Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims' Commission, Mr. John Kennedy Opara, said yesterday at a media parlay in Abuja that the 2013 Easter Pilgrimage exercise will commence on February 25.

He said about 2,650, including self sponsored pilgrims are expected to participate in the exercise. Opara stated that pilgrimage is not for leisure where comfort is assured but a spiritual exercise.

"Our pilgrimage is not tourism, it is not a journey for comfort but is a spiritual journey to remind us of whom we are, where we are coming from and where we are going to, it is a journey of a life time," he added.

The executive secretary told a self -sponsored pilgrim during the last exercise that issues raised in his complain were being looked into.

He assured intending pilgrims that the government of Nigeria and Israel would do all within their powers to ensure their safety during the Easter exercise and would not put them in any situation that would endanger their lives.

He urged all Christian brothers and sisters to avail themselves of the opportunity the pilgrimage provides by embarking on the exercise that will impact positively on their lives.