places around the world, especially in my country in the Philippines.”
The people involved in this pilgrimage are hoping for a decrease in emissions in order to meet the 1.5 degree target established by the Paris Agreement.
Pope Francis encyclical letter “Laudato si'” on climate change has been a guide for these pilgrims in addressing these issues. For Yeb, the encyclical not only offers hope, but addresses other issues.
YEB SAÑO
Leader of The Climate Pilgrimage
“It also sends us a message that the environmental crisis is not merely a crisis around politics, nor is it just a crisis that will be solved by technical solutions. It is a crisis that has a lot to do with our spirituality, with the way we care for each other.”
It is particularly poignant that the pilgrimage begins on the October 4 as it is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. He is a saint who has been an inspiration for the pilgrims.
YEB SAÑO
Leader of The Climate Pilgrimage
“It is the same inspiration that Pope Francis got when he took his name. St. Francis of Assisi, of course, is our symbol of hope for caring for the planet, for stewardship of creation.”
The pilgrims will be spending months on the road, walking in the snow, sleeping on church floors, all in a Christian witness for climate justice.
“The Climate Pilgrimage” is coordinated by an international coalition of partners. One of these partners are Focsiva. It is a federation of Christian NGOS in Italy committed to tackling climate change. They also supported “The Climate Pilgrimage” in 2015 from Rome to Paris.
