ROME — The Word Exposed Pilgrimage came to a prayerful close on Nov. 6, 2025, as 87 pilgrims led by Fr. Jboy Gonzales, SJ, and Fr. Fiel Pareja concluded their 13-day journey through Italy’s most sacred sites—a pilgrimage that embodied the spirit of the Jubilee Year of Hope.
Organized by Jesuit Communications (JesCom) in partnership with The Pilgrims’ Center, the pilgrimage was a profound encounter with God’s mercy, tracing a spiritual path that kicked off in Rome with a two-morning recollection with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. From Rome, the pilgrims traveled on land to San Giovanni Rotondo, Loreto, Cascia, and Assisi, Through prayer, community, and reflection, the pilgrims discovered that hope is not merely a promise. Rather, it is a way of walking forward in faith.
The two-day recollection with Cardinal Tagle was held at the Pontificio Collegio Filippino, the home in Rome of Filipino diocesan priests sent by their bishops for further studies. Inviting reflection on what it means to persevere in faith, the newly-appointed Cardinal Bishop of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano urged them to “recall the moments when God surprised us with His love.” Pilgrims also received an unexpected blessing when Cardinal Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David dropped by to give opening remarks and encouraged them to live out hope through acts of compassion and civic service.
Over the next days, the group entered through the Holy Doors of Rome’s four major basilicas—St. Peter’s, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls—an act of grace reserved for Jubilee years. Each Holy Door symbolized a passage from sin to mercy, reminding pilgrims that every step of faith opens new paths toward renewal.
The pilgrimage continued to Manopello, where pilgrims prayed before the Volto Santo or Holy Face of Jesus—a relic believed to bear the miraculous image of Christ’s resurrected face. At San Giovanni Rotondo, they visited the resting place of St. Padre Pio, the stigmatist and miraculous healer whose life of humility and obedience continues to inspire millions. There, twelve pilgrim couples renewed their wedding vows—a moving moment of love and surrender in the small chapel where the saint used to say Mass.
In Loreto, the pilgrims visrted the basilica that contained the Holy House of Mary, where she lived and received Annunciation. The Virgin Mary’s home was believed to be miraculously transported by angels from Nazareth to its current location in the late 13th century. Surrounded by silence and devotion, they reflected on the Blessed Virgin’s simple yes that changed the course of salvation history. Finally, in Cascia, home of St. Rita, regarded as the “Saint of the Impossible,” pilgrims prayed for strength, healing, and trust in God’s will.
As documented in JesCom marketing manager Rissa Singson-Kawpeng’s daily vlogs, amid long bus rides, shared prayers, and lots of laughter, a quiet grace bound the community together. Pilgrims also exchanged secret prayer partners, committing to pray for one another long after returning home—an enduring sign that this journey of hope continues beyond Italy’s hills and basilicas.
The pilgrimage concluded with a closing Mass at the Sala Refettorietto in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi where the Portiuncula is found. The latter is a tiny church, situated inside the basilica, is where St. Francis first answered God’s call. The Mass was made more memorable as one of the pilgrims, Judith Alpay, renewed her vows as a lay consecrated virgin. From here, the pilgrims made their last bus ride to Fiumicino Airport in Rome where the pilgrimage officially ended.
From the Eternal City to the peaceful valleys of Assisi, The Word Exposed Pilgrimage became more than a physical journey. Indeed, it was a blessed walk through the doors of hope and grace, towards new beginnings.
As JesCom continues its mission of evangelization through media, this pilgrimage stands as a living witness to faith in motion—proof that in every heart willing to walk with God, hope remains fully alive.
“We arrived as travelers. We return as Pilgrims of Hope.”
(AMDG)
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