Given the economic reality, especially the rising foreign exchange rate, intending Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem or Rome may look the direction of Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre in Benue State for spiritual edification and enrichment. The 23- year-old religious site is fast emerging as Nigeria’s ‘New Jerusalem’ where thousands of pilgrims converge every August to celebrate the ‘special day of grace’. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME ,who was at the centre’s 21st anniversary, reports.

The pain of travelling the seven-kilometre bad road from Ugbokolo in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State to Aokpe community did not deter the huge crowd of pilgrims to Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre.

Thousands of Christians, especially Catholic faithful, from various dioceses in the country and outside Nigeria, converged on the centre for four days (August 1-4) to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Our Lady of Aokpe Mediatrix of All Graces.

Some pilgrims defied the scorching sun and intermittent shower of rain to sit and pray in the open field around the Altar of Perpetual Adoration, Crucifix of Jesus and Good Shepherd Garden.

For the four days, the sleepy and serene Aokpe community was literarily overrun by pilgrims and tourists to the centre. Temporary souvenir and gifts shops dotted the road to the centre as traders displayed foods and gift items, such as rosary, candles, pendants, wall papers, religious cassettes and CDs, among others.

But, to get the centre is like a journey through the Biblical narrow path to heaven. No two big vehicles found it easy to move on the opposite direction on the rough road. And all vehicles moved on gear one all through the short but tedious journey. This created a brisk business for operators of commercial motor bikes (Okada) as most pilgrims patronised them, which is a popular and more convenient mode of transport from Ugbokolo to Aokpe. The 15- minute ride on a bike took a vehicle about 30 minutes to cover on a dry day.

To the pilgrims, the bad road is not only a challenge, but it is also part of the penance for the spiritual edification, enrichment and growth – the essence of their pilgrimage. From visitation to apparition room, praying the Rosary, making confessions and penance on penance concrete track leading to the crucifix of Christ, fetching of holy water from the spring fountain, reciting the glorious mysteries, participating in the Hour of Mercy and the Stations of the Cross, there was no dull moment for the pilgrims. It was marathon prayers, praise and worship sessions accompanied by spiritual talks and the three-hourly holy mass during which pilgrims made constant supplications and sacrifices to the Eternal Father for collective and individual needs.

On Monday, August 3, eight masses were conducted for the nation and the state, reconciliation, students, refugees and other internally displaced persons, peace, sponsors of Aokpe project and Holy Spirit. At the grand finale on Tuesday, August 4, the Most Rev Dr. Michael Apochi, Catholic Bishop of Otukpo Diocese, took charge of the mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary that lasted for three hours.

In his exhortation, Rector of the centre, Rev. Fr. Ejembi Vincent, said the spiritual and social challenges of Nigerians are enormous as ‘we are living at a time when immorality is gaining ground, insurgency, Boko Haram, youth unemployment and other economic crisis bedevil us.’

The visionary, Mrs Christiana Agbo Ejeh, a lawyer, said the Blessed Virgin Mary started appearing to her since 1992, when she was 12, and that Virgin Mary told her she would appear on August 4, 1994 to bestow grace on her children.

“Virgin Mary told me that every August 4 should be set aside to celebrate a special day of grace,” she said.

http://www.native9ja.com/new-jerusalem-found-in-nigeria-photo/

*sighs*

Okay i hear, jerusalem in Nigeria indeed

U mean anoda excursion site now found in nigeria?

hahahhahahahaha

google be like, did u mean Jeremaiah?

Ohu and their fish brain scams

We too the take religion suffer ourselves!

miteolu:
Given the economic reality, especially the rising foreign exchange rate, intending Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem or Rome may look the direction of Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre in Benue State for spiritual edification and enrichment. The 23- year-old religious site is fast emerging as Nigeria’s ‘New Jerusalem’ where thousands of pilgrims converge every August to celebrate the ‘special day of grace’. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME ,who was at the centre’s 21st anniversary, reports.

The pain of travelling the seven-kilometre bad road from Ugbokolo in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State to Aokpe community did not deter the huge crowd of pilgrims to Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre.

Thousands of Christians, especially Catholic faithful, from various dioceses in the country and outside Nigeria, converged on the centre for four days (August 1-4) to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Our Lady of Aokpe Mediatrix of All Graces.

Some pilgrims defied the scorching sun and intermittent shower of rain to sit and pray in the open field around the Altar of Perpetual Adoration, Crucifix of Jesus and Good Shepherd Garden.

For the four days, the sleepy and serene Aokpe community was literarily overrun by pilgrims and tourists to the centre. Temporary souvenir and gifts shops dotted the road to the centre as traders displayed foods and gift items, such as rosary, candles, pendants, wall papers, religious cassettes and CDs, among others.

But, to get the centre is like a journey through the Biblical narrow path to heaven. No two big vehicles found it easy to move on the opposite direction on the rough road. And all vehicles moved on gear one all through the short but tedious journey. This created a brisk business for operators of commercial motor bikes (Okada) as most pilgrims patronised them, which is a popular and more convenient mode of transport from Ugbokolo to Aokpe. The 15- minute ride on a bike took a vehicle about 30 minutes to cover on a dry day.

To the pilgrims, the bad road is not only a challenge, but it is also part of the penance for the spiritual edification, enrichment and growth – the essence of their pilgrimage. From visitation to apparition room, praying the Rosary, making confessions and penance on penance concrete track leading to the crucifix of Christ, fetching of holy water from the spring fountain, reciting the glorious mysteries, participating in the Hour of Mercy and the Stations of the Cross, there was no dull moment for the pilgrims. It was marathon prayers, praise and worship sessions accompanied by spiritual talks and the three-hourly holy mass during which pilgrims made constant supplications and sacrifices to the Eternal Father for collective and individual needs.

On Monday, August 3, eight masses were conducted for the nation and the state, reconciliation, students, refugees and other internally displaced persons, peace, sponsors of Aokpe project and Holy Spirit. At the grand finale on Tuesday, August 4, the Most Rev Dr. Michael Apochi, Catholic Bishop of Otukpo Diocese, took charge of the mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary that lasted for three hours.

In his exhortation, Rector of the centre, Rev. Fr. Ejembi Vincent, said the spiritual and social challenges of Nigerians are enormous as ‘we are living at a time when immorality is gaining ground, insurgency, Boko Haram, youth unemployment and other economic crisis bedevil us.’

The visionary, Mrs Christiana Agbo Ejeh, a lawyer, said the Blessed Virgin Mary started appearing to her since 1992, when she was 12, and that Virgin Mary told her she would appear on August 4, 1994 to bestow grace on her children.

“Virgin Mary told me that every August 4 should be set aside to celebrate a special day of grace,” she said.

http://www.native9ja.com/new-jerusalem-found-in-nigeria-photo/