Dassa, 23 July, 2020 / 8:00 pm (ACI Africa).
The annual Marian pilgrimage to Arigbo Grotto in Dassa in the Central part of Benin that had been scheduled to take place in August has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the Bishops in the West African country announced Tuesday, July 21 and called on pilgrims to “pray fervently” through the intercession of Mary for “many graces of healing for the sick.”
In their July 21 collective statement, members of the Episcopal Conference of Benin (CEB) announce that the national Marian pilgrimage “initially scheduled to be held from August 21 to 23, 2020, will not take place due to the health crisis linked to COVID-19.”
The Bishops “exhort all the faithful to pray fervently to Mary, Our Lady of Arigbo, on this date, so that she may obtain from God, as usual, the many graces of healing for the sick, of conversion for the sinners, reconciliation for people in conflict and peace for all families.”
The Francophone country has recorded 1,694 cases of the novel coronavirus including 918 recoveries and 34 related deaths.
The Chairman of the organizing committee of the pilgrimage and Rector of the sanctuary housing the Shrine, Fr. Fortuné Badou, applauded the decision to cancel pilgrimage.
