faith

[silgari]

You have to have faith. You have to believe.

A Romería in spanish is a religious pilgrimage. It is a Catholic celebration that consists of a trip or peregrination (in cars, floats, to horse or on foot) that ends at a sanctuary. (Wikipedia)

Costa Rica is mostly catholic. My family is catholic. I'm one of those catholics who doesn't go to church, but I do believe in God. But I do it my way, I'm very spiritual. I pray, i talk to God all the time.

I did a romería the other day. In Costa Rica we go to La Basilica de Los Angeles. Our patron. Most of the people do it by foot. This celebration is held on August 2nd.



The Basilica is the object of extensive pilgrimage and visitation by about 1.5 million believers throughout the country, many of whom join in the celebrated 22 kilometer walk to the basilica during the romería, though people can start the pilgrimage from anywhere they want. Some in order to demonstrate their piety will even crawl all 22 kilometers on their hands and knees. (Wikipedia)

This year they are especting 2.5 million people, considering Costa Rica only has 4,133,884 people thats a lot of believers. I know there a lot of problems in the world right now, but I think faith it's what's keeps us alive. Faith in God, Buda, Ala, it's not a matter of religion. Faith in your friends, faith in your heroes, faith in yourselfves. This time a women is walking 217 km to thank God she survive cancer, It's gonna take her 5 days to get to the Basilica by foot. People from all over the country do the romeria by foot. 

I did it and I walk only 17 km and by the end I was so tired, but it was worth it. I did it because I wanted to thank God for my family, my friends, all the good things that had happen this year. I also thank God for all the people I had met here in LiveJournal i_heart_aiba , dvampyrlestat , Eli and Andreix at The Show. All the girls from Aibakaland in the "Arashi habla español" topic! I have met some wonderful people this year! But of course I also ask for help, I really want God to help me out with my grad project and japanese. I need the energy and I need to focus on the things that are important.

Romerias are held all over the world. In case someone would like to know more about them here's the link to wikipedia. Romerias

Comments

[tomokaku.livejournal.com]

2.5 million people
That is A LOT.

[dvampyrlestat.livejournal.com]

Why...thank you......:) so sweet. :)

I'm Catholic, too, but I don't think I've heard of a Romeria. But pilgrimages do happen in my country very often, but not like there's a set date for everyone to do it or anything. And I've never been to one. Haha.

I'd like to think of myself as more spiritual than religious. I do practice most of what Catholicism dictates, like i try to go to Church every Sunday, stuff like that....but I am one of those who raises questions at the Roman Catholic as an institution. That said, I have faith, an unshaken one. :)

After the walk, I bet you felt exhilarated. I would. :)