“Am I Not Here, I Who Am Your Mother?”: Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrim Image to Visit the Archdiocese of Davao

For three days, the Archdiocese of Davao will welcome the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe during the Philippine Pilgrimage Visit on July 27–29, 2026. This visit is an invitation for the faithful to draw closer to Christ through the loving maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose message of hope, compassion, and conversion has continued to inspire generations of believers across the world.

The visit to Davao is part of a historic six-month nationwide pilgrimage that began on June 11, 2026, when the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Guadalupe arrived in the Philippines from Mexico. To recall, the image was formally welcomed at Malacañang Palace by Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, together with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown, government officials, clergy, and lay faithful.

The pilgrimage marks the first time the historic pilgrim image has traveled outside of the Americas, making the Philippines the first country to receive this extraordinary Marian visit. The image, which will remain in the country as a second-class relic, is scheduled to visit more than 50 cathedrals, shrines, and parishes across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao before its permanent enthronement at the Manila Cathedral on December 12, 2026, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Organized under the guidance of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the nationwide pilgrimage seeks to renew the faith of the Filipino people by drawing them closer to Jesus Christ through the maternal guidance of Mary, while spiritually preparing the nation for the 500th anniversary of the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Throughout the pilgrimage, host churches are invited to pray the Official Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe during every Mass, encouraging the faithful to entrust themselves, their families, and the nation to her loving care.

The arrival of the revered image recalls the historic apparition of the Blessed Mother to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico in 1531. Appearing as a compassionate mother to the poor and the humble, Our Lady of Guadalupe brought a message of faith, conversion, and God’s unfailing love. Her words to St. Juan Diego—“Am I not here, I who am your Mother?”—remain a timeless assurance for all who seek comfort amid life’s trials.

The pilgrimage in the Archdiocese of Davao will begin on Monday, July 27, with the opening Holy Mass at 6:00 a.m., followed by a solemn procession, welcome ceremony, and the Welcome Mass to be presided over by Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D. Additional Masses will be celebrated throughout the day, with veneration of the image until 11:00 p.m. The laying of the tilma and anointing will take place after every Holy Mass.

On Tuesday, July 28, Holy Masses will be celebrated by the different vicariates of the Archdiocese, while public veneration of the image continues until late evening, allowing pilgrims to offer prayers and seek the Blessed Mother’s intercession.

The pilgrimage will conclude on Wednesday, July 29, with the final Holy Mass at 6:00 a.m. and the Farewell Mass at 8:00 a.m. Though the visit ends, its spiritual fruits are expected to endure in the lives of the faithful.

As pilgrims prepare to welcome Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Archdiocese invites everyone to take part in this extraordinary occasion of faith. Whether carrying personal intentions, seeking healing, praying for families, or simply longing to deepen one’s relationship with God, all are encouraged to entrust their lives to the Blessed Mother, who always leads her children to her Son, Jesus Christ. May the faithful of Davao come together as one family of faith, strengthened by Mary’s gentle assurance: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother?”