The Anáhuac Community participates in the Pilgrimage to the Basilica of Guadalupe 2025

A day of prayer, song and unity strengthened the spirit of students, teachers and administrators on their annual pilgrimage to the Villa.

Each step was an act of faith. From the early hours of February 25, 2025, the Anahuac University Community gathered to embark on a journey of hope to the Basilica of Guadalupe, with the conviction that each pilgrimage is a reconnection with the Virgin. Students, teachers, administrative staff, and pastoral representatives participated in a spiritual journey that strengthened their commitment to university values at an event organized by the University Pastoral Care Service.

The departure from the North and South campuses marked the beginning of the journey with buses full of enthusiasm that transported the participants to the vicinity of the Marian site, while others decided to walk the entire distance driven by the excitement of reaching the feet of the Virgin. Along the way, the praying of the Rosary and the singing of the choir created an atmosphere of devotion and reflection.

The Anahuac pilgrims carried an altar in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe, adorned with ribbons representing the personal petitions of the community. The Pilgrim Virgin passed through each department and school of our university, collecting the petitions of those who received her with devotion. Each tied knot symbolized a desire, a thanksgiving or a petition, offered with faith and the certainty that Mary would intercede for them.

This Eucharistic celebration was presided over by our rector, Fr. Cipriano Sánchez García, L.C., together with the following concelebrants: Fr. Lucas Tenier, L.C., Fr. Peter Mullan, L.C., Fr. Alfonso López, L.C., Fr. Antonio Cabrera, L.C., Fr. César Hernández, L.C., Fr. Enrique Tapia, L.C., Fr. Sergio Salcido, L.C., Fr. Manuel Reyes, L.C., Fr. Melchior Poisson, L.C., Fr. Gaspar Guevara, L.C., Fr. Oscar Macías, L.C., Fr. Francisco Aguilar, L.C., Fr. David Jiménez, L.C., Fr. Enrique Dávila, L.C. and Fr. Daniel Zorrilla, L.C.

The mass in the Basilica brought together members of the Anahuac University in Puebla, Oaxaca and Veracruz. In his welcome, Father Cipriano emphasized the importance of gathering as a university family before the Blessed Mother. His words invited the community to reflect on the worries and concerns that sometimes cloud the heart, emphasizing that Mary always offers comfort and guidance.

The sermon was a reminder that hope is the greatest gift that the Virgin of Guadalupe gave to these lands because her apparition was not only a miracle but also a message of fraternity, service and merciful love. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, she invites us to recognize that we are all pilgrims searching for light in the midst of our nights, guided by the certainty that Mary welcomes us under her mantle. Just as Juan Diego found answers on his journey, each pilgrim is called to reflect on the direction of their life and their commitment to others, remembering that true hope is born of encounter, faith and unity.

In this spirit, pilgrims were given the opportunity to pass through the “Jubilee of Hope” doorway in the Basilica of Guadalupe, a symbol of spiritual renewal and of trust and faith that God accompanies us on our journey.

The distinctive orange color of the pilgrims' T-shirts not only identified the Anahuac but also became a symbol of unity and hope. The final message of the mass emphasized the responsibility of each student to bear witness to this hope in their communities and to transform the society in which they live through their education and values.

With full hearts and strengthened spirits, the Anahuac community concluded their pilgrimage with the certainty that the Virgin accompanies every pilgrim and that her loving gaze is a beacon that illuminates the path of those who seek refuge and guidance in her.