A journey of faith: On Pilgrimage with the Virgin of the 33

A little statue with the face of the Virgin of the 33 was blessed by the Virgin Mary on December 13, 2015, to go on pilgrimage throughout the whole land of Uruguay. According to Her Words, this would allow that “from Her, from Her entering into your homes and prayer groups, you may get together and reconcile yourselves.”

The Patroness of Uruguay, apart from being a well venerated icon, is a historical symbol that witnessed the declaration of Independence of the country that occurred in 1825 by thirty-three patriots of the nation. Mass was celebrated before this image of the Mother of God and the three-colored flag was presented. For this reason, the people spontaneously started to call the little one “The Virgin of the 33”, which is now at the Cathedral of Florida.

The image, just as Our Lady requested on that ocassion, began to go on pilgrimage thanks to the members of Uruguay's Light-Network, who committed themselves to carry Her all over the country. Before every trip, a study of all the routes and borders was carefully carried out so that every single space from Uruguay's territory could receive the blessings from the Mother. Many folders with the register of the trips that were classified by department, are witnesses of a work that has been respectfully designed so that the Mantle of Mary could cover the whole nation.

One of the first great missions that took place aimed to go across most of the coast of Uruguay. 500 km of sand was the setting for the Virgin's intercession. Beach after beach, She was placed in front of the sea so that Mary's codes of love might permeate the waters and all of the beings in them.

Nursing homes, prisons, casinos, zoos, horse racing parks, quarries, parks and homes were some of the places that received the presence of Uruguay's Patroness. During two years, brothers and sisters of the Light-Network tirelessly went across each town, home and public place that was presented before them, trusting in their hearts that they were instruments of Mary offering themselves as extensions of Her feet and hands so that the work within each touched soul could be done. And so it was that everything happened with full harmony moved by faith.

“I will bless this image, that it is already consecrated to My Heart, so that, thus, it may open the door of each home of this nation, those homes that want to hear Me, that want to pray together with Me, igniting the Kingdom of Aurora so that the healing may spread throughout the planet, starting with each one of you until the entire world is reached.” Virgin Mary, December 13, 2015.

Thousands of stories can be told but there are not enough words to describe the miracle of this journey of faith of more than 55.000 km. Among them, there is one that tells of the day in which this image was blessed by the Church in front of thousands of people that venerate the Mother of God at the National Pilgrimage of the Virgin of the 33, where people go to visit the place where the Charrúas, a native people, were massacred. A place that became a painful setting for the history of this people. There were also moments of prayer in front of meat processing plants and paper mills asking for Mary's intercession for the Kingdoms of Nature. A member of the Light-Network who participated in this great mission, told us: “Where they did not let us in, we prayed at the door. We have entered in places that we do not know how it was possible, but the one who entered was She and we followed Her behind...”

On one ocassion, they went to a hospital and entered the room of infectious disease patients, where they found great sorrow, crisis and, in some cases, situations close to death. There, the love for the fellow being became stronger and, putting fear aside, they managed to make the sick, who were in great need to have their faith reignited, had contact with the Mother of God. “All of them embraced Mary, even the people who we least expected...”, tells a participant in this visit.

“On this night, I place Myself upon you and I also leave My Heart on this image, because it is when you need it the most, My beloved, that I will pour out more Graces upon each one of My Children.” Virgin Mary, December 13, 2015.

Notebooks filled with pictures and long stories that reflect the broad and exhausting work of those years in which the Mother poured out Her Graces in response to the faith of the people of Uruguay in Her Words. Faith that allowed them to overcome the difficulties and extreme climates of the journey. Smiling faces, grateful and illuminated by the presence of Mary, crown the folders with the register of each visited place that was blessed by the Virgin Mary, witnessing Her presence in Uruguay.