For the 8th consecutive year, the Vincentian Family organized a pilgrimage to the tomb of the Blessed Marta Anna Wiecka in Sniatyn.
More than 1000 pilgrims came on May 27-28 to pray and ask for grace her intercession.
The number of pilgrims increases yearly not only as news of Blessed Marta Anna Wiecka and her life is spread in Ukraine and abroad but also as a result of the national pilgrimage of her relics.
The pilgrimage was organized by members of the Congregation of Mission and the Daughters of Charity of S. Vincent de Paul with blessing of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops and the Synod of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine and lasted for 2 years (2015-2017).
During the pilgrimage, the relics of the Blessed Marta Anna Wiecka visited many towns and villages in Ukraine, 475 Roman and Greek Catholic parishes from the east of Ukraine to Sniatyn. One could say “Martha visited” all those who could not for some reason come to Sniatyn to pray at her tomb. While visiting parishes and communities people prayed together for peace, unity, and mercy.
The two-year pilgrimage of the relics of Blessed Martha was a key part of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Vincentian Charism, which started in 1617 when the heart of St. Vincent de Paul started burning with the flame of love to neighbors, when he became a “mystic of charity”, a father of the poor, a father of the poorest of the world.
Guests came from all over Ukraine and other parts of the world: Italy, France, Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland, Croatia, Macedonia and other countries. Among other guests, we welcomed visitors from the General Curia of the Congregation of Mission, Superior General of the Congregation of Mission Fr. Tomaž Mavrič CM, his assistant Fr. Miles Heinen CM, and Mother General of the Daughters of Charity Sr. Kathleen Appler DC. Father Tomaž celebrated the solemn Mass on May 27. A solemn procession moved through the streets of the town from the church to the tomb. Faithful prayed together to the Blessed Marta Anna and glorified God.
May 28 the Archbishop Metropolitan of Lviv of the Roman Catholic Church Miechyslav Mokshytsky Presided over the Eucharist. Bishop of Mukachevo Greek-Catholic Eparchy Milan Shashik, CM and coordinator of Vincentian Family at the world Fr. Joe Agostino CM concelebrated with him.
Representatives of Vincentian Family branches (there are 10 of them in Ukraine) meet for breakfast with Fr. Joe Agostino CM. They talked about ways they serve people in need, actual problems, and cooperation in our common cause of promotion of Vincentian Charism. Father Joe promised to come to Ukraine again to have more time to work together.
At the end Superior of Vice Province Fr. Yan Trzop CM thanked all the guests, organizers and all people of good will who helped to organize the celebration, all those who prayed all the time for the pilgrims and organizers. We are grateful to Parish priests who hosted a group of pilgrims during all-Ukrainian pilgrimage of the relics of the Blessed Marta Anna Wiecka . We are grateful also to Christian “Radio Maria”, staff and volunteers who helped to cover the event, inform the audience on the pilgrimage, and broadcast liturgies of pilgrimage in Sniatyn.
