The traditional pilgrimage to the Holy House of Loreto took place from 24 to 26 October, organized by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and led by Grand Master Fra’ John T. Dunlap.

A date which is an important opportunity for meeting and spiritual reflection for the Members of the Order, for Our Lords the Sick and for the Pilgrims of the three Order of Malta Italian Grand Priories. There were 1,300 people participating in the event, which offered a wide range of religious activities and training sessions involving children and adults.

Also this year the young volunteers in their red berets coloured the pilgrimage with their energy and enthusiasm.  Tireless in distributing water during the celebrations and in serving at the refectory, they were able to convey their joy to everyone, enlivening even more the atmosphere of fraternity and communion.

In his greeting to the participants, the Grand Master recalled the spiritual meaning of this period, stating: “October is the month of the Holy Rosary. It is a special month. Nature invites us to reap what we have sown. Today, on our last pilgrimage, we collect what we have done. Nature loses its leaves. We, too, need to get rid of unnecessary things and focus on what matters”.

The pilgrimage began on 24 October with Holy Mass celebrated by the Prelate of the Order of Malta, Monsignor Luis Manuel Cuña Ramos. On Saturday, 25 October, Msgr. Fabio Dal Cin, Archbishop Prelate of Loreto, as well as Papal Delegate for the Sanctuary of the Holy House, presided over the Holy Jubilee Mass as part of the Holy Year 2025, a time of grace and spiritual renewal that the universal Church is experiencing with the motto «Pilgrims of Hope».

The celebration, which included the rite of passage in the Holy House, offered pilgrims the opportunity to fully experience the meaning of the Jubilee by passing through the Holy Door as a sign of conversion, reconciliation and communion with God and with their brothers. In the afternoon, there was a Via Crucis in the Basilica, followed by moments of prayer and training for young people. The day ended with the Rosary meditated in the Basilica, followed by the torchlight procession led by the Capuchin Friars, creating a moment of community and shared prayer.

On Sunday, the Eucharistic Concelebration presided over by the Order of Malta’s Cardinal Patron Gianfranco Ghirlanda, marked the conclusion of the pilgrimage, culminating in the Eucharistic Procession and Blessing.