Mexico City, August 29, 2025.—With more than 2,200 participants, including students, staff, faculty, and family members, the Universidad Panamericana a historic pilgrimage to the Basilica of Guadalupe on August 23, as part of the Jubilee Year 2025 declared by the Catholic Church as the “Year of Hope.”
The day began early at the Mixcoac campus, where nearly 400 people set out on a walk of approximately 14 kilometers, carrying an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe that was passed from one member of the university community to another.
Along the way, the group was joined by another 700 pilgrims who joined them—some in Calzada de Guadalupe to complete the final 4 kilometers, others in the , and still others on the esplanade of the Basilica. The recitation of the rosary, singing, and an atmosphere of fellowship accompanied them every step of the way.
UP Community: Thousands United by a Shared Mission and Determination
Ana Paula Pineda, coordinator of Audiovisual Production for Institutional Communications, who joined the pilgrimage, shares her experience: “Seeing and walking alongside so many people made me realize that the UP community goes far beyond my work team: we are thousands with the same mission and the same determination.”
“Ever since we left Mixcoac, there has been a sense of brotherhood and solidarity, and at every step of the way, we have felt guided by faith,”, he adds .
Likewise, Mónica Veytia Cal y Mayor, an assistant in the Office of University Life who served on the organizing committee for this event, highlights the profound significance of this experience: “Earlier this year, Father Juan Carlos Ibarra reminded us that the Jubilee is a time of grace and faith. Over the past few months, I have been able to confirm this in a very special way.”
“Salt of the earth and light of the world”
Monica recounts how, after attending the World Youth Day in Rome, she had the opportunity to experience “something just as meaningful by serving on the organizing committee for the first pilgrimage of the Universidad Panamericana.” Every detail we worked on was filled with dedication, love, and devotion.”
She added: “It was wonderful to witness our students’ enthusiasm for participating, for carrying the image of the Virgin Mary, and for passing through the Holy Door together. I am convinced that, in that moment, each one of us became a ray of hope. The Church is alive, and the Church is young. As Pope Leo XIII said: ‘We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world’.”
A message of hope
One of the most significant moments of the day was the passing through theHoly Door, orDoor of Hope, installed in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee. The pilgrims crossed this threshold in deep contemplation, asking for personal and family blessings, in a ceremony steeped in symbolism and hope.
Following that, a Mass was celebrated in the Basilica, presided over by Father Juan Carlos Ibarra Benítez, chaplain of the Universidad Panamericana Mexico City Universidad Panamericana , along with two other priests from the university community.
The celebration was accompanied by music and the voices of the Panamericana choir and the School of Fine Arts.
In his homily, Father Ibarra emphasized: “We have come as pilgrims to visit our Mother in heaven, Our Lady of Guadalupe (…) Let us place in her hands our families, our projects, our beloved university, and Mexico. We are certain that you always heed the pleas of your children.”
He also invited those present to trust in the Virgin’s intercession to “get back on the right path” in times of confusion or difficulty, recalling the words Mary spoke to Saint Juan Diego: “Am I not here, I who am your mother?”
The chaplain added: “Every day—in class, at the office, at the gym, during our free time, in traffic—Christ is there with us. Those who have faith are never alone. He is a God who is close to us, who shows himself to be a special friend when he gives himself to us in every Mass in the Eucharist as food for our souls.”
A spiritual experience
Father Ibarra describes the experience as “a truly beautiful spiritual experience that filled our hearts with hope”, and he added that they are exploring the possibility of repeating this pilgrimage in future years.
Through this event, the Universidad Panamericana its Christian identity and joins in the spirit of hope that characterizes the 2025 Jubilee, strengthening the bonds of its community.
Learn more about the Jubilee Year at: https://sites.google.com/up.edu.mx/eljubileoen12palabras/qu%C3%A9-es-el-jubileo
