On a hot summer day, Rome celebrated the feast day of its patron saints, Peter and Paul. But the heatwave did not stop pilgrims from participating in the first pilgrimage dedicated to the two apostles.
FRANCESCO SORTINO
Organizer, Quo Vadis
The Way of Peter is one of the two itineraries for this great celebration on the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, which embraces the city of Rome itself. We have chosen two itineraries that touch on milestones in the life and journey of Peter and Paul.
The two itineraries included churches where Saints Peter and Paul are believed to have spent in Rome and the prison where both were kept before being martyed.
Pilgrims from around the world came to participate in the journey. And the initiative gave locals from the Eternal City the opportunity to see new churches and many volunteered to help people offering up the pilgrimage for a special intention.
I met a grandmother who had come to the pilgrimage because, at the same time, her daughter-in-law was either giving birth or was in the labor room. They would have named the baby, Eduardo, but then, they decided to call him Peter Paul and she was going on the pilgrimage, prayng the delivery would go well.
And pilgrims did not leave empty handed. For joining the pilgrimage, participants received a special gift.
FRANCESCO SORTINO
Organizer, Quo Vadis
At the end, they received a stone and it connects them with Peter and with Rome. It's a small pebble with some words from Peter's letter in the Bible and it attests to the fact that they completed the pilgrimage.
Francesco says this is just the beginning. The Quo Vadis organization wants to make this an annual pilgrimage and even do other routes for different saints throughout the year.
KG
