For centuries, Catholics have recognized May as the “Month of Mary.” One of the special ways that Catholics can venerate Mary during this month is to make a Marian pilgrimage.
The May Marian pilgrimage was a favorite devotion of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei. In 1935, after his first visit to the Sonsoles Shrine near Avila, Spain, he established the custom of a May pilgrimage for people in Opus Dei. Each May, members continue to make a pilgrimage to a shrine or other place where Mary is venerated.
In the spirit of this tradition, the Basilica of Saint Mary is encouraging parishioners to make a May Marian pilgrimage. There are several Marian sites in the region and you could visit them all in a day. We are calling this route the Camino de María.
Site 1) The Basilica of Saint Mary - Alexandria, Virginia
The Basilica of Saint Mary – Alexandria, Virginia
You can begin your pilgrimage at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Alexandria, Virginia. Founded in 1795, the Basilica of Saint Mary is the oldest parish in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Church of Saint Mary played a crucial role in the growth of Catholicism in Virginia and the region. From her inception, the Saint Mary became the “Mother Church” to numerous mission churches in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.
Other sites near the Basilica:
– Saint Joseph Catholic Church’s outdoor Marian garden
Site 2) The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception - Washington, D.C.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception – Washington, D.C.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the largest Roman Catholic church in North America. The Basilica is the national and patronal Catholic Church of the United States, honoring the Immaculate Conception as Patroness. The Basilica houses 81 Marian chapels. The church’s foundation stone was laid in 1920 and her final architectural element, the Trinity Dome, was completed in 2017.
Other sites near the Basilica:
– The Saint John Paul II National Shrine
– Saint Mary Mother of God Church
– Holy Rosary Church
– The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America (Closed during COVID-19 pandemic)
Site 3) The Basilica of the Assumption - Baltimore, Maryland
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Baltimore, Maryland
The Baltimore Basilica, built from 1806-1821, was the first great metropolitan cathedral constructed in the United States after the adoption of the Constitution. Two prominent Americans guided the design and architecture of America’s First Cathedral: John Carroll, the country’s first bishop and Benjamin Henry Latrobe, father of American architecture and architect of the U.S. Capitol. The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, consecrated in 1959, currently serves as the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Other sites near the Basilica:
– The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
– Holy Rosary Parish (The Archdiocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy)
– The National Shrine of Saint Alphonsus Liguori
Site 4) The National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes - Emmitsburg, Maryland
The National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes – Emmitsburg, Maryland
The National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes features one of the oldest American replicas of the Lourdes Grotto in France. Built in 1858, the shrine was completed about two decades after the apparition of Mary at Lourdes.
Other sites near the Shrine:
– The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Mount Saint Mary’s University
– The Basilica of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton