The Irish office of the international Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need – which advocates for suffering and persecuted Christians – will lead a special Jubilee Year pilgrimage from Dublin to Rome from 7 to 12 May next. Places are still available for anyone wishing to visit Rome during this Jubilee Year and experience the grace of an audience with Pope Francis who will honour those persecuted for their Christian faith today.
In addition to passing through the ‘Holy Door’ and visiting traditional pilgrimage sites in the Eternal City, ACN Ireland will also host a poignant ceremony at the Colosseum, a site of immense suffering in the early Church, to highlight that one in seven Christians worldwide are currently persecuted for their beliefs.
Other highlights of this special trip to Rome include visits to the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, the Vatican, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps.
Commenting on the upcoming pilgrimage, Michael Kelly, Director of Public Affairs of ACN Ireland, said, “The inspiration behind this special Jubilee of Hope pilgrimage is to help people connect with the roots of their faith.
“Since Saint Peter moved to Rome from the Holy Land shortly after Jesus’ death, the city quickly became the centre of the Christian faith. Many early Christians paid the ultimate price for their faith in Christ and were martyred, many of them in Rome itself.”
“We aim to organise a pilgrimage to Rome that connects us with these early martyrs and the sites associated with their deaths, such as the Vatican and the Colosseum, while also focusing on the ongoing issue of Christian persecution today,” Mr Kelly added.
Mr Kelly emphasised that focusing on persecuted Christians is “particularly important given that the Jubilee is dedicated to hope, as many vulnerable communities around the world are in desperate need of fresh hope.”
“The fact that Pope Francis has agreed to receive the pilgrims and address us on the issue of Christian persecution is a particular highlight, as this is a topic the Pope has repeatedly urged parishioners around the world to focus their prayers on,” Mr Kelly concluded.
The ACN Ireland Jubilee Year pilgrimage to Rome runs from 7 to 12 May. Places are strictly limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit acnireland.org, email [email protected], or call +353 01 837 7516.
ACN is Ireland’s leading charity protecting the rights of Christians and supporting the suffering and persecuted Church. Last year, it supported almost 6,000 projects in some 140 countries. For more information on ACN, regarding its work or to offer support, please call +353 (1) 837 7516 and/or email [email protected]. You can also write to ACN Ireland, St Joseph’s, 151 St Mobhi Road. Glasnevin, Dublin 9, D09 HC82.
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