Thousands of Catholics walked from their parishes in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman in western India to the Our Lady of Good Health Church in Sancoale as part of an annual penitential pilgrimage. Father Barry Cardozo, director of the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, said this year being the Jubilee Year of Hope, the annual pilgrimage was themed “Pilgrims of Hope, Let Us Proclaim the Good News.” “A special feature this year was the depiction of the images of the Passion of Christ and scenes showing Christ accompanying people in difficult situations,” he told on March 9. The depictions were created by youth members of different parishes across Goa who participated in large numbers, offering penance and prayers. ”Over 28,000 men and women walked from Neura, Cansaulim, Bambolim, Verna, and Vasco to the Church, considered one of the pious places in Goa,” said Father George Ratos, convenor of the diocesan Lenten Walking Pilgrimage. The pilgrims covered around 15 kilometers on foot from the five designated spots marked for the pilgrimage, the priest told on March 9. “It was a sea of humanity. One had to see it to believe it,” Ratos added. The pilgrimage walk started early morning, around 2 a.m. on March 9, and they reached their destination at 5 a.m. for adoration, followed by the Eucharist, Ratos said.