News
19 October: what is celebrated today
19 October is a date of deep symbolism. On the one hand, it pays tribute to millions of women who face breast cancer with courage, a battle that transcends the body to become a struggle for life, hope and solidarity. On the other, it celebrates the majesty of cathedrals, those works that, stone by stone, have endured for centuries and continue to rise as witnesses to art, faith and human creativity. Both commemorations—one born of pain and the other of splendour—share a common message: human resilience in the face of the passage of time and the
International Day against Breast Cancer: a ribbon that unites the world
Every 19 October, the planet is tinged pink. It is not just a colour, but a universal symbol of strength, empathy and unity. On this date, thousands of campaigns, institutions and communities remind us that detecting breast cancer in time saves lives, and that no woman should face this disease alone.
Breast cancer remains the most diagnosed cancer in the world: 2.3 million new cases a year, one in every eight cancers detected. Behind those figures are faces, stories and families fighting for a better future. Inequality in access to healthcare remains a real barrier, especially in countries with fewer resources, where late detection multiplies mortality.
Since 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) has promoted the Global Breast Cancer Initiative, whose purpose is to reduce deaths by 2.5% a year until 2040, saving millions of lives. This year’s motto, “No one should face breast cancer alone”, sums up the spirit of the campaign: the fight is not individual, but collective.
Every check-up, every word of support, every shared story is a reminder that prevention and empathy also heal. This day is not merely a medical date, but a call to care, accompany and live with awareness.
International Day of Cathedrals: when stone tells stories
On that same 19 October, the world also pauses to look upwards, towards the towers that touch the sky. It is International Day of Cathedrals, a day to pay tribute to those temples that have withstood the passage of centuries and that preserve within their walls the history, art and faith of humanity.
Although its origin as a commemoration is not clearly documented, this celebration seeks to value the spiritual and cultural role of cathedrals, which are not merely religious buildings but true lungs of human heritage.
The word cathedral comes from the Latin cathedra, “bishop’s seat”, but its meaning goes far beyond the liturgical. They are spaces where art becomes prayer and where silence speaks. Centuries of hope, power and beauty resonate in their vaults.
In Spain, an initiative known as “The sunset of the cathedrals” allows people to visit these temples as evening falls. The light of sunset filters through the stained-glass windows and turns the interior into a spectacle of calm and spirituality, reminding us that art, like faith, can also heal.
Two forms of transcendence: that of the body and that of the spirit
19 October celebrates two manifestations of human resilience: that of the body fighting for life and that of the spirit leaving an eternal mark.
While the pink ribbon invites us to care for and accompany, cathedrals teach us that beauty can also be an act of faith.
Both commemorations, different but complementary, remind us that living fully is as much an art as a battle, and that both body and soul need to be cared for, celebrated and defended.