More than 4.2 million pilgrims participated this year in the traditional pilgrimage of the Divine Eternal Father in the city of Trindade, in the Brazilian state of Goiás, once again making this one of Brazilʼs greatest expressions of faith.

Over the course of 10 days from June 26 to July 5, the faithful from across the country traveled to the Basilica Shrine of the Divine Eternal Father to give thanks for answered prayers and present their intentions.

Unlike other pilgrimages dedicated to a saint or the Virgin Mary under one of her titles, this devotion focuses on God the Father.

“I come out of an awareness of the Father’s fatherhood, of the Father’s love for us and for all the people here, without distinction. We are all loved equally by this Father, simply because he created us, and not because of what we do. That is the meaning. That is what I feel in my heart today,” one of the pilgrims told “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News. 

The pilgrimage has 186 years of history, with its origins dating back to the 1840s when a peasant couple found a small medallion with the image of the Holy Trinity crowning the Virgin Mary. Over the years, the devotion spread throughout Brazil until the city of Trindade became a national pilgrimage destination.

One of the most moving moments of the pilgrimage was the traditional candlelight procession. Thousands of people walked the streets with lit candles while the image of the Divine Eternal Father was borne on a cart decorated with red flowers. For many participants, each candle represented a grace received, a conversion, or a new beginning.

Among the testimonies, one stood out: that of a pilgrim who returned to the procession after overcoming a health problem.

“Today I am experiencing a great victory. After six years, I am walking again in the festival of the Divine Eternal Father. I had a problem with my leg, with my ankle, and couldnʼt take part in the procession. Today, I am fulfilling that dream. Long live the Divine Eternal Father!” she exclaimed.

The pilgrimage, which also has the characteristics of a festival, also maintains a strong bond with the rural identity of Brazilʼs central region. The theme of this year’s edition was “We Cry Out: Abba, Father!” 

At the closing Mass, the archbishop of Goiânia, João Justino, reminded everyone that we are all God’s “beloved children.”

“We are not beloved children because we have been good; we are called to be good because we are beloved children. Seeking goodness and living uprightly must be the response to the God who loves us,” he said in his homily.

Once the celebrations concluded, millions of pilgrims began their journey home, committed to living out that experience of faith in their families and communities.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.