BARBADOS
The Diocese of Bridgetown held a Eucharistic Procession under the theme Pilgrims of Hope, Walking with Christ Sunday, November 16. Despite the persistent threat of bad weather, many Catholics bravely faced the elements to participate in this Jubilee Year event, according to a report from the diocese’s communication officer Christoper Williams.Williams stated that Bishop Neil Scantlebury of Bridgetown carried the monstrance reverently at the head of the procession, followed by clergy and a congregation “whose voices rose in hymns specially chosen for the occasion.” Grey, rain-filled clouds drifted in from the east, shadowing the pilgrimage route, “yet the pilgrims pressed on with unwavering hope.”As the procession made its way along Nelson Street, umbrellas opened across the crowd in response to a light drizzle.
By the time the faithful reached Golden Square, the skies broke open. Almost at the exact moment the Litany of Healing and Repentance in the Eucharistic began, a sudden deluge poured down.According to Williams, the rainfall “was intense and unrelenting—but so was the prayer.” The Litany continued, uninterrupted, as rain drenched the worshippers. The downpour followed the procession onto Bay Street, where roads became flooded with shin-high water. “Umbrellas offered little protection; no one remained dry. The walk with Christ demanded perseverance, testing the pilgrims with cold, fatigue, and even moments of slipping or falling.
Yet the faithful pressed forward.”It continued, “This was not a ‘walk in the park’. It was a journey of resilience, devotion, and trust.” And in the spirit of the Psalmist—Psalm 31:24: “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord”—the pilgrims found joy at the end of the path, strengthened by the grace of their shared witness.
