Zagreb, (IKA) – On Friday, March 20, at the conclusion of the Croatian stage of the international Path of Light project organized by the Carmelite Order on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the birth of St. Teresa of Avila, members of the international team expressed their gratitude and admiration at the Shrine of Our Lady of Remete after Mass.
Fr. Ivan de Jesus Mora, the only priest in the four-member team accompanying Teresa’s pilgrim staff, said: “We are overjoyed by the faith of the Croats. It is a pure, sincere faith that is not hypocritical but real. You Croats are in our hearts and we will pray for you.” He explained further: “The Path of Light is a step of light amidst so much darkness in this world and inspires everyone to spread light. The Carmelites have undertaken great effort in order to acquaint the world with St. Teresa through her staff, i.e., acquaint the world with a woman carrying her staff on a pilgrimage who represents an encounter with Jesus to us,” he said and invited the faithful to pray for them because their pilgrimage is not over. Following a great celebration in Avila on March 28, the staff will make a pilgrimage to the Spanish monasteries that St. Teresa founded.
The coordinator of Path of Light, Amaya Alvarez Benfele, visibly moved by the number of the assembled faithful as well as everything experienced by the escorts of Teresa’s pilgrim staff in Croatia, said: “We wanted to visit various countries, some that are historically very significant, such as Israel, but also countries where Carmel is younger. We had assumed that Croatia would have been one of the minor countries. However, the reality that we encounter has surprised us so much that we lack words. Not only in the organizational sense but also your presence and all the events that we have experienced were full of sincerity, devotion and love. For this, I thank you immensely. I have fallen in love with this country and the people whom I have met. I will return, although without relics. We have visited about thirty countries but this is the country in which I have found some of the greatest strengths. I expect that this will continue and even grow. Thank you very much.”
The cameraman Montesinos Soudry, thanking everyone for their presence and support, pointed out that the intention of this world pilgrimage was to show that Teresa’s Word of 500 years ago, which is actually the Word of Christ, continues to live. In this spirit, he encourages the faithful to live Teresa’s messages of brotherhood and love.