The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in St. Augustine. The 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage will start there Sunday. | Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine.
Published on May 21, 2026 at 4:00 pm
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The St. Augustine site of America’s first Catholic Mass will serve as the launching point Sunday for the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, connecting faith, history and national identity during the United States’ 250th anniversary year.
The pilgrimage then heads to churches in Jacksonville and Fernandina Beach before moving north to 18 dioceses and archdioceses in 13 states before ending on the July 4th weekend in Philadelphia.
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The pilgrimage will begin with a Mass at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at the outdoor altar at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, 101 San Marco Ave. in St. Augustine. This is the site of the first Catholic Mass in 1565 at the founding of St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest continuously occupied settlement.
The Rev. Erik Pohlmeier, bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine, said he is excited for the shrine to host the start of the pilgrimage. The diocese represents over 165,000 registered Catholics in 17 North Florida counties.
“As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we want to recognize the faith that developed along with this country,” Pohlmeier said in a news release. “The roots of Catholic faith had grown a lot in the years leading up to 1776, and this celebration is a call to embrace our legacy and carry the mission of the Gospel into the future.”
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The 2026 pilgrimage carries the theme “One Nation Under God” and was organized by the National Eucharistic Congress to highlight key locations in the nation’s Catholic and civic history. It also invites Catholics to reflect on the role of faith in shaping the country’s past and future.
The pilgrimage will run through July 5, including prayer and worship as it also coincides with the 75th anniversary of the addition of the phrase “one nation under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance.
After Pohlmeier celebrates Mass, services will move to the historic chapel at the shrine for a benediction service, followed by a public procession through downtown St. Augustine to the Cathedral Basilica at 38 Cathedral Place.
The event will move at 8 a.m. Monday to Christ the King Catholic Church at 742 Arlington Road in Jacksonville, where the Rev. James Boddie Jr. will preside over a meeting with the area’s Catholic community. Pohlmeier will celebrate a 9 a.m. Mass at the Arlington church before a Eucharistic procession on church grounds, then lunch.
The pilgrimage will move to St. Michael Catholic Church, 202 N. 4th St. in Fernandina Beach, for a discussion at 2:15 p.m. Monday on the history of the parish and community. A procession to the city dock on Centre Street will follow at 3:15 p.m. There, participants will cross into Georgia and head to the Diocese of Savannah for more events that will run through Thursday.
A small group of “pilgrims” will travel the entire route, participating in daily Mass and meetings with local Catholic communities at sites in the 13 original colonies in East Coast states. It ends July 2 to 5 in multiple events, many at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.
