“Your pilgrimage,” the Pope wrote, “is a concrete sign of the desire to renew faith, to strengthen the bond with the Successor of Peter, and to joyfully witness to the hope that does not disappoint.”

This hope, which comes from Christ, he said, is what the Jubilee calls us to follow because it “calls us to become pilgrims throughout our lives,” embarking on a journey toward eternity.

This path, he insisted, culminates in Rome, passing through the Holy Doors and visiting the tombs of the Apostles and Martyrs.

The Holy Father acknowledged that for the faithful of the country this journey "is part of the rich Christian tradition of your land, nourished by the testimony of Saints Cyril and Methodius and many other saints, who for over a thousand years have irrigated it with the Gospel of Christ.”

Finally, Pope Francis concluded by imploring the Blessed Mother, the country's patroness, whom you especially venerate as Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, guide and protect you,” and provide them hope.

Source: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-sends-message-to-slovak-pilgrimage.html