The 2026 Eucharistic Pilgrimage will crisscross the east coast of the United States, beginning in the location of the first Mass on U.S. soil and ending in Philadelphia for the country's 250th anniversary.
Dubbed the "St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Route," the pilgrimage will begin in St. Augustine, Florida, on May 24, 2026, Memorial Day weekend. The pilgrimage will continue up the east coast before arriving in the Diocese of Portland, Maine on June 23. From there, the pilgrimage will head back south to the Archdiocese of Boston, before concluding in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on July 2nd through the 5th.
The theme of the pilgrimage is "One Nation Under God," said a press release issued Thursday, January 8.
“One Nation Under God is not a borrowed slogan; rather, it is an invitation to realign our lives, our communities, and our country under the sovereignty of Jesus Christ," said Jason Shanks, president of the National Eucharistic Congress, in the release.
2026 pilgrimage steeped in U.S. Catholic history
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the patroness of the pilgrimage, was the first canonized citizen of the United States.
The pilgrimage will pass through 18 dioceses and most of the original 13 colonies, said the organizers. An opening Mass will be celebrated at the Our Lady of La Leche Shrine, site of the first Mass celebrated on American soil, and there will be stops along the route at notable shrines and churches.
The pilgrimage will go through the dioceses of Savannah, Charleston, Charlotte, Richmond, Arlington, Washington, Baltimore, Wilmington, Camden, Paterson, Springfield (MA), Manchester, Portland (ME), Boston, Fall River, and Providence, said the organizers.
There will be eight perpetual pilgrims and a media missionary who will complete the entire pilgrimage, said the release.
“Our hope is that Catholics will come together on this significant anniversary to give thanks for our country and to pray for our future," said Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens, Chairman of the National Eucharistic Congress, in the release.
He continued, "We want all Catholics to be inspired with missionary zeal to bring revival through the light and love of Jesus Christ."
