(ANS – Suwałki) – The 36th International Pilgrimage on Foot from Suwałki to Vilnius, in Lithuania, set off on Wednesday 15 July 2026. This year’s motto is “Queen of Peace”. Almost 500 pilgrims from all over Poland have set out on the long journey to Our Lady of Ostra Brama (Gate of Dawn). Ahead of them lie 10 days of walking and a distance of around 270 kilometres.
“This is a special moment in my life. I am going to Our Lady of Ostra Brama to ask for graces for my loved ones, my children and my grandchildren. I also pray for peace on earth, but also for my own inner peace and serenity. This is my eighth pilgrimage. The way we are welcomed by the Poles living in the Vilnius region is incredible too; it’s an experience you have to see for yourself,” says Barbara, who comes from the Warsaw area.
The pilgrims spend the first two days in Poland. They stay overnight in Krasnopol and Berżniki. From there, they cross the border and then pass through the Polish-populated areas of the Vilnius region.
“There, the streets are decorated with flowers… Children scatter flower petals in front of the pilgrims coming from Poland. This hospitality, what is happening there, is indescribable. It is joy, tears of emotion and immense happiness at being able to arrive there,” says Fr Michał Słojewski, a Salesian and the main organiser of the pilgrimage.
The pilgrims dedicate their journey to prayer for various intentions. They pray for the health of their loved ones, for peace in the world, and they also walk to express their gratitude for the graces received each day.
“I bring the intentions of many people to our Mother. I pray for good health, for the graces my loved ones need, but also for peace in the world and amongst people. This is my seventeenth pilgrimage and, as long as I am in good health, I will continue to come,” says Mr Marek from Solec-Zdrój.
Other pilgrims add: “We wish to pray, first and foremost, for peace in our daily lives, for peace in this hectic world in which we live, for the peace we so sorely lack… We also pray for peace on a global scale, for peace in Poland and throughout the world.”
Source: Warsaw Province (PLE)
