Myeongdong Cathedral's Catholic Bible Academy hosted a European pilgrimage from Aug. 16 to 23, visiting the sites of the Virgin Mary's apparitions.

Everywhere we went, we celebrated mass at the local cathedral with a priest officiating. Milan, the first pilgrimage destination, was a luxurious city known for its elegant shopping streets. At the center of the city was Milan's Duomo Cathedral. The life story of Jesus was carved on the wall of the cathedral. The next day, we moved to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. That night, my roommate and I went to see the night view of Florence along the Arno River that flows through the city. The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore boasted the largest masonry dome in the world and an ornate medieval European facade. Florence is also the birthplace of Dante Alighieri, the author of "The Divine Comedy." The Santa Trinita Bridge, where Dante first met Beatrice, the object of his ideal love, remains the oldest bridge in Florence.

The next day, we moved to Assisi and made a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of St. Francis and St. Clare. St. Francis was a monk who practiced the gospel of peace and poverty in the early 13th century. He cared for his poor neighbors and lived a life in harmony with nature. St. Clare is known to have lived a life of service, practicing poverty under the influence of St. Francis.

The next day, we moved to Rome and celebrated mass at St. Peter's Basilica, which is decorated with gorgeous sculptures and icons. In downtown Rome, we visited the Trevi Fountain, which was featured in the movie "Roman Holiday."

The next day, we left Rome and went to Lourdes in France. Lourdes is one of the important pilgrimage sites for Catholics. There is a grotto here where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared in 1858. The spring water gushing out of this grotto is healing. In Lourdes, there was a huge underground cathedral near the grotto, where many believers gathered to pray. Also, in Lourdes, a candlelight procession is held in front of the Virgin Mary's Grotto every morning. These underground cathedrals and candlelight processions show the deep faith of the French people.

Next, we moved to Fatima, Portugal, and participated in the Rosary Procession. The Fatima Rosary Procession began in 1917 when three young shepherds reported witnessing the appearance of the Virgin Mary. During the procession, some believers surprised us by kneeling and marching. Next, Avila is a historic city in inland Spain and is famous for the Cathedral of St. Teresa, who was a Catholic saint and spiritualist who lived in the 16th century and was born in that city. She became a Carmelite nun at a young age and later devoted herself to religious life, leading reforms. Next, we moved to Madrid and attended mass at the Royal Spanish Cathedral. Next, we moved to Toledo. It is one of the most beautiful cities of medieval Europe. This city has well-preserved medieval walls and narrow alleys. Toledo is about an hour away from Madrid, so it is easily accessible.

Park Sung-ik (parksi48@naver.com) is a retired English teacher from Pungmoon Girls' High School.