#BreakingNews Annual Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Zapopan has World Record of 2.4 Million Participants in Mexico

An annual Catholic pilgrimage of Our Lady Zapopan in Jalisco state, Mexico had a record breaking number of participants. One of the most important religious tourism events in Latin America and intangible heritage of humanity, the Pilgrimage, has come to an end. After two years of absence due to the pandemic, 2.4 million people, broke the record for participants in its 288-year tradition. This was announced by the state governor Enrique Alfaro (See Tweet at bottom).

In 2018, UNESCO declared the pilgrimage an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization).

 

UNESCO wrote:

The annual celebration of La Romería on 12 October, honouring the image of the Virgin of Zapopan, is a tradition that dates back to 1734. The day marks the final phase of the annual ritual cycle popularly known as ‘The Carrying of the Virgin’, which begins in May and encompasses many community and liturgical activities. The cycle ends with the return journey to the Basilica, in Zapopan. More than two million people take part, and one of the main features of the festivity is the huge presence and participation of different native dancer groups. The carrying (“La Llevada”) and the activities derived from the ritual cycle encompass a mass public demonstration in which the streets and public spaces become a ritual festival for the community, featuring different artistic expressions of collective collaboration. Throughout the year, the planning of the activities depends on the interaction of different communities, helping them to renew and reinforce their social ties. Thanks to the community’s support for the practice year after year, La Romería is considered as one of the most popular and strongly rooted traditions in west Mexico. Through organized civil and ecclesiastical groups, the community of bearers and practitioners has ensured the survival of this cultural manifestation.

Terminó uno de los eventos de turismo religioso más importantes de América Latina y patrimonio inmaterial de la humanidad, la #Romería. Luego de dos años a distancia, hoy, con 2.4 millones de personas, se rompió el récord de participantes en sus 288 años de tradición. pic.twitter.com/EmVqJtz72H

— Enrique Alfaro (@EnriqueAlfaroR) October 12, 2022

Historical Information from : https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/la-romera-the-pilgrimage-ritual-cycle-of-la-llevada-the-carrying-of-the-virgin-of-zapopan-01400