Under cloudy skies, around 2,300 pilgrims set off from Regensburg on the 111 kilometer long foot pilgrimage to Altötting. The believers set off on Thursday morning under the motto “Go and proclaim God’s kingdom”. Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer accompanied the participants on the first stage to Obertraubling (Regensburg district), said pilgrim guide Bernhard Meiler on Thursday.
The pilgrims first go to Mengkofen (Dingolfing-Landau district), from where they move on early Friday morning. They want to reach Massing (Rottal-Inn district) in the evening. On Saturday the destination is the Chapel of Grace in Altötting. Afterwards there will be a pilgrimage service in St. Anne’s Basilica. It is the 195th edition of the Regensburg foot pilgrimage.
During the days, additional pilgrims traditionally join the various stages, so that the number of participants increases until Saturday. The atmosphere at the start was wonderful, said Meiler happily. In Christian tradition, May is considered the month of Mary, in which Mary is honored as the Virgin and Mother of God. There are petitions and pilgrimages to places of veneration of the Virgin Mary throughout Bavaria.