Military Pilgrimage: The Way of the Cross Can Be Matched to Human Life

Each of the 14 stations shows a situation that we can face day by day, he said. “This can be felt at each station to some extent. We might think of the three falls of Jesus, or when he meets his mother, the Virgin Mary, or when Pilate sentences him to death. For instance, the act of the Prefect of Judaea can be matched to judgment: we are judged several times, but we also judge others every day”, said the military bishop.

Pilgrims visited the stations of the cross on the Hill of Espélugues with military honours and prayed together, led by military chaplains at every station.

At the Hungarian holy mass in the Chapel Notre Dame, the head of the Military Ordinariate said that “We, priests, are also searching for the dream of God about us. We are all pilgrims throughout our whole lives: we are heading for the same goal. The path might not always be straight or wide, but we must reach our goal.” He added that in reaching the goal, “the almighty Lord helps us, that is why he sent us his only-begotten son, Jesus Christ, to show the way.” The bishop encouraged everybody to “turn into acts what we receive from the pilgrimage”.

Following the holy mass, Zsolt Barthel-Rúzsa, MoD State Secretary for the Control of Military National Security, greeted the military pilgrims. He underlined that Lourdes is a special and sacred place, where the symbols of hope, healing and belonging together are everywhere. He emphasized that military service not only requires physical presence and strength, but it is also a psychological trial. He said that the participation in the pilgrimage strengthens the faith that it is not by chance that we serve right there where we are serving – either as a priest, soldier or politician.

According to the state secretary, faith is not an abstract notion; it is a particular, keeping force, which helps cope with everyday challenges. He added that the pilgrimage can strengthen the participants as Hungarians, Hungarian soldiers, members of the civilian-military cooperation and the community belonging to God.

Lieutenant General Zoltán Mihócza, Deputy Chief (Territorial Defence) of the HDF Defence Staff, said after the mass that he had been wishing for participating in the military pilgrimage in Lourdes for 15 years. He emphasized that this also shows that what we really wish for can come true. He underlined that to carry out tasks during military service, not only capabilities – represented by the soldier and the equipment – are required, but also faith and sacrifice. We can often strengthen this faith via our own sacrifices, which gives a spiritual background to the service.

The next event on Saturday was the performance of the HDF Budapest Garrison Band; the military musicians gave a concert at the Festival of Military Bands. In what followed, the Hungarian pilgrims participated in one of the most well-known rituals of the pilgrimage, the Marian torchlight procession, where the Budapest Garrison Band provided the musical service. Based on information from the organizers of the 65th International Military Pilgrimage, altogether 19,000 military and civilian pilgrims processed under national flags in the square in front of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.