Theological Pastoral Congress on the Guadalupe Event

“Our Lady of Guadalupe, the event and its teachings for the processes of evangelisation” was the theme of a congress held from 24 to 26 February 2026 in Mexico City, as part of the ecclesial journey, initiated by Pope Francis, towards the Guadalupan Jubilee of 2031, commemorating the 500th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin Mary on Mount Tepeyac.

In his message to the congress, Pope Leo XIV emphasised that the Guadalupe event is a providential gift for the evangelisation of America, and from there also for the inculturation of the Gospel in today’s world.

Fr. Alexandre Awi Mello spoke about the role of the Virgin Mary in the life of the Church. In his presentation, he introduced ‘Mary in the Heart of the People’ as ‘Mother and Educator, Model and Intercessor.’ A specialist in Mariology, Fr. Alexandre is currently an advisor to two of the organizers of the congress: the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (PCAL) and the Pontifical International Marian Academy (PAMI).

The event was attended by bishops, theologians, academics and pastoral workers from various countries. Sr. M. Kathia Martínez, continental coordinator of the Movement in the Americas, participated as a representative of the Schoenstatt Movement.