Pilgrimage by Bike: Milan Parish’s Historic Rome Jubilee Ride

Indulgence must be earned. This has been the case since ancient times, when pilgrims – the rich on horseback or muleback, the poor on foot – set out to reach Rome and the holy sites of Christianity. Along the route, hospitales, managed by religious or chivalric orders, welcomed travelers at no cost. Pilgrimage was truly and significantly a social phenomenon. The members of the Gruppo sportivo Fatima, linked to the Madonna di Fatima parish at via Chopin 1 in Milan (Ripamonti area), must have remembered this when they had the idea to go to Rome for the Jubilee. Mode of transport? The bicycle, of course, with the accompanying pre-ride dose of sweat. A diverse group of around 60 years old, with some younger peaks, and even some even more grayed participants. The parish priest, an avid cyclist, who embraced the idea and is quite average for his age, also joined. At 30 participants, registration was closed. Alongside the Milanese, four from Padenghe sul Garda and four from Vidigulfo in Pavia joined the group. Thus begins the adventure, which now shifts to the solemnity the occasion demands. Cardinal Martini approved and blessed it. He prepared a letter to S.S. the Pope. Thanks to the very dynamic parish priest don Ruggero Camagni, some sponsors also believe in the initiative and offer their support. Don Ruggero also involves the parish: those who wish to participate and cannot cover the 625 km in five days by bike can «adopt» the initiative to bring their jubilee participation to Rome. Two buses of relatives and friends will later meet the cyclists in the eternal city to share the joy of the papal audience and crossing the Holy Door, as well as to bring the exhausted pilgrims back to Milan. The small caravan, accompanied by Croce Rossa, a van, and three motorcyclists, is preparing the final details. Letters to the Municipalities crossed have already been sent, ensuring that urban vigilance maintains at least some traffic coordination. The departure is scheduled for Friday, June 16. Anyone wishing to greet the pilgrim-cyclists on behalf of themselves and the city should be at the church square before 7 a.m., when the flag will be lowered to start, hoping that the weather and good luck accompany the cyclists. No longer the brigands, but traffic remains a potentially equally insidious threat. The participants are: in Milan: Daniele Barniesi; Giampiero Buraglio; Don Ruggero Camagni; Giuseppe Canè; Antonio Della Janna; Bruno Fasoli; Franco Fasoli; Luigi Galante; Aldo Gatti; Gilberto Nasti; Fabio Ossoli; Gabriele Pagani; Antonio Pagliani; Maurizio Poli; Giacomo Ruggeri; Roberto Spelta; Pietro Tontini; Giuseppe Transidico; Fabio Vai; Riccardo Vavassori; Carlo Visconti. From Padenghe sul Garda: Max Botte; Virgilio Ghidini; Luigi Goffi; Piero Raissonii. From Vidigulfo (Pavia): Giuseppe Ferrari; Oliviero Losi; Andrea Morandi; Angelo Paveri.