NASPA joins Eucharistic Pilgrimage on the Cabrini Route

The National Association of Shrine and Pilgrimage Apostolate is pleased to see member shrines included in this year’s Eucharistic Pilgrimage along the St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Route. NASPA and our shrines are excited to take part in this year's Eucharistic Pilgrimage "One Nation Under God." in honor of our country's 250th anniversary.

UPDATE June 29, 2026                                                                        

Pope Leo XIV to Offer a Message at the Close of National Eucharistic Pilgrimage Marking America’s 250th Anniversary

The Holy Father’s message will celebrate the legacy of Catholicism in the country and invite renewed unity through the Eucharist

PHILADELPHIA, PA — His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will offer a special video message, at the close of the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, speaking to pilgrims gathered in Philadelphia, those participating virtually, and the larger Church in the United States of America, and to viewers around the world as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding.

The Holy Father’s message will be shared on Sunday, July 5, at the opening of the closing Mass and Eucharistic procession in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The message will be shown in person to pilgrims gathered in Philadelphia and distributed digitally to those participating through the global broadcast and livestream.

EWTN Global Catholic Network will partner with Vatican Media to serve as the global distribution partner for the papal message and for media coverage of the closing events of the Pilgrimage, helping to bring this historic moment of Eucharistic faith and reflection to audiences around the world.

The 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, taking place from May 24 through July 5, will carry Our Lord in the Eucharist through 18 dioceses and three Eastern Rite eparchies along the Eastern Seaboard, passing through most of the original 13 colonies and engaging both urban and rural communities. As we mark the semi quincentennial, the pilgrimage offers a visible witness to the enduring presence and mission of the Catholic Church in the United States.

Pope Leo XIV’s message will come at a moment of particular significance for Catholics in the United States. The Holy Father will offer a word of spiritual closeness, peace, unity, and hope, inviting the faithful to look to Christ in the Eucharist as the source of communion and renewal.

The 2026 pilgrimage is under the patronage of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first United States citizen to be canonized, whose deep Eucharistic devotion sustained her missionary service among immigrants and the poor. During Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Pavia on June 20th, he venerated a relic of the heart of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini brought from the saint's motherhouse in nearby Codogno. The pope’s veneration of St. Frances’ relic occurred the same week that the nine perpetual pilgrims accompanying the Eucharist along the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage made a private retreat at the Mother Cabrini National Shrine in Manhattan, where the saint is buried.

The closing events in Philadelphia Independence Day weekend will draw pilgrims to two shrines that bear witness to the legacy of Catholicism in the United States: the tomb of St. Katharine Drexel and the shrine of Saint John Neumann. The Eucharistic procession will move from the tomb of Saint Katharine Drexel, the first native-born United States citizen to be canonized, to the shrine of Saint John Neumann, the first canonized American bishop.

“This message from Pope Leo XIV will be a profound gift to the Church in the United States and to all who seek peace, unity, and hope,” said Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, Archbishop of Philadelphia. “As the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage concludes in Philadelphia, we are deeply grateful that the Holy Father will speak to the faithful gathered here, in the City of Saints, and to those joining around the world, reminding us that Christ in the Eucharist is the source of our unity and the heart of the Church’s mission.”

“The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is a public invitation to encounter Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and to carry His presence into the life of our nation,” said Jason Shanks, President of the National Eucharistic Congress. “To receive a message from Pope Leo XIV at the culmination of this journey, as the United States marks its 250th anniversary, is more than a landmark moment –it is a call to renewal for the Church in our country. We encourage people to come and experience it in person, to hear directly from the Holy Father a message that will reverberate far beyond the walls of the gathering and echo across the nation for years to come.”

“EWTN is honored to serve as the global distribution partner for the Holy Father’s message and for the closing events of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in Philadelphia,” said Michael P. Warsaw, EWTN Chairman and CEO. “This historic moment will allow viewers around the world to join in prayer, witness, and thanksgiving as the Church in the United States celebrates the enduring gift of the Eucharist during this milestone in the country’s history.”

Additional details regarding broadcast times, livestream access, media credentials, and coverage opportunities will be announced in the coming weeks. The closing Mass of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and the papal video message will be livestreamed on EWTN’s YouTube channel, on the EWTN streaming apps (EWTN +)and on linear broadcast, and made available on the National Eucharistic Congress’s Manna App.

“NASPA provides a great service to the Church.  I have used your website before to help identify potential stops at shrines for past routes of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and it has been so helpful.” - Maria Benes, Director of Pilgrimages National Eucharistic Congress, Inc

The Euchistic Pilgrimage began May 24th at The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche. From there, the perpetual pilgrims and our Lord process up the East Coast, visiting parishes along the way. In Washington D.C. the pilgrims will attend events at two of our member shrines, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. The group will visit our members at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA, before returning to Philadelphia in time for the country’s 4th of July celebrations. The Pilgrimage will then conclude on July 5th at the Basilica of the National Shrine of St. John Neumann.

While the St. Francis Cabrini Shrine in New York will not be hosting any public Eucharistic Pilgrimage events, the route is named after its founder. The shrine staff are prayerfully supporting the perpetual pilgrims and have gifted each of them with a small image of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini to accompany them on their journey.

Below you will find a list of the Eucharistic Pilgrimage's public events taking place at our Member Shrines. The full list with all the stops can be found at the Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s website 

May 24, 2026

Eucharistic Pilgrimage Begins

National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, 101 San Marco Ave. St. Augustine, FL 32084

Join us on the historic and sacred grounds of the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche for an unforgettable night of music, praise and worship under the open sky and Great Cross before we begin the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. All are welcome. 

June 6, 2026

12:30 PM-3:30 PM

Saint John Paul II National Shrine, 3900 Harewood Rd NE, Washington, DC 20017

Join us for an afternoon of prayer and fellowship! The public will have the option to purchase lunch with a QR code at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. After lunch and fellowship, a Perpetual Pilgrim will give a witness talk at 1:30pm. There will be a rosary at 2:00pm, followed by a holy hour of Divine Mercy from 2:30-3:30pm. A limited number of lunches will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Corpus Christi Vigil Mass

4:30 PM-5:30 PM

Basilica of the Natl. Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave. NE Washington, DC 20017

Join us as we celebrate Corpus Christi Vigil Mass at the beautiful Basilica National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, affectionately called "America's Catholic Church."

June 18, 2026

12:00 PM-3:30 PM 

Divine Mercy Shrine, 2 Prospect Hill Rd. Stockbridge, MA 01262

Join us for the start of the National Eucharistic Piligrimage's visit to the Diocese of Springfield with an afternoon at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy! We'll have a short Eucharistic procession at 12:00 pm, a 1:00 pm Holy Hour with Confessions available and praying the Rosary for Life. Mass will take place at 2:00 pm, followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Benediction to conclude the visit. 

The public is welcome to explore the beautiful grounds of this historic shrine. Food and beverage is available for purchase at Eden Hill Café and the Divine Mercy Gift Shop has a huge selection of Catholic books and gifts.

July 5, 2026

12:30 PM-2:00 PM

1723 Race St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 to 1019 North 5th St. Philadelphia, PA 19123

Join us for a Eucharistic Procession through downtown Philadelphia from the Cathedral Basilica to the National Shrine of St. John Neumann at St. Peter the Apostle Church. The route is approximately 2 miles and will conclude with Benediction at St. Peter's Church.

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NASPA is a shrine membership organization in the U.S. founded by the USCCB. For more information on how to join visit catholicshrines.org/join