Eighteen thousand pilgrims make their way to Chartres through the French fields at sunrise during the 2024 Paris to Chartres pilgrimage. / Credit: Notre-Dame de Chrétienté
Vatican City, Jun 5, 2025 / 11:15 am (CNA).
Over19,000youngCatholicswillwalkfromParistoChartresthisweekendinwhathasbecomeFrance’slargesttraditionalpilgrimage—butthisyear’sjourneyunfoldsunderunprecedentedVaticanscrutiny.
OrganizedbytheFrenchNotre-DamedeChrétientéassociation,thethree-daywalkingjourney—settotakeplacethisyearfromJune7–9fromtheFrenchcapitaltotheancientcathedral—attractsthousandsofpilgrimseveryyear,manyofthemdrawnbytheLatinMass.
Whilethepilgrimagesawarecordturnoutofaround18,000participantsin2024(upfrom16,000in2023),thisyear’sregistrationfilledupinjustfivedays,withover19,000pilgrimssigningup,a“recordlevelofparticipation,”accordingtoorganizers.
Theaverageageofpilgrimsthisyearis20yearsold,accordingtothelatestnumbers.
“TheenthusiasmsparkedbyallthepilgrimageopportunitiesinFrance—especiallythoseforyoungpeople—isajoyf
