Pentecost Pilgrimage 2025: Saturday, June 7
On this Pentecost Vigil, as every year, the city of Chartres is abuzz with activity from the first light of dawn. Coming from all over France, including Switzerland, Germany, Canada, and elsewhere, several thousand pilgrims are heading towards Chartres Cathedral.
This year again, more than 5,400 attend the departure Mass before setting off for Paris.
The struggle of the Society of Saint Pius X is a struggle for the Church.
The marchers' first mission was to reach the cathedral, after dropping their bags in the dedicated truck. At precisely 7:45 a.m., Mass began, celebrated by Fr. Gabriele d'Avino, District Superior of Italy. This year, as the pilgrims march "for our mother, the Holy Church," the preacher recalled from the pulpit the fight the Society must wage.
"Today more than ever, if we wish to render service to the Church, it is the liberal spirit that we are called to curb. The struggle of the Society of St. Pius X is a struggle for the Church," the celebrant explained, adding a touch of hope: "No crisis can erase or obscure the life of the Church if we do not allow it."
At 10:00 a.m., after Fr. Hanappier blessed the adolescent chapters, the adult column set off while the children headed for the buses. A few drops of rain quickly brought out coats and ponchos at the start of the march.
Gray clouds followed the column almost all day. Fortunately, it would take more than that to deter the Chartres pilgrimage.
Le sermon en vidéo
(Source : Pèlerinages de Tradition – FSSPX.Actualités)
Illustration : Isaure Dupont-Cariot, Maxence Malherbe, Jean Lorber, Gilles Bellemans, Soline Grellier
