The seventh pilgrimage organized by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) between Cologne and the Marian shrine of Kevelaer will take place from September 10 to 13, 2026, with the expectation of gathering a significantly higher number of participants than in previous editions. The organizers estimate that attendance will grow by around 30 % compared to last year.
In an interview given to CNA Deutsch, the co-organizer of the pilgrimage, Bernhard Weiskirch, attributed this increase to the growing interest in pilgrimages linked to the traditional liturgy, especially among young people.
Four days of pilgrimage to Kevelaer
The pilgrimage will cover the route between Cologne and Kevelaer over four days, one of Germany’s main Marian shrines. The program will maintain the format of previous years, with the daily celebration of Holy Mass according to the traditional liturgical books, catechesis, spiritual conferences, communal prayer, and singing during the various stages of the journey.
As in the previous edition, Eucharistic adorations and the recitation of Compline at the end of the day will also be held.
The organizers allow registration for the full route as well as for specific days or only for the final kilometers of the pilgrimage.
Growing interest in traditional pilgrimages
Weiskirch explained that registrations are advancing at a faster pace than last year and assured that, at this point, the number of registered participants has already doubled compared to the same dates in 2025.
In his view, this development aligns with the trend observed in other traditional pilgrimages in Europe, especially in France and Spain, which gather thousands of participants and have an average age of around twenty years.
The organization’s goal, he added, is to progressively expand the capacity to accommodate anyone interested in participating in a pilgrimage linked to the liturgical tradition also in Germany.
No decline in participation after Traditionis custodes
Asked about the impact of the motu proprio Traditionis custodes, with which Pope Francis regulated in 2021 the use of the liturgy prior to the 1970 reform, Weiskirch stated that the pilgrimage has not experienced a decline in participation.
On the contrary, he assured that the number of pilgrims has increased every year since the initiative began and highlighted the support received both from the Archdiocese of Cologne and from the rector of the Marian basilica of Kevelaer, who, he indicated, have backed the celebration of this pilgrimage for several years.