Welcome to Rome, where over 50,000 altar servers are uniting for the International Pilgrimage of Altar Servers organized by the Coetus Internationalis Ministrantium. This pilgrimage, happening from July 29th to August 3rd, will take the participants to Rome’s renowned papal Basilicas and culminate in a special audience with Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square.
Although the majority of altar servers are from Germany, there are also participants from other European countries like Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Ukraine coming together for this spiritual journey.
While in Rome, the Archbishop of Luxembourg, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, will accompany the pilgrims. He recently shared his thoughts with Vatican News’ Marie Duhamel on the significance of this pilgrimage.
Serving God, serving others
Cardinal Hollerich expressed that the theme of the pilgrimage, “With you” (Isaiah 41:10), signifies serving Christ in the liturgy while also extending that service to fellow participants. It reinforces the idea that serving Christ is synonymous with serving all people.
Combatting bullying
Archbishop Hollerich emphasized the importance of combatting bullying, especially among teenagers like most altar servers. He highlighted the detrimental impact of online bullying and encouraged altar servers to stand up for the vulnerable and never engage in bullying behavior.
As the pilgrimage nears its end, Cardinal Hollerich looks forward to the upcoming meeting with Pope Francis, where all 50,000 participants will gather in St. Peter’s Square. He sees this as an opportunity to draw inspiration from the Pope’s message and recommit to serving the altar and helping others worldwide.
For a detailed interview in French with Cardinal Hollerich, click here.
