This 'pilgrim grandmother' walked 570 miles to pray for families

Mexico City, Mexico, Dec 29, 2018 / 16:00 pm

Emma Morosini has been called the "pilgrim grandmother."  Earlier this year, at the age of 94, she earned that nickname by concluding a 570-mile walking pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Her 40-day pilgrimage took Morosini from Monterrey, in northeastern Mexico, to Mexico City, where she prayed at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, before the tilma of Saint Juan Diego.

Morosini, a native of Italy who for more than 25 years has made pilgrimages to shrines around the world, arrived the afternoon of May 12 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, to pray for families, young people, and "world peace."

The "pilgrim grandmother" has visited shrines in Portugal, Spain, Poland, Israel, Brazil and Argentina.

During this pilgrimage, Morosini began walking each day at 6:30 am, carrying a small suitcase and an umbrella, and wearing a reflective vest as a safety precaution.

For food, Morosini carried milk, juice, bread, and water, receiving along the way some donations of fruits and vegetables.

At various points on her way she was accompanied by medical and civil defense personnel or by Mexico's Federal Police. She was often housed by municipal authorities along her route.

During a 2015 pilgrimage in Argentina, when she was 91, Morosini told reporters that she was praying for "peace in the world, for young people, for all these families that are divided. Many are separated, some live together but aren't spouses, or they don't have children. It's very sad."

The "pilgrim grandmother" was applauded by fellow pilgrims when she arrived at the the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Before entering the church, she woman knelt down, kissed the ground, made the sign of the cross and prayed silently for a few moments.

This article was originally published by our sister agency, ACI Prensa. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

This article was originally published May 14, 2018.