With companion companion and the masses receive the pilgrims

Alta Gracia The overwhelming heat of Sunday did not stop thousands of people who went on pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Virgin of Lourdes in Alta Gracia. The first faithful arrived yesterday, nearly 18 years, but the most important group was expected today, around 6 am, on the occasion of the commemoration of the Day of the Virgin. "As every year, we expect a crowd of people who, from an early age, saw themselves in procession," said Father David, priest of the cave, as it is usually called the sanctuary of Lourdes.

For 43 years, thousands of pilgrims have traveled the 35 kilometers between Alta Gracia, the capital of Córdoba. The Plaza de las Américas is generally chosen as a starting point and many walkers arrive with their families. Even children and babies can be seen on the road. More than 100,000 people are expected for this commemoration. Such a large number of people do not go unnoticed for a city of 45,000 inhabitants.

In this context, a joint work is carried out between the collaborators of the sanctuary, the priests, the Civil defense, the police of the department of Santa María and the municipality of Alta Gracia. The secretary of the municipal government, Marcos Torres, said that about 250 people were working to clean it and that everyone had access to hydration stations and toilets, among other services.

"We hope that time will come with us to avoid the inconvenience, but we took every precaution," said the city official.

For this commemoration, the municipality has made a series of changes to the area that visitors usually use to visit the course. The works included sewage drainage, drainage, resurfacing, lighting, ornamentation and reforestation.

The shrine's collaborators have received and accompanied the pilgrims since Sunday afternoon. One of the badistants said that the flow of people was constant and that they expected the most at dawn, with the arrival of the walkers of the capital of Córdoba. In this regard, he recalled that they usually received them with water but also with a cooked mate prepared by the churches of the capital to collaborate.

Mbad begins at 6 am, 9 am, 11 am and 6 pm The first are for walkers and the last for the presence of Bishop Carlos Ñáñez.

* Corresponding