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October 2: Eucharistic Adoration and the Transfer of Blessed Alvaro to Our Lady of Peace

On October 2, 86th anniversary of the founding of Opus Dei, a Eucharistic benediction presided over by Bishop Javier Echevarría was celebrated in the Roman basilica of Saint Eugene’s.

Following this act, the coffin with the body of the new blessed was moved from Saint Eugene’s to the prelatic church of Our Lady of Peace. Thousands of people in the basilica were able to watch the transfer on a large screen that had been installed there. Others accompanied the new blessed along Bruno Buozzi Street, which connects the two churches. In addition, many thousands followed by live coverage available on the website www.Alvarodelportillo.org

At the end of the ceremony, the Prelate addressed the following words to the new blessed: “Thank you dear Blessed Álvaro for everything you’ve done; thank you for your generosity, for your unwavering loyalty to God and to those at your side, also when faced with difficulties.”

Bishop Echevarría. “Give God all the glory, closely united to the Pope, and letting ourselves be led by Jesus.”

In a pastoral letter dated October 1 that he sent to Opus Dei’s faithful and cooperators, the Prelate invited them to thank the “Most Holy Trinity, for this gift that you have made to the Church, to Opus Dei, and to all mankind, in highlighting the beloved figure of this servant of yours as a reference point and intercessor.”

The celebrations in Madrid and those that took place in the Eternal City and in countries all over the world should lead “to renewing our desire to give God all the glory, closely united to the Pope, letting our Lady, our Mother, bring us to Jesus.”

In the same letter, the Prelate invited everyone to “entrust to Don Álvaro’s intercession peace in the world, more specifically in those places where many people are suffering persecution because of their faith, and to pray for the work of the upcoming extraordinary assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which begins on October 5.”

Roman committee for the beatification

At the conclusion of the ceremonies, the spokeswoman of the Roman events, Mara Celani, thanked all the people and institutions that had worked together to make these events possible: “As the ceremonies come to a close, I would like to express my deep gratitude towards all who have helped us to benefit so much from these events. For the people who have come to Rome, the joy of the beatification has been increased by the audience with the Pope and the warm welcome they have received from a city that has treated them so affectionately.”

Between September 29 and October 2, nearly 40,000 people went to the Basilica of St. Eugene to pray before the remains of the new blessed.

Romana, n. 59, July-December 2014, p. 229-231.

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