This theme, proposed by Pope Francis for the Jubilee Year 2025, guided our shrine, like all pilgrimage sites around the world, in a journey of unity, conversion and renewed faith.

Inspired by this call, we chose to embody a “Pilgrim of Hope” each Sunday, one who journeys step by step. On the first Sunday, he appeared merely as a visitor—drawn perhaps by curiosity or habit, without clear expectations or direction. And yet, already the call of the desert echoed through the Gospel of the temptations. In the place where Jesus confronts the Evil One, our pilgrim began to feel the need to locate himself. This first step was a confrontation with the truth about himself.

As the Sundays unfolded, guided by the great Gospel narratives—the Transfiguration, the call to conversion through the parable of the barren fig tree, the parable of the merciful Father, and the poignant encounter with the woman caught in adultery—our pilgrim slowly lets go of his fears, his doubts, his masks. He tasted living water, began to see with new eyes, wept with his griefs, and glimpsed the light of the risen Christ. Each celebration, every homily, every liturgical gesture, and every prayer offered by the priest for “Pilgrims of Hope on the journey” was meant to invite each person into this inner movement—one that is deeply biblical, spiritual, and human.

This path of faith was supported every Sunday afternoon by a one-hour teaching session, held from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Basilica and broadcast live on our website, sanctuairesainteanne.org, as well as on our Facebook page. Thanks to this online outreach, a few hundred pilgrims from around the world were able to join us, experiencing this moment of grace in communion with the sanctuary and the Church.

These moments of catechesis and sharing enabled many faithful—both those present and those with us from a distance—to deepen their understanding of the Scriptures, to connect the Gospel to their own lives, and to rediscover the beauty of walking together as a community of faith.

Many expressed their heartfelt gratitude: “These Sundays helped me understand my faith better and made me want to live it more deeply!” said one moved pilgrim. Far from being just a phrase, this “Pilgrim of Hope” became, for many, an inner reality, a rediscovered direction, a new momentum.

The high point of this journey was, without a doubt, the communal celebration of forgiveness, held shortly before Holy Week. In the spirit of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, who inspires our ministry, we offered a communal absolution, while also making priests available for those who wished to have a more personal encounter with a minister of Christ’s mercy. This celebration was lived in a climate of deep peace, simplicity, and spiritual depth. It concluded with a halfhour of Eucharistic Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, in a silence nourished by prayer and song—a true moment of grace.

It was not merely a liturgical conclusion, but a spiritual summit. Reconciled hearts were united in thanksgiving. This powerful moment allowed the light of Easter to dawn on the horizon—not as a final burst of fireworks, but as the gentle glow of a renewed life.

At the Sainte-Anne Basilica, Lent 2025 was far more than a liturgical season: it was a pilgrimage, a school of hope, a journey toward God, in the Church, carried by the breath of the Gospel. And we believe, with faith and humility, that Saint Anne, like any loving grandmother, walked with us step by step, all the way to the house of her beloved Grandson.