Pilgrim Ann is planning on a solo pilgrimage to visit the St Martin towns in the east of France from November 2024 to February 2025. Afterward, another solo pilgrimage to St Martin towns in the northeast of France from August to November 2025. Several other shorter solo pilgrimages and group pilgrimages are being considered, but have no set dates as of yet. Please check back occasionally to see if other pilgrimages are scheduled.
Upcoming Pilgrimages
There are some other pilgrimages in the works organized for particular groups. Anyone with an idea of a pilgrimage is invited to contact us at societyofservantpilgrims@gmail.com for potential assistance in planning, organizing, or connecting with others who are drawn to a similar pilgrimage in the US or Europe. More information
St Benedict Pilgrimage (AL/GA)
Tentatively 16 February to 2 March 2025
This itinerary assumes a visit to St Bernard Abbey in Cullman, AL and being transported to the Chief Ladiga Trail terminus in Anniston to being walking. The same trail changes its name at the AL/GA border and continues as the Silver Comet Trail to the terminus in Smyrna (10 days). In total it is 105 miles averaging 10.5 miles per day with the longest day at 13 miles. Optionally, the itinerary continues through the city of Atlanta to reach the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in 44 miles with another 4 days – connecting through the urban area on local bike trails and urban streets to the Rockdale River Trail.
More information: https://societyofservantpilgrims.com/northamerican/st-benedict-pilgrimage/
Saragosse Pilgrimage
~7 July to ~15 August 2026
The European Cultural Center of Saint Martin manages an extensive network of pilgrim routes through 12 countries. Pilgrimages to his tomb in Tours began immediately after his death in 397 for devotees to pay homage to this humble and virtuous soldier-turned-monk-turned-bishop. Many of the pathways in the modern network were walked by Martin himself, as a soldier, pilgrim, hermit, monk, and bishop.
While all the routes are captivating, the pilgrimage proposed here is a cultural and historical journey by foot to explore the path that St Martin undertook in the 4th century between Zaragoza, Spain and Tours, France, following the trace of the Roman roads that existed in the 4th century, passing over the Pyrenees at La Pierre Saint-Martin (the Rock of St Martin) at an altitude of 1,766 m (5,794 ft), and passing through the city of Bordeaux among many other Roman towns.
Pilgrims will gather in Zaragoza, Spain on 7 July 2026 and walk for 40 days on rural roads and footpaths to arrive at the tomb of St Martin in the Basilica Saint Martin in Tours, France on 15 August 2026. (Zaragoza is known as Saragosse in French.) This pilgrimage will average 25 km/day (15 miles) for a total of about 950 kms) and intended for young adults (18-30 years old). More information can be found at https://societyofservantpilgrims.com/saragosse-pilgrimage/
Some of the recently completed pilgrimages:
La Boucle de Saint Martin
12 June to 4 July 2024
Tours – Poitiers – Tours, France
Saint Martin, 4th-century Bishop of Tours, pilgrim, hermit, abbot, and founder of Ligugé, the first monastery in Europe, is celebrated throughout Europe for his exceptional character. A sense of his life’s commitment to equality, justice, humility, charity and tolerance can be experienced in a circuit beginning and ending in Tours, visiting many churches dedicated to him, several towns named for him, staying in his first monastery in Ligugé, visiting Poitiers, entering the church he founded and later died, in Candes and walking along the Loire River to his shrine in the Châteauneuf quartier of Tours.
Shrines of the St Lawrence River
27 July to 14 August 2024
Montréal – Québec, Canada
Several of the most important and historic shrines of Canada lie along the St Lawrence River. The starting point will be the Mohawk reservation of Kahnawake, across the river from Montréal, where the tomb shrine of Ste Kateri Tekakwitha stands. In the heart of Montréal is the famous Oratoire Saint-Joseph, built a century ago by St (Brother) André Bessette of the Congregation of Holy Cross. A few days’ walk downriver is the Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Cap in Trois-Rivières dedicated to St Mary. It was lovingly created by the local parishioners over four centuries and is now managed by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Continuing to the heart of Québec city, the Basilica-Cathedral Notre-Dame de Québec, the first cathedral built in North America north of Mexico, is impressive enough to be a UNESCO world heritage site. Not far on the bluff downstream further is a parish church hosting the Sanctuaire Sainte-Thérèse de l’Enfant Jésus. Finally, just a short distance still further downstream, for anyone who is a grandmother or has every had one, the renown Sanctuaire de Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is famously dedicated to the patron saint of grandmothers and well visited by grandmothers and grandchildren from around the world. More information.
Chimayó to San Luis Pilgrimage
13 to 23 September, 2023
Chimayó, NM to San Luis, CO
The cultural diversity between two of the oldest Catholic shrines in the US to two of the newest inspires awe. This pilgrimage route has been repeated many times over the last decade with many repeat pilgrims who testify to the deep spiritual atmosphere of the rugged and enchanted region. The pilgrimage is scheduled to align with the High Road to Taos art tour. The pilgrim who will benefit most from this pilgrimage is one who is attracted to religious art, architecture, history and high-desert nature overlain on the deep spiritual expression of the inhabitants through the last two centuries. Because of the limitations of the villages to host pilgrims, the group will be kept to about 12. More information.
Rhineland Mystics Pilgrimage
8 to – 30 May, 2023
Basel, Switzerland to Cologne, Germany
From Hildegard of Bingen, OSB in the 12th century to Johannes Tauler, OP in the14th century, numerous well-educated, innovative, spiritually minded theologians, academics, religious and lay men and women wrote extensively about the meaning of God and of life’s purpose and contemplative practices that seem as fresh and modern today as they were received then. This pilgrimage will be appreciated by pilgrims interested in this epoch of Christian history and literature, walking at an easy pace of about 21 km/d (=13 mi/d) along the Rhine River, visiting many monasteries (and vineyards). More information about the mystics and about the pilgrimage.
World Youth Day Pilgrimage
1 June to 31 July, 2023
Toulouse, France to Lisbon, Portugal
World Youth Day is a great adventure for any faithful or seeking young Catholic, but to make an epic journey by foot across mountains and wilderness, staying humbly as pilgrim guests in monasteries and parishes embraced by Providence extends the superlative for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. University students, grad students, young teachers and professionals with little money and the summer free who plan to attend WYD are the ones who will gain the most from this extraordinary opportunity. The swift pace of 29 km/d (=18 mi/d) will surely captivate the senses and maximize life-changing experiences.. More information
Chimayó to San Luis Pilgrimage
15 to 25 September, 2023
Chimayó, NM to San Luis, CO
The cultural diversity between two of the oldest Catholic shrines in the US to two of the newest inspires awe. This pilgrimage route has been repeated many times over the last decade with many repeat pilgrims who testify to the deep spiritual atmosphere of the rugged and enchanted region. The pilgrimage is scheduled to align with the High Road to Taos art tour. The pilgrim who will benefit most from this pilgrimage is one who is attracted to religious art, architecture, history and high-desert nature overlain on the deep spiritual expression of the inhabitants through the last two centuries. Because of the limitations of the villages to host pilgrims, the group will be kept to about 12. More information
St Rose Philippine Duchesne Pilgrimage
23 October to 18 November, 2023
Mound City, KS to St Charles, MO
This Camino-esque pilgrimage begins on rural farm roads and then continues on the Katy Trail, a converted rail line along the Missouri River. The stages are set at the villages and towns that formerly serviced the steam trains. Without traffic, pilgrims can walk take a series of leisurely strolls in the sleepy countryside and by the river. St Rose Philippine is a French-born American teacher and foundress of many convents of much-needed teaching sisters and schools for all. Late in life, she fulfilled her goal to teach the Native Americans after the Potowatomi were marched to what is now Mound City, KS. More information
There are some other pilgrimages in the works organized for particular groups. Anyone with an idea of a pilgrimage is invited to contact us at societyofservantpilgrims@gmail.com for potential assistance in planning, organizing, or connecting with others who are drawn to a similar pilgrimage in the US or Europe.
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Our purpose is to encourage, support, and engage people in spiritual pilgrimage around the world.
We are a response to the directive by Jesus Christ,
“Love God above all things” and, just as important, “Love your neighbor as yourself”.
As pilgrims, we serve this message by walking village to village through the world, to meet others and build trust which is the foundation of peace. Simply showing up to say, “Hello neighbor, peace be with you” Nothing more, nothing less and then walking along to the next town in the morning.
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While on any pilgrimage Ann is not on computer or text message so response times for any communications can take up to a few months.
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The function of this website is largely informational, run by volunteers, and designed for the following:
- Those in conversation about pilgrimage,
- Those with ideas about their own pilgrimage who would like to reach out to Ann, not as tour guide but as pilgrim mentor or,
- Those wanting to join pre-planned pilgrimages. We are not a business and all of our pre-planned pilgrimages are in the line of service. Ann is a guide for them in a unique way and considers this one of her 4 Pillars of Pilgrim Life.
For those that want to help or support the Society, Ann, or other pilgrims please reach out to us and let us know what resource you have to tap into. We particularly are in need of international air miles and gear, like boots. Note that this email address is run by volunteers and response time is slow.
We also suggest subscribing to our newsletter below where we send a yearly series of narratives or glimpses into pilgrim life.