More than 20,000 pilgrims walked this Pentecost from Paris to Chartres in one of the most impressive public displays of faith in contemporary Europe. The phenomenon, linked to the rise of the traditional liturgy and the growing prominence of young Catholics, has now crossed the English Channel: England will celebrate its own pilgrimage this summer, inspired by the French model.
The new initiative, called Our Lady of Christendom Pilgrimage, will cover the heart of England over three days, from Oxford to the ruins of the historic Evesham Abbey, one of the country’s most emblematic Marian sites.
Chartres inspires a new generation of English pilgrims
The Notre-Dame de Chrétienté pilgrimage, founded in France in 1982, has experienced significant growth in recent years. With an average age close to 22 and thousands of young people walking for three days between Paris and Chartres, it has become one of the most visible symbols of a traditional revival taking place in parts of Western Europe.
Its influence has also reached other countries. Many foreign pilgrims who have taken part in Chartres have returned to their home countries with the desire to launch similar initiatives. England is one of the latest countries to join this movement.
From Oxford to Evesham, following the footsteps of Catholic England
The march will depart from the parish of St Gregory and St Augustine in Oxford, known for celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass, and will cross the landscapes of the Cotswolds before concluding in Evesham.
The destination carries deep historical significance. According to tradition, the first documented Marian apparition in England took place there, when the Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherd named Eof. The event led St Ecgwine, Bishop of Worcester, to found an abbey that for centuries was one of England’s main pilgrimage centers.
Most of the monastery disappeared during the religious persecution unleashed by Henry VIII in the sixteenth century, although the imposing bell tower still stands as a testament to old Catholic England.
A sign of renewed interest in the Catholic faith
The new pilgrimage comes at a particularly significant moment for the Church in the United Kingdom. Various dioceses are recording a notable increase in conversions and adult baptisms.
The Archdiocese of Westminster has reported a strong rise in the number of adults received into the Church, while the Oxford Oratory welcomed more conversions this year than during the entire previous year.
In this context, the organizers of Our Lady of Christendom believe the pilgrimage can become a privileged tool for deepening spiritual life, fostering Marian devotion, and strengthening Catholic identity in a country marked for decades by secularization.
Under the protection of St John Henry Newman
Andrea Cabanas, president of the pilgrimage, explained to AdVaticanum that the project has had the support of the Chartres organizers and the Covadonga pilgrimage from the outset, as well as numerous faithful who have contributed with prayers and donations.
The organizers have placed this first edition under the special protection of St Joseph, St John Henry Newman, and Blessed Dominic Barberi.
Registration will remain open until June 19. Priests and religious may participate free of charge and celebrate Holy Mass during the journey, in an initiative that aspires to become an annual gathering for British Catholics and a new fruit of the spiritual impulse that has been radiating from Chartres across Europe for years.