More than 100 people processed through the streets of Little Village on the chilly afternoon of Nov. 19, the last full day of the Jubilee of Mercy, to pray for an end to violence and express hope for more peaceful days to come.

The event started with a Mass at St. Agnes of Bohemia Church, 2643 S. Central Park Ave., then continued with the procession, and then fellowship and a chance for participants to offer words of reconciliation and hope back at St. Agnes of Bohemia.

The procession was joined by people from Good Shepherd Parish, 2719 S. Kolin Ave.; Assumption BVM Parish, 2434 S. California Ave.; Epiphany Parish, 2524 S. Keeler Ave.; and Our Lady of Tepeyac Parish, 2226 S. Whipple St.; as well as members of non- Catholic churches and others from the community.

“This is for everyone,” said Father Thomas Boharic, associate pastor of St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish.

Boharic said the processions started in 2013 around the Day of the Dead, traditionally celebrated Nov. 2, as a way to bring the whole community together to reach out to victims of violence and their families. It was an outgrowth of Imago Dei, an outreach group for middle school students, that, among other things, has painted murals throughout the community, and Padres Angeles, its affiliated parent group.

“We had events around Good Friday and other times, but there wasn’t something that was tied with youth who were dying in the streets,” said Diana Cervantes, a parishioner who helps organize the procession.

The first year they procession was held the group planned for it to be a “funeral for violence,” with participants carrying a casket as they sang and prayed.

“We were burying all these negative words,” Cervantes said.

Each year, the procession deliberately crosses gang boundary lines in several places.

“We do that in an effort to unite both sides of the community,” Boharic said.

Prayer stops often are scheduled at corners near the sites of fatal shootings, said Deacon Pablo Perez.

“On certain corners, we’ll remember specific people who have died from violence,” Boharic said.

This year, those prayers were led by members of organizations and agencies that work to bring hope to the community.

Although the violence has not ended — the neighborhood had two homicides leading up to this year’s march — the group chose to focus this year on hope and mercy, Cervantes said.

To that end, the songs the group sang as people walked were more upbeat this year, Cervantes said.

During the fellowship time at the end, children could do crafts while people watched Aztec cultural dancers and listened to testimonies from people in the neighborhood offering words of reconciliation.

“Sometimes parents will offer forgiveness to those who have killed their sons,” Boharic said.

Other times, those who have been involved in violence apologize.

There was also a large cross set up. Participants could write things they need to let go of on pieces of paper and put them on the cross, Cervantes said.