Mexicans celebrate most sacred day with calls for peace amid rising violence: Video
Hundreds of Catholic devotees from across Mexico gathered at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe to honour the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the country’s patron saint.
The event, Mexico's most important religious celebration, coincided with an appeal from the Catholic Church for a truce in the ongoing violence that claims tens of thousands of lives annually.
In its weekly magazine Desde la Fe, the Church proposed a cessation of attacks beginning December 12, the day dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. "May the message of the Virgin of Guadalupe motivate so that next December 12th is the date when the weapons are silenced," the publication urged, adding that this could mark "the beginning of a period in which respect and dialogue prevail."
Auxiliary Archbishop Francisco Acero reinforced this call on December 9, advocating for an "absolute" truce on both December 12 and December 25. "Such measures could open the possibility of putting a stop to crime," he stated.
The appeal comes amidst growing concerns about violence in Mexico, where over 30,000 murders occur annually—equivalent to a rate of 24 per 100,000 inhabitants. However, President Claudia Sheinbaum has ruled out engaging in dialogue with criminal groups, which the government blames for the majority of these crimes.
Devotees expressed their hopes for peace during the celebration. "More than anything, I hope for health and that there will be less war. More peace, because we see in the world that there are very difficult situations," Porfilio Limon, a pilgrim from Puebla state, east-central Mexico, told AFP.
Maria Reina Rojas, another participant, shared her gratitude. "We did not come to ask for many things. We just came to thank her for the job we have, that we are well, and that she continues to bless us with what she has given us so far," she said. "We continue to work hard and move forward so that we can return home safely."
