Our Lady of Peneda said farewell this Tuesday to the pilgrims after several days of celebration, with hundreds of people visiting the sanctuary. The pilgrimage festival once again brought together Portuguese and Galicians in one of the most significant places of popular religiosity in Alto Minho, combining devotion, music, and fellowship. Devotees from localities such as Soajo and Vila Franca do Lima shared their long traditions of participating in the festival, highlighting the unique atmosphere they find annually at the venue.
The bishop of Tui-Vigo, D. António José Valín Valdés, presided over the eucharist of September 5 and emphasized the importance of sanctuaries as centers of evangelization, where people of all ages come together with open spirits. He argued that the Church must be prepared to welcome and listen to those who arrive, noting that some come out of devotion and others out of curiosity, but all leave transformed into authentic pilgrims. The bishop also asked the faithful of his diocese to consider the sanctuary of Peneda as their own.
The blessing of the concertinas was once again one of the most powerful moments of the festival, gathering hundreds of people in the sanctuary's churchyard. The concert by Zé Amaro, on September 4, also attracted a multitude to the site. D. João Lavrador, bishop of Viana do Castelo, highlighted the relationship between the sanctuary and the mountain landscape, where religious celebration coexists with concertinas, Galician bagpipes, and other popular manifestations.
This year saw the inauguration of the Frassati International Trail, dedicated to Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati, an Italian youth canonized by Pope Leo XIV in 2025. With approximately ten kilometers and 560 meters of elevation gain, the trail crosses the Peneda-Gerês National Park and involves the sanctuary. It is the first international trail dedicated to Frassati outside of Italy, promoted by the Italian Alpine Club and hosted in Portugal by the Portuguese Alpine Club, strengthening the bond between the sanctuary and the mountain.
