Pilgrims Invited to Live 2026 Following Mary's Example

Pilgrims Invited to Live 2026 Following Mary's Example

During Mass on 1 January at the Basilica of the Holy Trinity, Father Carlos Cabecinhas encouraged pilgrims to entrust the new year to the protection of Mary.

On the first day of the year, hundreds of pilgrims gathered at the Basilica of the Holy Trinity to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, at the 11:00 a.m. Eucharist presided over by Father Cabecinhas, the rector of the Shrine of Fátima.

In his homily, the rector emphasized that “entering the new year under the protection of Our Lady means entrusting her with our hopes, desires and expectations for 2026”.

He encouraged the faithful to follow Mary's example in their attitudes of faith and life by taking up three concrete challenges.

The first, which involves total availability to God and His will, is inspired by the “yes” of the Mother of God. “It is Mary's yes that makes the miracle of Christmas possible,” he said.

Secondly, evoking the joy of the shepherds and the humility of the Virgin Mary, the rector invited the faithful to recognize God's action in their own lives. “It is the humble and the poor, those who know they are fragile and in need of God, who rejoice because the Lord comes into their lives,” he said, urging Christians to praise and glorify God for His wonders.

The third and final challenge focused on listening and reflecting on God's presence in daily life. Based on the Gospel proclamation, Father Carlos Cabecinhas recalled that Mary “kept all these events, meditating on them in her heart”. This is the attitude that also inspires the theme of the new pastoral year: “Heart of Mary, path to seeing God.”

In the context of World Peace Day, the president of the celebration also made a strong appeal for peace in the world, urging us not to give in “to the temptation of indifference in the face of the suffering of so many of our brothers and sisters.”

In conclusion, Father Carlos Cabecinhas reiterated his invitation to pilgrims to allow themselves to be guided throughout 2026 by the example of Mary, Mother of God and Mother of Hope.