Lost in a storm, driven by faith: 72-year-old Ray’s trek for Caritas

When Ray Aquilina lost his way in the French Jura Mountains during a thunderstorm, it became clear that his long-planned pilgrimage would offer more than just scenic trails and quiet reflection.

The 72-year-old from San Ġwann was walking a solo stretch of the historic Via Francigena – an ancient pilgrimage from Canterbury in the UK to Rome in Italy – when he found himself stranded in the Loue Valley, soaked, disorientated and separated from the official path.

“That was hands down the worst day,” he said.

“I was lost in the middle of nowhere and my kids called to wish me happy Father’s Day. All I could tell them was that I’m lost and have no idea where I am.”

Ray Aquilina in Champagne on a trip he said was ‘very spiritual.

He had taken a detour after being given incorrect directions by a couple on the trail. The marked path soon disappeared and he found himself clambering over fallen trees in a forest. When he eventually encountered fellow hikers, they told him he was on the wrong side of the river and the proper route was only reachable by backtracking, climbing uphill and descending to a bridge.

As he reached the bridge, the weather took a turn for the worse.

Wearing only a light jacket, Aquilina was caught in a thunderstorm. “I couldn’t believe my luck,” he said.

“I couldn’t help but think I am high up in the middle of a forest, surrounded by trees and there is lightning. If I just slipped, I could have fallen down a mountain side. It was very challenging but, luckily, I am a calm person.”

After around two hours of walking, he reached a bar in a nearby village. “As I walked in the bar the barkeep asked what happened to me. I told him I got lost in Loue Valley. He looked shocked and asked me if I was serious.”

That incident, though challenging, was just one part of a deeply rewarding journey. Aquilina began his pilgrimage in Canterbury on May 17 and arrived in Aosta, northern Italy, on June 24 after walking around 1,200 kilometres. It was the first phase of a route that will eventually end in Rome. He paused the walk due to rising temperatures and plans to start the second leg in September, all as part of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year.

The Via Francigena spans roughly 3,000 kilometres and is one of Europe’s oldest pilgrimage routes. Aquilina walked in support of Caritas Malta, raising funds for the organisation’s work with vulnerable people.

Ray Aquilina at the Cathedral in Aosta, where he ended the first leg of his pilgrimage.

Aquilina’s trek took him through varied landscapes from the vineyards of Champagne to the shores of Lake Lausanne, across the snow-covered Great St Bernard Pass and through dense forests in the Jura Mountains.

“From the heat of the lakes and then you end up in the snow of St Bernards. I was very emotional,” he said. “I saw the settings change in front of me, it was very, very exciting. You’re in England one day and then, before you know it, you’re in Switzerland. It was a big experience.”

Aquilina described the walk not just as a physical feat but as a spiritual journey.

“This is not just an adventure but a pilgrimage to Rome. As much as I enjoy it, it is a pilgrimage to mark the Holy Year,” he said.

The Jubilee, celebrated every 25 years, is drawing pilgrims from around the world under the theme Pilgrims of Hope. Aquilina hopes to reach St Peter’s Square by late October.

A cancer diagnosis in 2023 had delayed his original plans. Now cancer-free, he says the experience of walking the first leg of the pilgrimage was an emotional one.

“When you are walking alone on a route like this you feel like you are a bird. Flying and exposed to everything surrounding you,” he said. “It’s very spiritual.”

Aquilina first discovered long-distance walking as a teenager but it wasn’t until his 50s that he fully embraced it again.

Since completing his first Camino de Santiago route in 2015, from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela, Aquilina has walked 13 Camino routes. In 2023, he celebrated his 70th birthday with a 1,150-kilometre trek from Valencia, raising €3,750 for Caritas Malta.

“I am always looking forward to doing something. I don’t stay at home watching TV. I am always going beyond my limits,” he said.

Donations in support of Aquilina’s walk can be sent via Revolut or BOV Mobile Pay on 9987 6542.