The Great Pilgrimage of Hope 2025 Begins: A Synodal Journey for Asia

by Clyde Ericson Nolasco

The Asian Synodal Journey has begun!

Amid a spirit of joy and anticipation, the Asian Mission Congress, dubbed the Great Pilgrimage of Hope 2025, opened on Thursday, November 27, launching a Synodal Journey that gathers cardinals, bishops, clergy, religious, and lay leaders from across Asia.

Guided by the theme “Journeying together as peoples of Asia… and they went a different way” (Mt 2:12), this pilgrimage marks a moment of spiritual renewal, dialogue, and fraternity.

The organizers — the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences and the Catholic Diocese of Penang — envision the event as a celebration of one great faith expressed in many cultures, fostering a journey of hope and deeper communion with God, creation, and humanity.

The highlight of Day 1 was the keynote address of His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Pro-Prefect for the Section of First Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization. His talk, “Going a Different Way as Renewed Pilgrims of Hope,” reflected on the story of the Magi as a narrative of hope— “a virtue that is profoundly human and humanizing.” The beloved Cardinal emphasized that true hope purifies selfishness and concluded by encouraging everyone to be “more Magi and less Herods as synodal partners.”

In total, the event welcomed 10 cardinals, 104 bishops, 155 priests, 8 deacons, 74 nuns, and 422 lay people, along with more than 90 volunteers from 23 Asian countries and 9 additional nations, showcasing the remarkable breadth and diversity of participation in this synodal journey.

The last Asian Mission Congress was held in 2006 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, making this year’s gathering in Penang a highly anticipated event for the Church across the Asian region.