Fifty years of history—a long journey that has continued in Italy since 1975. A beautiful adventure, carried forward despite the struggles of these complicated times, yet kept alive by the bonds woven along the way, across many regions and communities.
The journey of Faith and Light began with the great pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1971. Shortly after, thanks to Mariangela Bertolini and other pioneers, the movement took its first steps in our country as well. The Holy Year of 1975 marked the beginning of the Italian story with another unforgettable pilgrimage. For those who were there, it was a moving moment when Pope Paul VI cast aside his written speech and said to the participants: “I have nothing more to say to each of you, except that God loves you just as you are.”
In the wake of that experience, the first communities were born in Rome, and then small seeds began to sprout both in the north and south, slowly growing over time. Today, the sowing continues, even if some groups are struggling a bit. That’s life: some walk briskly, others waver. But the flame is still burning, and Faith and Light wants to celebrate the enduring presence of a God who loves us just as we are and walks by our side.
We will do so beside the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii, from September 18 to 21, 2025. Days of joy and celebration—our way. Our thoughts turn to Mary, who has accompanied us since the grotto at Lourdes. And so, the thread linking all the events of our national pilgrimage will be the encounter between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, the moment that sets the Magnificat in motion. “The Lord has done great things for me,” says Mary, awaiting the Savior. “The Lord has done great things for us,” we will echo in Pompeii.
We want to express our gratitude for all that we’ve received over these fifty years: the joy of every encounter, the steps taken together, celebrations, pizza nights, small houses, summer camps. Thank you for every time we were able to be a sign—in society and in the Church—of a simple way of welcoming one another: truly brothers and sisters all, as Pope Francis reminds us. Brothers and sisters in fragility, because our journey is built upon this very foundation: the shared vulnerability of each of us—people with intellectual disabilities, parents and siblings, friends, priests and religious who accompany our spiritual lives.
In Pompeii, we want to give thanks and look ahead with hope, in this Jubilee Year where we are, internationally, “pilgrims of hope.” We will recall the past to open the path toward what lies ahead.
Two teams have been working for months on both the logistical and thematic aspects, while our national president Pietro Vetro and the secretariat continue to support us constantly, for which we are very grateful. The communities will be the true protagonists: each one has been invited to creatively interpret the number “50” in their own way—and to film their creations.
As part of a larger international family, we will also welcome friends coming from afar: first and foremost, international coordinator Raul Izquierdo, who will share this pilgrimage with his wife Laura. We’ll also be joined by delegations from Slovenia and Croatia, with whom we’ve been deepening ties in recent years, and by friends from Cyprus and Albania, connected to the Kimata community. It will be a joy to celebrate, raising our banners high in the great hall—all together, as happens every ten years, to affirm how beautiful this journey is, and how much joy it brings.
We don’t want to spoil anything about the guests who will be with us. But we know for sure that the vigil in the Shrine of Pompeii—where we will remember all the parts of Faith and Light—will be deeply moving. And we won’t miss the visit to the archaeological site, which we’ll try to experience with great care for everyone’s fragility, in the most peaceful and orderly way possible.
The Lord has done great things for us.
Faith and Light has done great things for us.
Our gratitude is immense, and we look ahead with confidence.
Ombre e Luci
