Pilgrimages linked to the traditional liturgy continue to expand their presence beyond the major annual gatherings such as Paris-Chartres or Covadonga. For 2027, new international itineraries are being prepared that will combine visits to some of the main sites of Christendom with the daily celebration of the traditional Mass, Gregorian chant, sacred polyphony, and theological and liturgical formation.
Professor Peter Kwasniewski has presented two of these initiatives on Rorate Caeli, which will have France and the Holy Land as their destinations. The scholar notes that in recent years it has become easier to find organized pilgrimages in which the traditional liturgy forms a stable part of the program, something that, he explains, was much less common in the past.
The Gothic Cathedrals of France
The first pilgrimage will take place from September 29 to October 9, 2027, and will cover some of the main religious sites in France. Under the title “O Beauty Ever Ancient, Ever New,” the itinerary will be especially dedicated to Gothic cathedrals, theology, liturgy, and sacred music.
Pilgrims will visit the cathedrals of Paris, Chartres, Beauvais, Amiens, and Rouen, as well as Mont-Saint-Michel, Saint-Denis, and the Sainte-Chapelle. The itinerary will also include places related to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the Miraculous Medal, and Saint Joan of Arc.
Each day will feature a solemn Mass according to the traditional Roman rite, celebrated by Canon Jean-Baptiste Commins of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICRSS).
Music will play a central role. A professional men’s schola directed by Kwasniewski will perform Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony during the celebrations. The professor will also provide explanations of the theological significance of the architecture, liturgy, and sites visited.
Chartres holds a particularly significant place within this itinerary. Its cathedral is also the destination of the massive Pentecost pilgrimage organized by Notre-Dame de Chrétienté, which in 2026 once again gathered around 20,000 pilgrims around the traditional Mass.
Read also: Twenty thousand pilgrims in Chartres: the unstoppable missionary force of the traditional Mass
A Traditional Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
The second initiative presented will take pilgrims to the Holy Land between November 29 and December 9, 2027.
The itinerary, organized by Regina and St. Charles Catholic Pilgrimages, will likewise include the daily celebration of the traditional Mass. The priest in charge will be Father Pablo Santa Maria, and the program plans to incorporate chants and liturgical forms specifically linked to the Holy Places whenever circumstances allow.
The person responsible for the itinerary will be John Paul Sonnen, founder of Liturgical Arts Journal and a specialist in liturgical heritage and culture. Kwasniewski will participate by offering theological and liturgical explanations during the various stages.
The proposal seeks to ensure that the visit to the places connected with the life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is not reduced to a historical tour, but is accompanied daily by liturgical celebration and religious formation.
The Growth of Traditional Pilgrimages
These initiatives are part of a broader phenomenon that has gained particular visibility in Europe in recent years. The Paris-Chartres pilgrimage represents its most massive expression, but similar proposals have emerged in other countries and regions.
The preparation of these new itineraries for 2027 shows how the model of pilgrimage centered on the traditional liturgy, doctrinal formation, and Christian heritage is finding new expressions, from large popular gatherings to smaller international group itineraries.