It was a cold, brisk April dawn as I entered the church. This was to be my fifth pilgrimage to Monte Camera Sanctuary from the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Located in the hills, about five miles from the tiny Italian village of Pieve di Compresseto in Umbria, this sanctuary is devoted to Mary. Since 1647, the townspeople, full of faith and prayers, have been climbing to the tiny chapel to celebrate the Feast of the Madonna of Monte Camera every Tuesday after Easter.
The first pilgrimage took place 376 years ago when the bubonic plague was devastating the population. Those who were well enough went in procession to this sanctuary to pray to the Madonna, asking her to intercede on their behalf. When they returned, everyone who had been sick was miraculously cured. Since then, the villagers have returned every year in procession to this chapel to commemorate the miracle. This year was going to be different for me, as I was planning to carry a special prayer.
You can read more about my pilgrimage (which I hope to join next week as well) to this beautiful sanctuary and the prayer that I carried with me. This story was published as a “Spiritual Journey” by Unity Magazine (April/May 2024).
Feel free to enjoy and share “Sacred Journeys: Two Sisters Pilgrimage.” (Note that the graphic makes more sense if you open the pdf and view it in two pages!)
Love and Will 
From Christopher:
Dear Catherine
Enjoy your Pilgrimage.
A Pilgrimage without a purpose is a ‘walk in a park’
Enjoyable, refreshing and a day out.
A pilgrimage with a purpose is without exception an opening to new possibilities.
A refreshing of ideas, a fulfilling of an intention or a new impulse.
The Pilgrim may be sincerer or flippant, sad or joyful, intelligent or dullard,
A marathon walker or a paraplegic and all the infirmities in-between.
The pilgrim is there doing it.
God sees the Pilgrim and smiles with joy
The snag is does the Pilgrim know this
Does the Pilgrims back grow warm with the love being sent
I pray that the pilgrims feel this warmth and the blessings that come with it
So be a Pilgrim and be aware that you are lovingly being observed.
Amen