The bells of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Mexico rang with an echo of gratitude and nostalgia on December 11, marking the close of an unprecedented spiritual tour. The first-class relic of Saint Jude Thaddeus –a bone fragment from the arm of the apostle of impossible causes– left Mexican soil after 17 months of uninterrupted journey, returning to its home in the parish of San Salvatore in Lauro, in Rome. Under the custody of Canon Hugo Valdemar Romero from the Metropolitan Cathedral, the sacred remains were handed over to the parish priest Monsignor Pietro Bongiovanni in an emotional ceremony that sealed the bond of devotion.
The round trip of this relic, authenticated by the Dicastery for the Causes of the Saints of the Vatican, was a torrent of faith that flooded the streets, squares, and temples of Mexico. Started on July 29, 2024, with its arrival at Mexico City International Airport (AICM), the pilgrimage was received by Víctor González Herrera, executive president of the Grupo Por Un País Mejor and heir to the emblematic «Dr. Simi», along with his father, Víctor González Torres. Monsignor Valerio di Palma, canon of the Basilica of Saint Peter, handed it over in a gesture that symbolized the papal blessing for a nation thirsty for hope. From that moment, the «Judasmóvil» –a van with panoramic stained-glass windows designed to display the relic– became the vehicle for itinerant miracles, covering more than 85 dioceses out of the 98 that make up the Mexican ecclesiastical geography.
The itinerary, orchestrated by Farmacias Similares and the Grupo Por Un País Mejor in collaboration with the Mexican Episcopal Conference, was divided into eight chronological stages that spanned from the center of the country to the confines of the Pacific and the north. The first phase, from July 29 to August 20, 2024, focused on the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico and Puebla. The relic disembarked at the Metropolitan Cathedral at 3:50 PM, entering through the Door of Forgiveness –opened only every 25 years–. A solemn mass inaugurated the tour with processions that lasted until July 31.
The following days were of a tireless tour of veneration: August 1 and 2 at the Church of San Hipólito, in the historic heart of the capital; August 3 and 4 at the parish of San Judas Tadeo in Cuemanco; August 5 at the parish of the Immaculate Conception in Tlacopac and August 6 at the Sanctuary of San Judas in Azcapotzalco. The second stage, from September 2 to October 20, 2024, extended the apostolic arm to dioceses such as Tlalnepantla, Ecatepec, Nezahualcóyotl, and Tlaxcala where hundreds of faithful and devotees, carrying rosaries, written petitions, and testimonies of healings, expressed their faith to the apostle of difficult causes.
The third phase, from October 21 to December 23, 2024, turned toward the southeast and Pacific, touching Oaxaca with emblematic stops. November 7 and 8 at the Cathedral of Tehuantepec and November 9 and 10 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows in Puerto Escondido. In the Prelature of the Mixes, on November 13, the relic blessed Ayutla with an outdoor mass that gathered indigenous communities in prayer for peace. Puebla was not left behind. From August 27 to 29, in the archdiocese with visits to Tehuacán that included the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and parishes such as Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
In 2025, the tour was more extensive. The fourth stage, from January 6 to April 12, explored the Bajío and Pacific, reaching Jalisco from January 20 to February 3. The fifth and sixth, from April 28 to August 3, to the north, Monterrey, Chihuahua, and Tijuana were witnesses to nighttime vigils that lasted until midnight. The seventh, from August 3 to October 10, returned to the center with emphasis on Veracruz and Hidalgo, while the eighth, from October 10 to 30, delved into Morelos and Guerrero.
The final stage, from November 1 to December 10, 2025, was a farewell loaded with emotion. The relic docked in Mexico City on November 26, first visiting the Parish of San Josemaría Escrivá in Santa Fe from December 5 to 6 and then the Immaculate Conception Tlacopac from December 2 to 4. The climax arrived from December 9 to 11 at the Metropolitan Cathedral: reception at 10:00 AM on the 9th, continuous veneration until 7:00 PM on the 10th, and a farewell mass on the 11th at 9:30 AM.
In Rome, Canon Romero returned the relic to Mons. Bongiovanni in a show of gratitude that, even during the flight to Rome, the flight crew took a photo next to the reliquary.
This tour fused popular devotion with marketing, revitalizing Catholic faith in a country of 130 million inhabitants, weaving a collective hope.