The town of Villa Ángela in Chaco province was the venue, on March 27, for the first Argentine edition of the Challenging Way of the Cross (VCE in spanish): 77 faithful from Villa Ángela, Charata and Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña walked 43 kilometers at night in silence, from the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Lagoon.
A practice that originated in Poland
The VCE (Virtual Night Walk) is an initiative launched in Poland in 2009 that involves walking approximately 40 kilometers at night, in silence and contemplation, alone or in a small group. It was brought to Argentina by Father Marcin Zubik, a Redemptorist missionary, who adapted it to the local context. More than a physical walk, it is a spiritual experience: a journey into oneself.
The route
The pilgrims departed from the parish church towards the local Shrine of Our Lady of the Lagoon, traversing mostly rural roads of the Chaco region in complete silence and solitude. Throughout the journey, the VCE (Virtual Christian Encounter) combined meditation and physical exertion, inviting participants to deeply experience each station. The reflection materials, taken from the original Polish version, were adapted for the Argentine context.
A special role was played by the group of the “Warriors of Mary,” who accompanied the pilgrims, pointing out the stations and offering them water, always respecting the spirit of silence. One of the participants evoked them with these words: “I believe they were the faces of Simon of Cyrene, Veronica, and the women Jesus encountered on his journey, sharing the Way of the Cross with him.”
The finale: Mass at the Sanctuary
The final stop took place at the Sanctuary of the Virgin of La Laguna, where the Via Crucis walk concluded with the celebration of Holy Mass, which was also joined by faithful from the parish.
Inner transformation
Many participants shared testimonies of profound spiritual transformation: they felt that the VCE helped them to break free, to trust, and to abandon mediocrity, and that the reflection materials seemed written especially for each of them. Others highlighted the beauty of contemplating God in the darkness of the Chaco night, illuminated by the moon and stars, to the rhythm of the crickets, cicadas, and lapwings.
An experience that looks to the continent
The first edition of the VCE in Argentina closes with the hope that this experience will continue in the coming years and spread throughout the South American continent.
Luz Maria Avila
