Since yesterday, with the Sponsorship Mass that was celebrated on the esplanade of the Hospice Cabinsbegan the 290th edition of the Pilgrimagea religious festival in which thousands of parishioners, who ensured that the traditions and devotion to Our Lady of Expectation still persist vividly despite the passing of the years, they accompany the Virgin of Zapopan from the Guadalajara Cathedral until the Basilica.
Some of those people who actively participate in the Pilgrimage his lto the Martínez familywho are dancers for 35 years. César, Jorge, Roberto and Mateo Alejandro They celebrated that there are still thousands of faithful who follow the Virgen to his Zapopan Sanctuary, and that still There are people who maintain artistic samples that date back to the beginning of this religious festival in 1734.
“Very nice, this tradition is very nice. More than anything, let this betrayal be maintained, let it not be lost.. There are many people who come, there is still a lot of Catholic faith (…). The Pilgrimage, Apart from the fact that she demands it every year, which we owe to the Virgin, it is a tradition since childhood. It is paying orders to the Virgin, for what we ask of her, for health, for family. We have been dancing for about 35 years, all our brothers and many cousins and nephews too.There are several of us in the family. Every year we are here with the Virgin, every year to the Basilica”, commented the brothers.
In addition to asking for health and blessings for your loved ones, The Martínez family asks the Virgin to help politicians and authorities so that there is more security and peace in Guadalajara, Mexico and in the world. Confident, the four assured that La Generala will intercede to eradicate violence in society.
“More than anything, the country and the city are quiet because there is a lot of relaxation. May there not be so many wars, violence, attacks. May it go well for all of us, may he bless us, more than anything. Look, the Virgin is accommodating us all to the Basilica, she can do everything and helps us all,” they concluded.

THE INFORMER / O. González
Read: The Virgin of Zapopan begins her journey back to the Basilica
Around 6:30 a.m. the Virgin of Zapopan left the Guadalajara Cathedral heading to the center of Zapopanafter Monsignor Ramón Salazar Estradaauxiliary bishop of Guadalajara, presided over the farewell mass of the Guadalajara capital. In the first square of the city they gathered more than 50 thousand people, according to data from Civil Protection and Firefighters of Guadalajarato say goodbye to the Mother of Jalisco.
one of them was Alejandro Valdés Loera, 94 years old, who met in front of the Cathedral at 6:00 a.m. to take the tour with Our Lady of Expectation. Despite being in a wheelchair, Don Alejandro assured that he will follow the Virgin to the Basilica, where he will attend mass and ask her to intercede for him and his family.
“I have been doing this route for many years.. I don’t do it every year because I’m far away or I can’t sometimes, but this time I was able to be here and I’m going to celebrate all the way to the Basilica, God first. I’m already 94 years old, but I can still go there (…). “I ask the Virgin to make us saints, to save us, to help us save ourselves.”
Accompanied by his brothers, Don Alejandro did not forget the other parishioners and Catholic faithful of Jalisco and Mexico, as he also asked the Virgin “May he help us, may he bless us and may he help us to be authentic children of God.”.

THE INFORMER / O. González
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It is expected that The Patroness of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara arrived at the Basilica of Zapopan around 11:30 a.m. where another mass will be celebrated and visiting pilgrims will be received who will be grateful for the favors fulfilled and/or will make more requests to La Generala.
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